TAMPA, Fla. — A South Tampa man turned to Susan Solves It after he said ADT told him he had to keep paying for a security system at his Hurricane Helene-damaged home, even though the system was so new that he never had a day of service.
Shawn Gilbert was home when Helene brought flood water surging through his canal-front property.
“Wasn’t a place in this house that didn’t have water," Gilbert said. “I don’t even have floors right now, furniture, or anything else to protect, let alone need surveillance on my home.”
One of the only things that survived was the brand new ADT security system, which a technician started to install three days before the storm. Gilbert doesn’t know what’s next with his home but one thing is certain—it's unlivable. So, he called ADT to cancel the service.
"They didn’t want to hear it. It was all about a contract and trying to keep me in the program," Gilbert said.
Gilbert claims an ADT representative told him he had to continue paying for the five-year contract, which totals $7,528.91.
“I've got FEMA in this neighborhood helping people out, I’ve got the American Red Cross. An alarm system doing surveillance on an empty shell after someone’s lost everything is beyond unreasonable,” Gilbert added.
Gilbert showed ABC Action News how the security system isn't working, along with four cameras still in the original boxes waiting for the technician to install them.
"Offered to return it to them, they said they couldn’t take it,” Gilbert said.
Consumer Investigative Reporter Susan El Khoury looked over Gilbert's contract with him and learned the home never had coverage. Seven pages in, the contract says the first week is a “familiarization period” and ADT “will not respond to any alarm signal.”
ABC Action News took Gilbert's concerns to ADT. After several days of back-and-forth and an email in which we included a few company managers, ADT decided to cancel Gilbert’s contract and waive all costs.
In a statement, ADT wrote:
“We are fully committed to supporting our customers, especially during times of crisis. Our priority is to provide compassionate support and assistance as Mr. Gilbert works toward recovery. We sincerely appreciate his understanding and patience as we worked closely with our customer care team to determine a thoughtful and fair solution to these unique and unexpected circumstances.”
Gilbert didn’t hide his relief to move on and focus on the protection he still needs: a place to call home.
“I think that without you guys, I would have continued to hit brick walls,” Gilbert said. “Extremely thankful for everything you have done.”
ADT did not respond to questions about whether it has a policy to help customers during natural disasters. The company does offer and widely advertise a six-month money-back guarantee, but the terms read that it only applies to customers who paid extra for a warranty plan.