Complaint Review: Direct TV

I signed up for DirectTV on the phone on Oct 2, '07. I was current dissatisfied customer of the DishNetwork. My issues were with AT&T's handling of my account and discounts that were promised and never given. DirectTV made me a "special" offer that included all the bells and whistles and 30 days to try because I was switching. The installer restated that I had 30 days to try the service and cancel without penalty.

I decided to cancel Direct TV on October 15, '07 because I did not like that fact that I could not block inappropriate content for my kids by PROGRAM or RATING but had to block the channel to keep them from seeing the titles and descriptions. When I called and spoke to a rep to cancel they said that their standard policy was 72 HOURS for cancellation! I told them that I was told 30 days. Restated my reasons for cancelling and that I expected that they would abide by what I was told. After speaking with her supervisor she told me that actually my account had a fifteen day period and that since I was on day 14 the cancellation fee would be waived. She passed me to a supervisor who confirmed this. My bill should have been in my hands in seven days and the shipping boxes with fedex labels should have been sent in seven working days.

A few days later I get a call from DirectTV trying to convince me to retain their service. I told him no that the issue could not be resolved and that I wished to remain cancelled. I also told him about the waiver of the cancellation fee. He told me about the 72 hour "policy" and then put me on hold. He came back on to confirm that I would not be charged a fee.

In summary: Three people had told me the fee would be waived.

Today I called because it had been two weeks and no boxes and no bill had arrived. My account had not been cancelled. They saw the notes where I called to cancel and made retroactive adjustments and cancelled. I told them that I expected the fee would be waived as I had been told. They told me that they did not have the authority to waive the fee AND neither did the other people who I spoke with and that the "Billing Dispute Office" had rejected the waiver of the cancellation fee. I told them that I expected that they would do what I had been told they would do. All to no avail. The rep and supervisor told me today that they would be charging me the cancellation fee. My only recourse is a letter to the "Billing Dispute Resolution Deparment" which doesn't have a way to talk by phone. I will dispute andy charges to my card and contact the dispute resolution department and update this report asap.

Dennis
Marysville, California
U.S.A.