KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A security monitoring service out of California says it is going to refund a Knoxville woman after WATE sent an inquiry to the business.

For 12 years, Margaret Buell says her ADT security system worked fine. Then a salesman from another company knocked on her door and convinced her to switch her service.

Unfortunately, Buell’s new system stopped working in just over two weeks. The screen is currently blank.

“It doesn’t come on, it doesn’t light up,” she said. “It would light up and have two boxes on it. The two boxes should be showing for me to either set it for the house or for me to set it when I’m leaving.”

Buell signed a financial note with Brinks Home Security on June 23. The name of the unsolicited salesman who knocked on her door is on another piece of paperwork.

“His name is Keith, he said he was with Brinks Home Security. He said they were in the area to update ADT service. They said my box was old,” Buell said.

So, her ADT system was removed. She had been a customer for 12 years and said she never had any issues with the company.

“If there is a problem, they will call me and say we are not getting a signal,” Buell said.

The day this sign was put up, her monitoring system was installed.

“The guy came out the same day and put in immediately, the new system,” Buell said. “It worked 19 days. I called them and told them it was messing up. They said well we want $220 to come out and do a service call. I said, ‘No, I’m not paying that.'”

Buell said at that point Brinks suggested she can fix it on her own.

“[Brinks] wanted to Facetime me, have me take it apart and fix it myself,” Buell said. “I’m not a technician. Why should I have to pay $220 for something I just got?”

Fed up, she wanted the system removed. Her next call was to the new monitoring service out of California, Skyline.

“The young man that I talked to, his name was Emanuel, said, hold on a minute, he came back and said it will cost you $1,882.69. I want them to come out here and take this out, and I don’t want to have to pay the $1800 to have it pulled,” Buell said.

WATE contacted Skyline, it is an authorized dealer of Brinks. The company sent an email stating, “Skyline does not condone behavior as alleged, we treat it very seriously, and address it quickly. The Buell account has been canceled and all obligations removed.”

Buell was pleased with the response.

“I’m so happy. I’m just waiting for them to come and get the box,” Buell said.

WATE called the salesman who came to Buell’s house. He has not gotten back to us.

Buell said she had no reason to doubt or question the salesman because he seemed “sincere.” In hindsight, Buell believes she should have placed the salesman on hold, maybe even given him a cup of coffee, while she made a call to ADT.

She plans to contact the original alarm company to have them reinstall her monitor.