We've used the services of the same security company for the past several decades. It is the 'same security company' only in a sense. Originally we signed on to a local security company and they installed all the electronic equipment required to monitor the security of our home. A few years later they were bought out by a larger company and our service was reliant on that larger company. And then, years later again, an international security company bought out the second one, and we've been with them for many years.

It hasn't happened very often to us that we've had a false alarm, but it has happened. Years ago, actually. Police arrived and it became clear that they responded to a false alarm. One of our neighbours has the key to our house, and in theory the security company is supposed to contact that neighbour who could look around the perimeter of the house to determine if anything is askew. If that neighbour cannot be contacted there are other contact names. If the security company is concerned that a break-in has occurred they call the police to investigate.

The police then charge the homeowner for their services. In the case of a false alarm if it is negligence on the part of the homeowner that an alarm has been triggered, it makes sense that they pay the penalty. If, however, it is the equipment that is faulty, and one has a service agreement with the security company in addition to paying monthly security fees, the security company should ethically foot the bill for the false alarm penalty.

That's the position we've been in for the past month or so. In the space of several months we experienced no fewer than three alarms, all false. Each generated a visit by police, and as a result we received billings from the police for each event they responded to. Clearly, something was wrong with the equipment. And that is the responsibility of the security company. So along came a seasoned technician to check things out. This, only after a length of time during which if we used the alarm we hazarded the potential of another false alarm.

Poor service by any standard. So we began to look around for another security company's services. One of our neighbours recommended a local company he uses, so a representative came around to evaluate matters and left a proposal. When we informed our current security company of our opinion of the service we were entitled to as opposed to the service we were getting they apologized and offered to lower our monthly fees. Which does nothing whatever to answer to poor service.

Finally, however, that senior technician arrived to replace every bit of equipment that had been originally installed in the house with technically advanced equipment more or less guaranteeing no further false alarms. We're still flirting with the temptation to dismiss them and sign onto a local company. Our current one is local only in the sense that their administrative and technical offices, though they're an international conglomerate, are over the border in Quebec.

Critically, given our dissatisfaction with the service, we're also awaiting a decision on their part to share the cost -- the lion's share I should add -- of the costs associated with paying a penalty for false alarms to the local police services. It's a matter of principle.