DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! I joined the HOA a few years ago and our building uses Urban Alarm. I have had nothing nice to say. It feels more like a scam than an actual business. They failed to provide the services written in their contract, if they ever respond to service calls they will not actually complete the task and stall for MONTHS! They claim to have cloud-based storage but never actually set up our system to connect to the servers, meaning that we could not use any footage to help people in our building. The one time they did address an issue they left trash all over the entry way and "fixed it." The person answering the service line is belligerent and rude. They really need to think about customer service and how they talk to clients. I would start by firing him. Finally, this business is not BBB Accredited! Use a reliable company and skip this group. read more

If considering Urban Alarm for your building I strongly urge you to reconsider and avoid them. They provided abysmal, negligent service to my condominium building and HOA including: - Not completing routine service or inspections of our security system. - Not responding to requests to service our building security system when a critical panel failed for greater than 6 weeks. - When Urban Alarm finally did come to investigate the failed panel they did not provide requested updates or fix the panel and, to compound this unacceptable level of service, they left trash on our building's lawn. - When contacted a final time to request an update on repairing the failed panel (2.5 months in to this saga) they declined to provide an update or ETA and rudely recommended my building cease paying them and to find a new provider. Need a dependable security provider? I recommend looking elsewhere. read more

I specifically sought out a smaller, local alarm company because I didn't want to have to deal with long holds and lackluster customer service from a big company like ADT. I kick myself everyday for going against my instincts and signing a contract with Urban Alarm. I have never experienced such poor service from a professional business. From the very beginning (sales) I had to send repeated emails and call to get any response from Urban Alarm. And now here we are more than a year into my contract and I have had countless issues with this company. Most recently, I have been waiting for more than a week for someone from UA to respond to my request for simple support - instead of apologizing for such poor customer service, UA blamed their contractor for failing to get the message to them. To date, other than responding to blame the contractor, no UA employee has called to provide the support needed or rectify the issue. So essentially my system does not function and yet I am sure they'll be expecting to collect payment for a service not being provided. The worst!!! I am counting down the days until my contract is over. I strongly discourage anyone considering an alarm company to remove Urban Alarm from the list of potential companies. Do not walk - RUN away from Urban Alarm. Yelp should permit a ranking of "0" starts for a business like UA because there is absolutely nothing stellar about this business. The equipment can be purchased anywhere online (and cheaper) and installed by a professional for a reasonable fee - there is nothing UA offers that cannot be sourced elsewhere by a company that actually knows how to provide professional service. read more

Disorganized The sub contractors expect you to direct them

been been with Urban Alarm for over 10 years and their service continues to deteriorate. No one answers the service calls they do faulty repairs that lock people out of the building highly recommended never to use their services..HOA President. Washington DC read more

Beware the website says no long-term contracts required. However, they will present a 3 year evergreen contract and then drop it to 12 months after the issue is brought up. Top it off with a snarky reply when declining the bait and switch. Not a good sign... read more

Simply terrible We had a security system installed from urban alarm 2 years The system shuts down at list twice a month I'm not kidding .they are a joke! The system is now down for 2 weeks so far they have not been able to fix it Urban alarm is a disgrace read more

Absolutely horrible customer service and maintenance. We are a mid-sized condo building in DC and had security cameras installed. When someone was assaulted in front of our building, we discovered the cameras had not been working for some time. Urban Alarm made no effort to apologize or comp us monthly fees for the months the cameras had not been working. Then, they billed us for installing new cameras that were never actually connected to the online camera viewing system. All along the way, every question or appointment required multiple follow-ups and emails. I strongly discourage anyone from considering working with them. read more

This company does NOT do what we pay them to do. They constantly leave our whole building in the lurch. When the alarm goes off, we are left waiting for hours on end for them to arrive to assess and reset the system, without providing us with an estimate of how long it will take them to arrive. I strongly discourage anyone from from employing them. read more

Our HoA paid for monitoring and other services and none is really ever done. When I call, I get a bunch of pushback on the basic services. Not sure why we're paying these people anymore... read more

Unfortunately, Yelp requires one to award at least one star to post a review. Urban Alarm's product & customer service doesn't even deserve one star. More than two years ago my 9-unit building sought to replace an admittedly old 'buzz-in' system and were comfortable paying whatever appropriate for a new system. Urban Alarm held itself out as a cutting edge, high-tech solution. After installing high-speed wifi to support Urban Alarm's product, paying Urban Alarm's installation fee and two years of $200+ annual service fee, none of my neighbors have been able to make Urban Alarm's system to work reliably. Customer relations at Urban Alarm are all but non-existent and when they do respond their tone suggests their customers aren't sufficiently tech.-savvy. As someone who makes a point to try to support D.C. businesses, Urban Alarm's being based in D.C. is a discredit to the many, reputable D.C.-based businesses. read more

My parents' house's alarm was going off, and from out of town, I was able to reach Urban Alarm quickly and have a technician come over quickly. Miles was professional and prompt. Thanks for making a high-stress situation better. read more

I met with Urban Alarm, and they were quite impressive with knowledge, and their products seemed compatible with everything I needed. But then...nothing. No follow up. I realize sometimes things fall through the cracks, so I followed up. Apologies all around, and then a promise for my sales person to get in touch with me to set up an installation and then...nothing. Sorry, but if you can't get your acts together to sell something, how are you planning to service it? I'm disappointed because I really wanted an alternative to my current company. read more

The company has improved its customer service considerably since the date of the original review.

Urban Alarm Customer Experience is top notch. I own several rental properties in Columbia Heights and when my tenants asked me my recommendations for alarm companies there was no question in my mind that Urban Alarm was the company for them. Even though I knew Urban Alarm would be the best, I gave them the option of researching a few other companies and allowing them to make the final decision. After a ton of research, interviews and sales calls from each alarm company they called me and said that they decided on Urban Alarm. I could have save them a ton of time at the beginning by just telling them to go with Urban Alarm, but wanted them to make the decision. Long story short the installation was very easy and my tenants are so happy with the service. The owner of the company Miles is great! Miles is hands on and always available to answer questions. If you are looking to secure your house I highly recommend reaching out to Urban Alarm. read more

Showed up on the wrong day for service that was scheduled after it took 3 weeks for them to call me back to set up the appt. Installation was a disaster and took them several tries to get the cameras to work. Over priced monthly service compared to the newer companies. read more

Following a day-time break-in, we decided to install a security system. We wanted to support a local business. We chose Urban Alarm and have been pleased to do business with them. read more

I was a little disappointed in this company very recently. I called over the weekend in the hopes of signing up for this service and haven't gotten a call back for over a week. In some ways I'm glad that this happened BEFORE I actually signed up for the service because it really shows how little they must care about their clients. read more

I've used urban alarm on three occasions. They are superb. - GREAT ALARM INSTALLATIONS - COOL HIGH TECH ROVING PATROL - RESPONSIBLE EASY TO WORK WITH OWNER They do an excellent job installing the system, and the installers are trustworthy. I've used ADP and similar services before, and the installer is basically the cable guy (which always left me with an insecure feeling). Urban Alarm is a small company that is much more buttoned up. My installer was a meticulous guy who radiated trustworthiness and professionalism. The system works. I've had the alarm triggered a few times, and the police are there shockingly fast. We've also had experience with their roving patrol when we needed to beef up security. They were very professional and thorough and did a great job for us. read more

Took a while to get them to schedule and get the system up and running but was done sucessfully. Then we find out more details like they charge fees ($100) to change buzzer caller information-- this wasn't mentioned until after installed. After 2 years of having the system, they seemed to forget how to update it, therefore no new/changed residents could be added to the front door buzzer/security system. After over 3 months of emailing weekly to check into the system while they continued to say they were "working on it," we cancelled and found another company- FORCE Security . Wish we had gone with a more reliable and component company instead of wasting time. read more

I recently had Urban Alarm install a security system and access control in my office and am very happy with the service I receive and the quality of the system. I bid the job to three companies and found that Miles was the most knowledgeable and the only one that gave me a proposal on my actual needs. I found the bigger companies tried to sell me more than I needed and services I did not want. Working with them was easy, communication was good and the end product is exactly what I wanted. read more

Fantastic service - have been a customer for 4 years and Urban Alarm always performs above expectations. We've added multiple new services and Urban Alarm is always on budget with installations and on time for appointments. read more

This is a quality organization. The owner is hands on with the day to day and has a strong customer centric operations manager to handle your account. I highly recommend Urban Alarm as your security provider, they are top notch. read more

All around amazing! Extremely quick to respond from sales, proposal, install, and service when needed (which was not often). I highly recommend Urban Alarm for both your home and office. It's also great that they are local. Thank you urban alarm! read more

I needed a quick response to security issues regarding several commercial properties in Montgomery County. First and foremost, Miles (Wendy and Charlie) provided me with a first-class solution, correspondence and got me online immediately. This company is the real deal...professional, local and totally BIG in expertise and did I say....reasonable costs. I highly recommend Urban Alarm for your security needs. Margaret read more

Have worked with urban alarm before - Miles (owner) is personable and intelligent - a pleasure to work with. I decided to use them for commercial application to move our existing access control system. It was difficult and there was a lot of time pressure, but they came through and everything works great! Kudos to John there, who documented, moved, reconfigured and tested the system, then trained us on it. He's great! read more

Selected Urban Alarm after meeting with ADT and trying to meet with Ackerman (Ackerman never showed up or rescheduled). Was very impress with the honesty of the quote (didn't try to up sell me services that I didn't need) and with the integrity of the process--didn't use any scare tactics (unlike ADT) to try and sell me additional services/equipment. I also appreciate that the service is month-to-month and no long term contract is required. Bonus: I'm supporting a local business! read more

Terrible, frightening experience with Urban Alarm. After we paid them to move our system from one home to another and re-install it in the new location (hard-wiring, multiple visits), we found out 15 months later that they had NEVER UPDATED THE ADDRESS and the police had gone to our old address on multiple occasions when there were false alarms--- most recently, entering the new tenants' home when they were not there! This means we were completely unprotected in our new home for the entire time we were paying them to protect it. What a horrible situation. Incredibly sloppy and thoughtless-- how many other customers are in the same situation and don't even know it? We only feel lucky that nothing did happen-- what a horrible feeling to know that in the event of a break-in, the police would never have come.... read more

I just had an alarm system installed, and the whole process was fabulous. I was going to sign up with a different company, but Urban Alarm was more appealing because you don't have to sign a long-term contract (and we all know how transient DC is!). Miles helped me feel confident in my choice, and the technician did a great job. Their customer service people are top notch, too, and their equipment is easy to use. All around, a great experience! I would definitely recommend checking them out. read more

I love urban alarm. They are always very responsive and solve all my problems. Alex Bercian is the best. He doesn't leave until the problem is fully resolved. He is also very clean and respectful. read more

We installed this alarm in our home. This is a great small company that sells you only what you need We have been very pleased. Good response time , friendly and helpful staff. We feel very secure at night in our home due to this company. read more

We just moved to Bethesda and had Urban Alarm install a security system in our house. They were so knowledgeable and helpful with their recommendation for the best design to protect our home... Their technicians were quick, professional and clean throughout the entire installation, and the tutorial was thorough. We are very very pleased with the result, our safety, and the follow up on the project. We would highly recommend them to anyone looking for security needs in the DC metro. read more

In mid-2011, I wanted to upgrade my 11-year old home security system and I was fortunate to find Urban Alarm and the company's owner, Miles. Miles contacted me immediately, set-up an appointment, and presented me with upgraded security hardware and monitoring options. I have been extremely pleased with the monitoring service I have received from Urban Alarm and recently upgraded my system again. The entire Urban Alarm team is amazing!. In particular, I'd like to single out Miles, Mitch, and technician, Alex, for special recognition. My customer service calls are always answered promptly and professionally and Miles and his team routinely go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction. I'm an Urban Alarm customer for life and I'm especially happy to support a Washington, DC based company and to be able to recommend this wonderful local business with the highest regard. read more

We have been with urban alarm for about six months now. Simply put, the service is excellent. We did quite a bit of research and shopping around before selecting an alarm company. We are confident we made the right choice. Miles is extremely professional and helpful. His service team is responsive and accessible. I would recommend them to anyone! read more

I recently moved into a three floor home in the District and came across Urban Alarm while doing research for a DC-located alarm installation business without ties to the major monitoring services, e.g., ADT, which I had decided to avoid. After reaching out to the company's president, Miles, and learning more about UA's offerings, I scheduled an in-home review to get to brass tacks on the type of system UA would recommend and its associated cost. Right away I was impressed. Miles came by himself -- though UA is a smaller company, that still impressed me -- and provided an exceptionally well-explained and logical plan that addressed the concerns I voiced about the home's security. Not only that, but he worked me after the consultation to get the system's price to where I judged my budget to be while still providing more than adequate protection for the home. The installation went smoothly and follow-up has been great (Miles came for both the installation and a second time to show me first-hand the system's operation). I really liked the fact that UA allowed me to purchase vice rent the system components and provided unique monitoring solutions that I've not seen from comparable companies. The system isn't cheap, but UA's approach, the professionalism and knowledge of Miles and his staff, and the high quality product it offers are unparalleled as far as I can tell in the DC area. read more

I am the board president of a 55-unit condominium in Washington, DC. We first used Urban Alarm to install a comprehensive, state-of-the-art camera system in our building near U Street NW. We were so pleased with the service and technology, a year later we converted all of our access control systems to Urban Alarm. They are excellent all around - competitive pricing, top of the line technology solutions, great service and communication. Miles, the owner, is very hands on and involved and manages a great team. Highly recommended! read more

BUYER BEWARE! WE HAVE HAD OVER $50,000 OF DAMAGE BECAUSE OF URBAN ALARM'S INSTALLATION ERRORS! We paid Urban Alarm over $15,000 to install a new system in our new house. We have had HUGE issues with the work. First, the sales rep and owner, Miles, touted the ability of the system he was proposing as being able to be iPhone and iPad controlled. The system was installed and paid for, and when he came to install the app on our devices, the passcode function (where you put a code in before you can access your alarm system) was non functional. The system could be i-controlled, but the app was totally not secure! Miles acknowledged that this was a huge problem, uninstalled the apps from our devices, and said he was meeting with the developers and would make sure they address and fix it. He would then reinstall it when they fixed the problem. Fast forward 3 years of having no ability to set/disarm, etc. the alarm by iPhone or iPad as promised -- and after a panel upgrade, we were finally promised the upgraded app (with the security added) would work. It did not. Urban Alarm finally told us that we will need to pay to UPGRADE OUR ENTIRE PANEL in order to get iPhone and iPad functionality! We did not feel that we should have to pay for something that we had been told we would be getting with our $16,000 system, which caused a huge back and forth. A second problem arose when our insurance company did a premium assessment on our house, and our life safety and other monitoring device credits were being discussed. They asked for the receipt for, and photos of, all of our water sensors (that sense water in case of a leak). After we submitted that, they informed us that the devices on the invoice (which were listed as being over $100 apiece) were in fact not the ones used. What we had were $15 sensors that could be bought at Sears. We were assured that the devices we got were as good as the ones spec'd, but asked that they be tested to be sure they worked. We discovered that most of them HAD NEVER BEEN HOOKED UP TO THE PANEL. In fact, numerous devices were found to not have been connected to the panel! If they sensed a problem, they would not alert ANYONE! Another problem we had early on was a false alarm from a device that was installed in a semi-outdoor area. Not only was the wrong device installed (we were told that the device is sensitive to dust -- and should not have been installed in a pool mechanical room), BUT THE WIRES FROM THAT AND ANOTHER DEVICE WERE CROSSED! The fire company thought it was responding to a carbon monoxide alarm, so came through the entire house in a huge rainstorm, muddying all new carpeting -- when it was really a heat sensor that was local to the (outdoor) pool mechanical room (that got dusty and so went off), and was mis-wired and mis-labelled in the panel as a carbon monoxide sensor. Yet another issue was discovered when our air conditioning unit filters were being changed. The HVAC contractor brought me a photograph of what had been done to the custom overflow pan that was there to prevent water damage in case the heat pump in a crawl space malfunctioned and leaked. Urban Alarm's installers had DRILLED HOLES INTO THE SHEET METAL CATCH PAN in order to install a water sensor! They ruined the pan; if water were to leak, which is what the pan is there for, it would now leak through the drilled holes and soak ceiling, walls, floors. Their techs came out to look, and agreed that they had made a mistake, and assured us they would pay to replace the pan. Not surprisingly, they went back on this -- saying that plastic pans at Loew's are about $40 - $70 (this was a custom one-piece sheet metal pan made for the equipment it is sitting under) -- and they refused to pay for the labor to replace the pan. Did they expect me to remove and replace the equipment to get the new pan in? Last but certainly not least, they installed a water sensor in our mechanical room clear across the room from the big water bearing equipment (boiler and hot water tank). When one of the pipes leading to the boiler had an issue last March when we were away, the water went out the mechanical room door, down the hall, and into all the surrounding spaces, under tile, under new wood floors, ruining walls, baseboards, moulding, etc. -- and the water sensor never sensed it because of where they put it, clear across the room (and beyond a floor drain). We had $50,000 worth of water damage. We asked UA to reimburse our deductible and non-covered expenses. Their response: we did not CAUSE the leak. I agreed that they did not cause the leak; but added that they typically don't cause the fire that their equipment is there to sense, either, and if they negligently failed to hook up the fire alarms in a house and that house burned down, killing the family of 4 and their dog, I doubt anyone would agree that they did not bear any fault. read more