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Lesson #1 of when trying to avoid a huge termination fees...
GET IT IN WRITING. Never take a 'low level' CSR (no offense meant) or Supervisor word over the phone. What proof will you have? Even if you have their ID number.
Lesson #1 of when trying to avoid a huge termination fees...
GET IT IN WRITING. Never take a 'low level' CSR (no offense meant) or Supervisor word over the phone. What proof will you have? Even if you have their ID number.
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I think you're going to end up in one hell of a mess.
What should have happened the second time you had a problem was for them to roll out a truck and figure out what's going on. DirecTV is obligated to make sure an install goes correctly and that their customer can receive their service.
Also, did you call as soon as you realized you weren't getting the HBO for the 3 free months?
Unfortunately you're already far enough in the contract that really its going to be difficult to get out of. On top of that, you went and signed up for a contract with Dish network ALONGSIDE the current agreement you have with DirecTV? I have a hard time believing DIrecTV will just roll over and cancel your service and let you go on your merry way. Although a pain - I would have had DirecTV try and solve their problem first before signing up with dish.
No sympathy from me for this consumer - while DirecTV dropped the ball, the consumer didn't really address the problem either, they just got pissed off and signed a second contract.
@aph3x: It sound like it was a good, clean install. Then something got in the way of the dish and started to mess up the picture.
But also by switching providers, he totally screwed up. Now he will not being able to prove that the DirecTv installer (contractor) had any fault with a bad install. As most cable/sat companies will reuse existing wiring. They might have sent out the tech to fix it. But since those cables are probably cut/used, he will probably will get charged.
When a install is complete, the tech must ensure that channel 201(DTV basics) is functional on all connected tvs, implying that it is working (if you do not already have your programming picked out).
I would really try and get them to fix it, not just try t cancel it. you are signed into a contract and they are required to provide the service. Get them out to replace the equipment and get your service working. make sure your request is in writing (for service), even e-mail will do. If they ignore the request or are unable to repair it, then you are entitled to get your money back because they cannot complete the contract. Make sure you note everything, attempts to communicate, results of request and work done.
Just telling them that it does not work and you don't want to pay, is not going to get you out of the contract. What if I wanted out, I call them and tell them it does not work, so I am not going to pay? I would still be liable. From their end, they get this all the time, people trying to weasle out off their contracts. Get them to do the work, or at least get them refusing to help get it working, then they are not living up to the contract. Start by sending a registered letter to their HQ, with all of your account info, demanding that they get the system to work, include your address and e-mail for them to respond (no phone unless you can record it legaly), if they ignore your request, then they break the contract, but until then, you need to pay since they have not had a chance to correct the problem or see that there is a problem.
IANAL, this is just what I would do. Just because a customer SAYS they can't use the service, doesn't get them out of the contract, you may have to pay someone to come out and check it, to prove it is their fault, then you could not be liable with that proof.
I work for a dtv install company, if you really cant get this to work, a, get protection plan cause its like a few dollars a month and the service calls are free. b talk with the tech and have him call in to the local office a no line of sight. once the tech confirms, they cant hold you in a contract.
Looks like yet another service I'm going to have to live without.
Here is a TIP for both these Sat. companies. When you cancel without finishing your contract they will bill your credit card that you used to make the initial payment. This can easily be 500. I had service at my condo and decided to get it also at my house. I got bad service and closed both accounts with the usual strong letter to the CEO (waste of time).
They billed both my cards for the 'remaining balance' and I disputed it with the card companies and got my accounts credited. This may not always work, but it is the easiest way to proceed.
If it comes time to cancel an account where they are 'owed' the balance of the contract you will be better off if you cancel the credit or debit card with the issuing bank, just tell the card company you misplaced the thing and want to close it and have a new number issued. Any charge presented 'should' bounce back to the Sat. company, now and then it might get posted onto the new account and you can dispute it there.
There are thousands of complaints about both Direct and Dish for reaching into customers accounts for their final payments. Look them up at: [badbusinessbureau.com]
@Felix the Cat: Yeah, don't do this. They will take you to a collection agency (sleazy debt collectors) for it and then you'll have that on your credit report, whether you give in to the collectors and pay or not.
Unless you signed up for the service under a fake name and didn't give them your social. Alas, the sat companies do a credit report unlike the cablecos. So your fake SSN and name will probably make it hard to sign up.
@Felix the Cat: It may be the easiest, but not the best. Some cell phone companies will put it on you credit report as a negative mark when you do something like this.
\"and watch your problem fade away.\"
Intended Pun?
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I've been with DirecTV many years and just recently they've been starting to annoy me. Lately they've initiated yet ANOTHER rate increase. Once upon a time I used to be paying $40 for my satellite TV now I'm paying about $60. What I'm wondering is are you obligated to stay in a contract when they raise your rates or are you able to terminate like you can when a cell phone provider changes the terms of a contract?
Fundamental changes to the contract give you grounds to terminate without ETF. A 50% increase in what you pay per month is definitely a fundamental change, and you can cancel it.
If DirecTV doesn't either lower your rates back down or terminate your contract without penalty, call your Attorney General and report them for fraud (don't get your hopes up, they will ignore you, but hey, it can't hurt). Then, if you pay by debit/credit, change the accounts. Then cancel.
When they send you the bill, reply to the CEO via registered mail with a letter explaining you dispute the charges and request they sue you in court for them. If a collection agency calls, remind them that the debt is in dispute and their only resolution is to have DirecTV (not them) sue you in court to resolve the matter.
If you find your credit marred, you will be able to reverse it by sending a copy of the notice of dispute you sent the CEO earlier to the appropriate company.
Your credit should not be affected unless you lose in court. If you do, yes, that's bad and it will show up as a judgment against you, reducing your FICO, if you care (one little mark isn't going to stop the world from giving you credit and I believe a judgment only shows for 3 years). So, that's why you want to contact someone in authority (like the AG, well, where I am, it's someone else, but that's not important) to ensure you are in the right prior to following this path.
BTW: If you want something safer than risking your credit, if you have recurring billing, you could let them remove the cash from your account without permission and then sue them to get it back (after, of course, explaining your dispute to the CEO via registered mail and giving DirecTV a chance to change their minds). Although, the thing that sucks with that is you'll be out the $$$ for several months, maybe even a year while you wait for small claims to hear your case. You may also be unable to recover court costs--that is up to the judge and if you didn't put up enough fight with DirecTV he won't feel bad for you.
BTW: IANAL, and you should verify everything I say with one before proceeding. I just happen to know how to tickle a company's \"payment\" bone. ;-)
@ldavis480: Yes you are 'obligated' to stay in contract.
[www.directv.com]
First sentence under 'General Legal'.
@sven.kirk: That can't be right. Direct TV could start charging customers $10000 per month. This would force all customers to breach contract, generating a one-time windfall of $8 billion for Direct TV. They could then lure some more idiots to sign up for $40 a month. But really, just $8 billion in cash would be plenty for their executives to obliterate the company.
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I had good luck getting out of my contract with them. I stayed on the phone with them for an hour and a half they released me without paying any fees. In fact, they even refunded the pro-rated part of my unused months bill.
I signed up for the service online. I scheduled my appointment online, and they came out the next day and set it up (a company called Ironwood communications did the install for direct).
When I wanted to cancel, they told me repeatedly that the fees were \"in my signed contract.\" Since I signed up online, I signed nothing. I told them I would gladly pay the fee if they could produce the contract for me, which i knew they couldn't.
After a looooong phone call(where i was VERY polite and never yelled as hard as it was)they sent me a pre-paid box to send in my receiver. I don't know if it was because of the no contract stuff i kept saying or if i was just lucky, but that's how it worked for me.
I've had the same problems in the past, however I'm not on a lease or contract as the OP. I own my equipment (an HD DVR and HD box) and have the $5 monthly fee equipment service plan.
When I called up and complained and going through the reboot process and getting nowhere, I asked to cancel. I was transferred to someone else and they eventually replaced the box with a new unit and things have been perfect since then. Write to someone via the email on their contact page. I've found that these get answered by people who are more willing to do what it take to keep you happy.
I've actually never had a problem with DirecTV they didn't resolve to my satisfaction--including replacing DVRs, repairing dishes/connection cables, and billing issues that ended in my getting credits.
It sounds as though this fella just ran into a bad couple of representatives--or isn't telling us the whole story. For instance, digital signals don't \"fade\". But presuming he just used an unfortunate choice of words, I'm pretty surprised DirecTV didn't send out a repairman just as the poster above suggested.
The OP may have just wanted out of his contract.
In any event, as another poster said federal law gives consumers the right to challenge any charge within 60 days of its billing date. As this is one of the few consumer protection laws we still have that actually works, he should have used it.
I left directv after they used there Digital rights management and turned my paid in advance programming off. They all of a suddon decided to demand more money in the middle of the contract. I bought another access card to stop the theft of my programming and they killed my access card twice. Directv was fined 11 million for that theft. Then 6 years later directv sued in federal court saying I had to right to try and stop there theft of my service. Couldn't fight them so I had to give up my right to stop directv if they want to steal from me again. The consumer has no right to use electronic counter measures if Directv steals your service. Do not ask why directv has such a digital right and consumers do not.
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This is proof positive that customer service from large companies is pretty much dead these days. I had DirecTV from February 2005 to July 2006. I loved the service, and I really wanted to keep it. When I decided to move to a new apartment complex, the DirecTV installer insisted that he couldn't get \"line of sight\" for the dish. I knew that this was B.S. because my patio had a very clear view of the Southern sky. There was a small tree nearby that should not have caused any problem. At my previous residence, I had an ever bigger tree nearby that did not obstruct the signal so, I insisted that he actually hook up the dish and try to position it to get a signal. When I realized that he was only pretending to fulfill my request, I angrily told him to leave. I called Dish and was given a very unreasonable price for service. Grudgingly, I decided instead to go with Time Warner Cable. Later, when AT&T started offering U-Verse service where I live, I happily subscribed. The picture is awesome. I have a lot of HD channels, and my internet service is at 18Mb/s :)
Still, customer service from AT&T really blows. When I need any kind of support such as billing or technical, it's a pain in the butt just to get through to someone in the U-Verse department let alone the area of U-Verse that is appropriate for the issue that I am calling about. I am given a generic number with a very bad voice recognition system that consistently makes mistakes in recognizing the very clear requests that I make. It constantly routes me to the wrong place nearly every time!
Pay with Credit Card, get chargeback. Not every issuer would go for that, but a Chase eDispute would probably work.
DirecTV has absolutely horrible customer service!
A couple of years ago, I bought a house and needed my service to be transferred over. I don't know how it is now, but they had all of their commercials that said they would move you for free. But I was told that they would only move service once every two years and I had already had them move me once. I could understand that and I had no problem if I had to pay something to get them to move me. I called and talked to AT LEAST eight different customer service reps having to repeat my entire situation over and over. The only thing that was said to me is that I need to do it myself or hire someone else to do it for me. Problem is, I live in small town Kansas and looked everywhere for someone to do it for me and the closest guy that would do it lived a little over an hour away and he installed for DISH Network. He said he would do but it would cost $60 an hour including travel time. I estimated 2 hours travel and 4 hours installation to be about $360. Or, he could install DISH for I think $49. I figured it would be cheaper just to pay the early termination fee with Direct and get DISH instead especially since I was already sick of Direct's customer service. So I got DISH installed and called Direct to cancel my service. I talked to a guy and told him the situation that it would cost about $360 to get it moved and it was cheaper for me to switch. THEN, he tells me that they could credit my account the $360 if I stayed. I politely replied \"no thank you.\"
I was just appalled that DirecTV's customer service did nothing but waste my time and energy until I actually called to cancel! Customer service? My opinion is that they have none.
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Antenna = free T.V. = better = uncompressed hi-res digital picture. Also, antenna does not require a contract, no early termination fees, no bad customer support. Dump DirectTV, Dish, Comcast, TW, Cox, Rogers, FIOS, all of them. Why pay over $40/mo for compressed TV and billing errors, and bad customer service. I've not had any problems yet.
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@vastrightwing:
yeah, right, antenna. Where I live there is not one antenna one ANY house. Why? you ask. Because we cannot get any reception. We can't even get radio stations half the time.
So, yeah, sometimes it's either cable or satellite, or nothing. Since I like to know what is going on in the world and what the weather will be like, I have to have something. I choose Dish, but that's just me. Haven't had any problems with the company, just the idiot installer at our last house, and they fixed that. (he kept shorting out the cable by NOT pulling back the wire mesh at the ends before crimping the connector on, idiot)
like a PP said, the signal doesn't \"fade\" Chances are good that the dish needs to be adjusted or they didn't tighten the connections. We had both of those problems when we moved. Both tuners were working fine when the installer was there, but when I got home from work, the signal went out on one tuner. then dropped intermittently with the one working one. I called CS and they weren't going to be able to get any one out to help me for a month!!
luckily, my husband is brilliant at these problems and the next day he re-aligned the dish and found where the installer hadn't tightened the connection on the multiplexer. Since it took me over an hour to make the appt for the tech to come back, I figured they deserved to have some of their time wasted and I \"forgot\" to call and cancel. hehe.
I had directtv and switched to dish because directtv did not offer some of the international channels i wanted. now, i'm really regretting it. dish has THE MOST CONFUSING interface when trying to use their DVR. Direct tv made recording and playing back programs so easy. The dish network DVR set up is the most illogical thing I've ever encountered. I feel as if I need to take a class on how to use their DVR and the remote.
Now, I'm regretting having switched and would rather live without the international channels. I want to cancel my dish service and go back to direct tv but am worried I'll have to pay dish a cancellation fee and have to pay full price to direct tv to re-connect their service (unless I get the service set up in a different name at our same address? would they be savvy to this?)
The dish network tech who set up the system took direct tv's satellite dish with him to throw out in the dumpster. apparently all the hardware gets trashed because they have newer receivers and different satellite dishes. the installer told me that i might be able to sell the direct tv receiver on ebay. why dont these companies recycle all this equipment? it seems like a huge waste of money to throw out all this equipment.
I had a bad experience with Direct TV automatic bill pay about 2 or 3 years ago. They would take money from my account to pay the bill, without sending me the bill first. I would get the bill a few days later. They got me for renewing HBO when I didn't want it, and they never did credit me back, they only gave me a credit on next months bill. When i canceled their service, they continued to bill me, and it took a long time to ever get a check from them.
It pisses me off that a company will quickly take your money (before sending the bill), then take their good ol' damn time to pay back one of their own mistakes. What if I take my time paying one of their bills?
All broadcast signal providers are required to meet certain standards when it comes to signal quality and accessability. Here is some additional information which might help others with a similar problem. [www.fcc.gov]
I always love it when they tell you no one can cancel the fees.
What they actually mean it there is no one that THEY know of that can cancel the fess because they are such a peon, working in a closed can that they really know nothing else about the company they work for (sometimes you won't if they even know what products you purchased) or able say anything outside of the scripts given to them.
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I agree with 99% of the posts here. But, I've been with DirecTV for 10 years and never had a problem. Not one. Unit fails, they cross ship a new one. No questions asked.
I've had DirecTV since it first came out, buying receivers for $500 and hooking it all up myself. I've never had a real problem with them.
The few times I've had a problem, I asked for and gotten a \"Retention\" Dept CSR and been able to work things out.
Now they have a \"Tell Us How We're Doing\" page on the site, and when I first used it, I left one positive comment and several gripes (which were legitimate.) The result was they sent me a free portable DVD viewer.
You never should have gotten DISH before a complete resolution to the DirecTV problem. You should have insisted that DirecTV send out a technician to fix the problems. I don't think this is going to end well for you...
\"Hopping from DirecTV to Dish Network isn't necessarily a step up the customer service ladder, but hey, if your signal is working, then enjoy!\"
We have had DISH service for the past ~13 years, and have nothing but praises to sing about the service. Their customer service has always been efficient, they regularly expand the number of channels we receive without raising rates, our service outages are limited to VERY strong precipitation (which affects all satellite companies) and those two days a year when the sun passes directly behind the satellite (for a few minutes, also affects all satellite services).
In the beginning we chose DISH over DirecTV for two reasons: DISH offered the highest ratio of non-sports to sports programming in its packages, and DISH was an independent company, not controlled by existing media companies. Now we remain DISH customers because they offer a good product at a fair price with (not stellar but not awful) decent customer service response.
If you look into the class action lawsuits out there for Direc TV, you will find at least 2 very large ones going on right now. One is for \"early termination fees.\" We spent over 2 years with failed signals, faulty boxes, no local HD channels when advertised in our area, and they never materialized after 18 months of waiting. Also, a hole put in our roof by the installer,and a thick file of letters, estimates, and no reimbursement as promised by them. Those are just a few of our problems we've had with them....won't bore you with details. I think that you could have spent months on the phone with \"customer service\" and ended up in the same place, so honestly don't blame you. In our experience, problems were never solved, techs never showed up to fix the problem, and hours and hours of being put on hold and starting over with our story each time, left us exhausted and fed up. By the way, each time you order a new service, such as HD package, or add a feature, they automatically start a new contract agreement with you, which the customer does not seem to be aware of until they disconnect their service. That is when the surprise is revealed. Happened to us, and other forums out there, will show over and over the same issues with this company. Verizon Fios has been the peaceful answer for us!
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I had a similar issue with their inability to provide a consistent HD signal. They tried to hit me with an early termination fee. After I sent the below letter by mail, I got a letter back dropping the cancellation fee, along with a check for the balance of my account.
Billing Disputes
DirecTV
PO Box 6550
Greenwood Village, CO 80155
Dear sir or madam:
I am writing to express dispute with an early cancellation fee charged to my account. The fee in question was in regards to a 2 year service commitment for discounts when upgrading from standard DirecTV service to high definition.
I upgraded my service in April 2006. From that day, until the following April, I called in over 25 times with problems with the HD service. DirecTV sent a technician out to my house 3 times in that time period, but was never able to provide a watchable HD service. Issues I encountered over those months include:
• Periodic blackouts of the picture multiple times per hour, lasting for several seconds.
• Pixelation of the picture every couple of minutes, lasting 5-10 seconds.
• Sound issues where a rasping, metallic noise would disrupt programming, lasting a second and occurring a dozen times during a 60 minute program.
• Frequent loss of HD satellite signal.
All of these issues only occurred on the HD channels. In fact, I was a happy and satisfied customer for nearly 2 years before upgrading to HD.
However, the HD service I ordered was never adequately provided. The issues were continuous. I was never provided HD programming that was watchable.
I provided more than ample opportunity for DirecTV to resolve my issues. Eight months worth of support calls, 3 technician appointments (including one 'supervisor technician'), and the replacement of my HD receiver all failed to provide me with the promised service.
I cancelled my DirecTV in April 2007, and have been charged with an early cancellation fee. This fee is unreasonable. You have not upheld your end of the agreement to provide adequate service, and I have returned the equipment involved.
I have escalated this issue as high as they will allow me through the customer support line. This letter is to serve as notice that I dispute your assessment of a cancellation fee. Should you wish to discuss this issue with me, please do so by mail.
Should this issue move to collections or affect my credit rating in any manner, I will proceed by exercising my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Sincerely,
This is odd. I don't have DirecTV now, but I did for many years (right up until FIOS rolled into my neighborhood). First off, sat signals are microwave and originate from a fixed location in the sky. They don't \"fade\" unless there is a physical obstruction such as trees or rain. I'll assume that Anthony was smart enough not to point the dish at a tree, and to know about and recognize rain fade, and to know to keep snow off the dish. Also, the problem took six weeks to appear. That being the case, the problem was with the installation quality or the hardware itself. In either case DirecTV should have had a tech come out to fix it, which should have been the end of the story. I don't get why he jumped straight to canceling the service, and I don't understand why no tech was sent. During the time I had DirecTV the only problem I had with customer service/tech support was how long it took to resolve something on the phone. This is odd.
Just cancelled my contract after 10mos. because new landlord won't allow it.They're charging me $350 ETF plus disconnect.Thanks guys.
Why aren't we recording phone calls?
DirecTv is very deceptive, and run by a bunch of idiots. I had service for 3 years, & chose to cancel. They then sent me a $447.00 'early termination' bill. My contract was only for 2 years, and they re-instated my contract without my knowledge, when I had them change out my HD receiver, because it was blinking out. Everyone I have spoken to in my 6 calls to DirecTv agrees that it is their mistake. They sent my billing to their adjustment office, who reduced it to $160.00 & stated that the 'early termination' is still valid. After call #7, I was promised by a Supervisor that the matter would be cleared. Time will tell!
Couple months ago, fed up with high costs and poor service from Comcast, we signed up with DirecTV. Except for loss of service whenever a storm or big cloud came at us from the southwest, usually for no more than 30 minutes, we’ve been basically satisfied with the service.
Monday, Nov. 23, we lost service completely. About 7 p.m. my wife called DirecTV service and after going through the recorded menu to reset the system we got a real person and attempted all over again to reset the service. Nothing. OK, service call. We were told that the service call would be $59.99.
For $6 a month we could have a service agreement to cover this problem and all problems in the future. OK, service plan. Then the bomb. The earliest DirecTV would have a service tech in our area – Punta Gorda, FL – was SATURDAY, DEC. 5! If that didn’t work, the tech could come MONDAY, DEC. 7 – TWO WEEKS!
This isn’t central Wyoming with travel by horseback. At least with Comcast, we could get service generally within 24 hours. Now I know why there are about four sets of cable wires in our attic. Previous owners probably got as fed up as we are and changed service regularly. I’ll keep you posted on resolution; we are continuing to contact DirecTV to see if we can get service call sooner
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Now that I'm past my non-disclosure agreement dates, guess what? Those \"reps\" you get on DirecTV's 800 number for customer service 9 in 10 times are reps working from home for Convergys, not DirecTV. Their supervisors are Convergy's supervisors who handle 20+ reps at a time, so when they keep putting you on hold all they're doing is trying to get the damn supervisor to actually answer their questions. The job sucks and the reps will say anything to get you off the phone and get to the next call, they get paid by the hour, not per call at Convergys.
@Lucky225: DirecTV is also using a company called NEW Corp for their customer service. I know this for a fact.
@Lucky225:
\"Specialist Ricky id 100212586\" is Convergys, that's his Convergy's Employee ID number too.