Complaint Review: Hostsave

I signed up with Hostsave.com [HS] on 04/10/03. I already had built my site. So I tried to upload it as soon as I finished registering w/ HS. It looked like the FTP went through. So I went to my url. Nothing but "you have reached the new home of..." . So I read their FAQ and saw that it might take up to 5 days for my site to be up and running, I didnt like that, but it was ok it gave me some time to tweak my site a little more. 5 days later I uploaded the new and improved version. Go to my URL and still nothing. I wait and hour...nothing...2 hrs still nothing. The next day and you guessed it....nada.

So I tried reloading the site. Same result as before after 1 day. Then I tried to get up w/ their Tech support. The 866 # you dial gives you a recorded message. It tells you to call a toll #. When you call the toll # on the 1st ring you get an answering machine. That states..."due to heavy call volume we will have to get back with you please leave your name # and what time to reach you." Well I did that. 3 days later and nothing, I call back again; get the same 1st ring answering machine. This went on for 3 weeks. When I had 3 minutes to spare, I would dial the # get the machine and leave my details. I also send several e-mails. Then I gave up.

I got Dellhost [an EXELLENT company] to take over hosting my site. They had problems getting HS to release the DNS, but after some work they did. Now imagine my surprise when I open my bank statement and on 07/11/03 Hostsave has billed me for another 3 months of service. Not only do they suck as a hosting service.

They will literally not let you to stop paying them, I even tried to mangle my billing info to stop future withdrawals. But they scan the info before updating it. I started the phone tag thing again. And got really sick of it really quickly. The only # you will get a person on is the sales line. And they will try and stone wall you as much as possible.

I called and was told that every member of management was in a meeting. When I asked What time they would be out of the meeting. I got the expected "I dont know maybe they will be all afternoon." So I asked when do they leave? I was told that it varies on workload. So I informed the CSR that I would be calling every 20 minutes till I got to speak with a manager and hung up. 20 min later, I call back and this time I immediately ask to speak w/ a manager. I was asked what this was in reference to.

I explained my anger level and advised her that I would really like to talk w/ a manager. She started to try and block me. I kind of lost it a little at that point. After that she asked me to hold for a second. I got a manager who said she would expedite this issue to a senior manager at the billing department. I am supposedly going to get a e-mail from them today. I will update this as necessary.

James
Stevensville, Maryland
U.S.A.