We have been with Northstar for over 8 years and regretted it from the first year. It took 4 tech visits initially to get the system working right after we signed up. Their "local" support was very scarce . After that the system worked fine within its capabilities, and we dealt with the limited functionality and outdated functionality. The system was locked up with their security codes etc we could not make any changes ourselves. After our multi year initial contract was up they took it upon themselves, to renew our contracts automatically without any notification or authorizations. They arbitrarily increased renewal intervals from 12 months to 16 months. The employees are pleasant but support and company policies are shady and unacceptable. If you are looking for advice, I would say stay away from this company. They are the kind of company that gives security business a terrible reputation.
MG
Maria G.
Camera Doorbell
I have no issue with the monitoring of my Northstar Home Alarm System. The response time is above par.
I do have an issue with your customer service department. When I called regarding a sensor that would not stay in place the customer service person offered to "walk me through it". Not what I expected. Technicians that installed said, "call me if you have a problem" and gave their personal cell phone numbers. Never got a response.
The same with the "camera doorbell" Northstar installed. It has never worked properly, the technician cannot be found, and I don't want someone to "walk me through it" I want someone to come and fix it! If it had been working properly I would have the identification of the person(s) who stole the package off of my porch at Christmas.
JU
Justin
It's impossible to get a Tech to my Home!
No Tech ever available!
JT
Juanita T.
Cameras
Not enough Tech support, Cameras have not been working over a Month and have not received a Answer!
MH
Melody H.
Services
My services haven't worked properly from date of installation.
and it's still out.
Thanks
AH
Ali H.
New to NorthStar
Jeffery Verrue was the sales person who came to my door to introduce us to NorthStar. He spoke very highly of the company and the honeywell products, showed us the Skybell doorbell video technology along with the keypad door entry. Those two things sold me on the service and the monthly payment was only going to be about $4.00 more than what I was currently paying with Vivint Alarm Systems. We made a deal and scheduled my installation for the following week due to our schedule constraints. Ronnie the technician came by to scope out our current system and set up, so that he would know how long the job would take him when he returned. On the day that instillation was scheduled, Jamie Inglet technician showed up to do the install. This was a suprise and honestly made me quite weary because I was not notified of the change in technicians and also because Jeffery and Ronnie were talking about how this was going to be a big job and Jamie is good but "misses details at times". When asking where Ronnie was, I was told that he was suddenly sent to Las Vegas for a job and was no longer available. Jeffery offered no apology for this miscommunication. I allowed Jamie to proceed with the installation, which took roughly 6.5 hours to complete. There seemed to be many obstacles with the current hard-wired sensors in my doors and windows, new wireless sensors were installed. The Skybell and door key pads were installed nicely and aesthetically. Jamie did go over the system well with me and helped me understand the features of the system and App's. Several hours after she left, one of my window sensors went off-line and was unable to be detected by the system. Jeffery was contacted, he was at another job but offed to come by with a technician to check it out. By the time they were available it was 8:30 pm and I did not want them to come over so late. Jamie was contacted and was able to come by the next day. On arrival she noticed that the sensor was missplaced, she moved it to its correct spot and it seemed to work fine. While she was there, another hardwired sensor "went off-line". She contacted tech support and just placed a wireless sensor on the widow. Once again after she left, later that day the sensor went "off-line" again. This is when I became even more weary of the installation and service. I have only ever had one problem with a "bad" hardwired sensor in my house the whole 5-6 years we have been living here. Now it has been 3 or 4 "bad" sensors in two days. I called tech support and customer service to document the issues. Tech support set up an appointment with Rodney Smothers to come out the next day to fix all of the problems that I had been having. Rodney and his apprentice came over, spent about 3 hours there fixing everything that Jamie had done the days before. He fixed "bad" hardwired sensors and removed all of the wireless sensors that were not needed anymore. He also fixed an old transponder that could have been a problem as well. He was very knowledgeable and helpful in explaining everything that was needed to be done. He was thorough in checking the system. Honestly if he hadn't come to fix the problems, I would have cancelled my service with NorthStar all together. That next morning at 5:45 in the morning, the alarm system was tripped and started going off. The alarm stated that a bedroom window/door had been set off. My husband and I work nights, so neither of us were home to confirm this was a false alarm or not. My husband had to leave work to go home and respond to the possible break in. When he arrived home, nothing was opened or tampered with, once again another sensor had gone bad. Furious now that something else was wrong and that my husband had to leave work, I called customer service and tech support. Tech support contacted Rodney to come out to the house again. When he returned he found in the master bathroom window, there was no hardwired sensor but only stripped wires hiding under the window sill. Im not sure when or how long that had been like that, I had never had a problem with that window or area setting the alarm off prior to NorthStar being inside my home. But in all honesty, I very very rarely open that window anyways.
After that was fixed, we have had no false alarms or any sensors go off-line. Everything seems to be working well for now but I am hesitant because of all the other issues with my installation.
It took over a week for Jeffery to drop off or send me a check to pay off the remaining balance of my previous system as agreed upon. After I made the first phone call to customer service, he seemed pretty upset with me for contacting them instead of him personally.
I do appreciate customer service, tech support and Rodney for hearing and responding to my issues in a timely manner. If it wasn't for there help, I would have cancelled and continued with my previous alarm carrier.
LT
Lakesha T.
My review of equipment and services
I think the equipment looks nice but, it buffers for the doorbell it doesn't work well with my Wifi I have so I can never view live feed or watch live or hear the voice. Also, customer service tells you one thing and never stays on it not consistent with getting back to me. Telling what I will have to keep and can't cancel services is not what I should be told by Melody the Northstar representative.
CW
Clint W.
6 weeks and system is still not complete
Started out very nice , friendly and informative, started the purchase and received the security system that night . But they did not have all 4 cameras I wanted so they were to return the next week to install. Now 6 weeks later still no cameras and nobody following up with phone call or email to explain or schedule. I contacted them 2 times once about the cameras and was informed they just came in and would be contacted within the week, (3 weeks ago)Last week I called because I was sent a delinquent payment message which was wrong the payment had been processed. they fixed that and I asked about the cameras and she said she would find out and let me know, 1 week later and still no answer.