Most reviewers were let down by their experience overall. People frequently complained that customer service was entirely unhelpful, leaving callers waiting on long holds or refusing to assist end users with technical problems. Consumers also experienced continuous system failures, poor software performance, and extremely frustrating difficulties regarding passwords, remote platform access, and third-party installation services. Many disappointed buyers felt that the expensive equipment failed to justify its overall cost, leading to widespread regret regarding their purchases.
Some reviewers were happy with certain aspects, mentioning that specific hardware pieces looked nice and functioned adequately for the price paid.
This company must rank as one of the worst I’ve ever come across in terms of “after sales “service.
Trying to get through to their technical support is impossible. On calling the support telephone number, a menu of two choices exists, but if you don’t fit into either it asks you to press 1 to end the call.
Even leaving a voicemail at Head Office for a return call is a waste of time. They clearly wish to ignore customers once they’ve got a sale !
Would certainly avoid if you’re thinking of installing their CCTV cameras and recording system. Really no point if you can’t access cameras/recordings !
I can only but agree with the lousy reviews about how finicky the system is and the need for an IT Expert to spend hours to fix it. No manual nor help desk. Very disappointing. The IT guy who installed it doesn't want to ever come back!
Very poor customer service. - Unable to advise on how to turn the intercom screen due to be being the end user and not installer. They can provide a list of local installers but will take 2 days to send these over.
days an days trying to configure ip cams because It's impossible to find the password and two cameras share the same ip address. Also days and days wasted trying ti disable playback through hdmi access. Money and time wasted. DON'T BUY
I installed the camera today, and after just one hour of use, it became so hot that I couldn't hold it. While trying to configure it, I noticed that the admin software is very buggy. Not only is the translation poor, but there are also instances where I click a button and nothing happens. Upon opening the Chrome developer console, I discovered numerous red error messages. The configuration software is simply of poor quality.
If you get a new phone, the HIK password and info do not get transferred. I dare anyone who is not an IT expert to then add a new phone, passwords etc to try. We have had it for over 5 years and constantly have issues of connectivity, difficulty in finding who entered our property, opening the gate remotely etc. It took an IT specialist hours to fix issues
I have purchased a Hikvision DS-7608NXI-K2 / 8P for use to obtain evidence for my solicitor for a matter. When downloading video either from the system or from online it downloads anything from 30 minutes to 4 hours this is not what I want I need at most 1 minute. I reported this to Hikvision referencing my Hikvision 7216 system that allows me to download seconds of video. I have sent 3 Emails to Hikvision both to sales and support but have received nothing back. It is a disgrace 1 that there is a massive flaw with the system and 2 that they will not reply when reporting this flaw and 3 they will not help with sorting out this problem. This is the response I received after 7 weeks of sending my first letter and email. Thank you for your email to Hikvision UK & Ireland. As an End User of Hikvision products we would recommend you contact you point of purchase/installer for all technical support. If you do not have an installer we would recommend you to contact one in your local area.
Hikvision CCTV equipment is commercial graded product and should be installed and maintained by a Hikvision recognised partner.
We do not directly support End Users with Technical issues, we support Professional Installation Companies and Distributors only, who then in turn will support their Clients.
If you provide your postcode, I can get back to you with a list of installers within your area that we have a record of.
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Many Thanks
Kindest Regards
Kyle Moses
Technical Support Engineer
UK & Ireland
4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, UB11 1ET
Tel: + 44(0)1628 902140
Tech: + 44(0) 1790 600300
Firmware Portal: Portal Link
Password Reset Guides: Password Reset Guide
This is not acceptable and it is clear that they do not have a way of fixing the obvious problem with there product.
Absolute garbage system. I’ve just moved to a property that already had this sh*te installed and is impossible to set up as a new user after deleting the previous owners account. Take my advice when I say spend a bit extra and go for a brand such as Eufy there cameras are way more user friendly and are completely wireless so you won’t need to pay for installation. You can do it yourself. I had these previously and they are rechargeable and the battery life is 6+ months and I was on them 2-3 times a day through the app. Hikvision is 110% sh*te
HikVision is the most touchy overly sensitive system that continues to take a degree in IT to manage.
There is absolutely ZERO support available.
Most expensive piece of unreliable junk ever built
Also the US CISA stated that there is a Chinese back door on the chips used in HikVision to allow Chinese nationals to easily hack your network.
Horrible system. Worst mistake ever. Don’t buy.
Where shall I start with Hikvision. Typical tech company, pumping out badly tested tech! Something I find VERY annoying given they run a pretty closed eco system with little exterior input to cause variables.
Unless you pay someone an awful lot of money to configure it all correctly the cameras are rubbish. The average installer will be lost having to do much more than a plug & play IP cam setup. The software manuals they provide are equally poor, missing sections on the POE out from NVR manual which retails to customers at well over £1000 for example. The software must have more bugs than average hospital, even after you’ve forked exuberant sums of money to have it all set up by a network/cctv master tech, it remains problematic. In instances such of power cuts or the clocks changing being notable failure points. When you speak to people who supply the installers they’re all VERY aware of how the rubbish Hik’s bugs are and seem to accept to a certain degree Hik are arrogant as a company! When you watch the installer remoting in to the system and question why he is checking settings which have been fine for months, seems it’s not unusual for this stuff to reconfigure itself without human input.
Hik will not take any contact from an end user who wants to vent at their woeful offering. Instead choosing to hide behind independent installers and suppliers who are either too scared, or have no way to push back at Hik with all their problems!
Hikvision seems to be a popular brand that is installed by professional alarm system installers. However, as mentioned by other reviews, the software is overly complex, buggy, and at times outdated in its interface. Popular consumer brands such as Eufy or Blink have better software apps that are user friendly and easier to retrieve recordings. We have Hikvision that was installed as part of our new home construction, but regret that we didn't take a more active role in researching this brand before having it installed. We had trusted the alarm installation company since they were very professional. I think Hikvision software would be fine if you are an alarm installer yourself, but for everyone else, please stay away and save yourself a ton of money and aggravation. You can just buy a consumer brand and pay an alarm installer to set them up for you if you wish.
contacted hikvision support for help about camera pictures are frozen and trying to register on there user app to get access to the dvr there response was I they couldn't help me and would have contact an approved engineer to fix the issue absolutely shocking that you are held to ransom and can't repair myself I am an engineer and work daily on half million pound
machines that are more complicated than the Hikvision system very very poor customer service I will and can repair this
2 Bob overrated cctv system shame on them please do not buy hikvision cctv will write an updated when I have fixed the issues with frozen pictures and playback
To reset a password it is necessary that the support from hikvision modifies a xml-file from this product. The support from hikvision italy charges 35,- Euro for that service, what will take a second!!!!
So I can recommand, that you shouldn´t buy from hikvision italy because other distributors in other EU-coutries don´t charge for this service!
I had a HikVision intercom and camera unit installed by a local gate automation company on their recommendation. The camera lens started to get moisture and fogging in the lens cover and therefore unusable as there was limited picture due to the moisture. On emailing HikVision and speaking to the installer, HikVision would not replaced as the unit was installed 12 months and a few weeks ago so was just out of installation warranty by a couple of weeks. This led to me forking out over £400 for a replacement to be installed by the installer to find it was a new modified unit from the previous installed one. I wonder why they modified the camera unit? Fogging and moisture in the lens maybe. I will be avoided HikVision at all costs going forward.
Sent an email to Hikvision UK customer support but they didn't even bother to reply. Pretty poor considering the camera retails at almost £1400 and the instructions are unclear.
Needless to say I shall not be purchasing any more equipment from them and will be giving my business to another manufacturer who actually care about their customers.
Customer service is terrible refused to repair or replace my cameras that are only 15 months old 6 cameras 2 failed due to water damage
Surely out cameras should be able to handle rain and weather
Waste of time
we had a power failure and next day my HK4500 began to beeeeeep and I tried to reset and than after 15 min the beep started again. called HK vision and I agree with most of the comments. CAN ANY TELL ME HOW TO SET ON / OFF SO IT DONT BEEEEEEEP/ THANKS
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