Switching from ADT, Vivint, or Brinks?
Before you cancel your current security provider, check your contract and end date, early-cancellation terms, and the equipment agreement. Let the new alarm company inspect the system, take over monitoring, and test it before you end the old service.
Once you are past the contract, canceling is easy with just a phone call and a written notice. Otherwise, there may be a fee. Either way, don’t pull any equipment off the wall yet, because you may be able to keep the equipment you already have.
I often get calls from people who want to change alarm companies but aren’t sure where to start. Sometimes they bought a house that came with a system, or they signed up with a national company years ago. Others are paying for services they don’t understand or use.
People usually ask: “Can I keep the equipment?” and “Will my house still be monitored while we switch?”
I spent 28 years in law enforcement before starting CornerStone Protection in 2014. So here is how I would answer those before making any changes.
Step 1: Find your contract and check the paperwork
Most big national companies’ contracts last several years. If you are looking into how to cancel an ADT, a Vivint cancellation, or a Brinks cancellation, find your contract and check three things:
- When the contract ends and whether it renews automatically.
- What it says about early cancellation fees.
- How to send the cancellation notice.
If you cannot find your paperwork, call the company and ask for a copy. Then confirm your end date and cancellation instructions. Keep a record of the conversation, including the date and the person you talked to. Don’t cancel anything until the new company has taken over and tested your system.
If you signed after a door-to-door visit recently, the FTC’s “Cooling-Off Rule” gives you three business days to cancel most door-to-door sales. Read the cancellation form the seller provides, and follow its instructions before the deadline.
Step 2: Find out who owns the equipment
Most people miss this part and aren’t aware of who owns the equipment. Check your original contract to find out what it says about the equipment agreement. Your agreement may say you paid an upfront fee to buy the equipment and you own it.
If it says leased, rental, or loaned, the company owns it, or you still owe payments on it. Call your current provider to know your options for any return requirements before removing or replacing anything. Then have the new company look at what is installed.
Step 3: Check out your equipment compatibility
Equipment ownership and equipment compatibility aren’t the same. The panel is the brain of the system that runs the alarm. It is usually a wall keypad or touchscreen, or a metal or plastic control box with the keypad wired to it.
The company locks some panels, and they must be returned. Others can usually be reprogrammed for another monitoring company. But the system needs to be released from the previous provider first. Also, check the communicator module inside the panel to see whether it can stay or needs upgrades.
In many cases, your panel needs replacing, while the existing door and window sensors can stay. It saves you money and time.
You do not have to figure out everything yourself. If you want to use ADT equipment with another company, send us a picture of the keypad or the inside of the panel box, and we will walk you through the right path.
Step 4: Schedule with the new company before you cancel the old one
When switching alarm companies, this part needs close attention. Do it in this order:
- Have the new company look at your system and set a date.
- On that date, they make the necessary changes, take over the panel (or install the new one), and connect it to the new monitoring center.
- Ask them to test the system and confirm that the monitoring center receives the signals.
- Then call the old company and cancel the service.
Do not cancel the old system before the new one takes over. Otherwise, your home may be without monitoring during the transition. This is exactly what I want you to avoid.
Step 5: A few things to check during the switch
Before canceling ADT, Vivint, or Brinks, read these first.
Your communication pathway. If your old company still uses a copper phone line to send the alarm, it may need a cellular communicator. AT&T is retiring copper lines across Kentucky. So, it’s time for replacing your copper phone line with VoIP.
Your codes. Get your master code from the old company if possible. If not, tell the new company beforehand, so they can do whatever is needed.
Smoke and carbon monoxide detection. Check if these are included in the system. Also, test them along with the front door.
Cameras and doorbells. Ask which devices and apps are tied to the old company and which are not, before assuming anything.
Your homeowner’s insurance. If you receive a discount for a monitored alarm, tell your insurance agent and ask whether they need the new monitoring certificate.
Perks of switching to a local company
I’m fairly confident about switching to a local alarm company. If my alarm system has a problem in the middle of the night, I want to call someone who knows my area well and can make sure help is available round-the-clock.
At CornerStone, we have been serving Central Kentucky since 2014 and received Best of Lexington (Security Services) in 2025 and 2026. Our monitoring starts at $29.95 a month.
If you are ready to cancel ADT or switch from another provider, we would like to look at what you have and explain what needs replacing. For details, call CornerStone Protection at (859) 353-6020.
Questions people ask
Can I just stop paying ADT, Vivint, or Brinks?
I would not. If you are still under contract, stopping the payments does not complete a cancellation. You may end up with an unpaid balance. Call them to find out where you stand and cancel it accordingly.
Will my old equipment work with CornerStone Protection?
A lot of the time it will. It depends on the panel, access restrictions, and current condition. Send us a picture, and we will explain.
Do I have to wait until my contract ends?
Not necessarily. Some choose to wait, some don’t. Check if there is any early-termination fee. Once you decide, we can have everything ready to switch the day you want.
What if I moved into a house and the system belongs to the last owner’s account?
No problem. The equipment usually stays in the house. Call the company on the account to make sure they are not still monitoring it. Then we can take a look and set it up in your name with us.
Do you work outside Lexington?
Yes. We cover Central and Eastern Kentucky, including Richmond and Winchester.
