Direct TV, anything I can do?

[MommaJayla]

I just cancelled my direct tv service after a little over a year of service. When I cancelled, I specifically asked and was told there would be no fees, but a week later my credit card was charged ~$200 for early cancellation fee.

I have called 5+ times and spoke with supervisors & their supervisors, and they are refusing to budge. They are claiming that I had a 24 month commitment - which fine if I hadn't been told something very different - and that they are completely justified because per their notes I was told about this fee. I am currently disputing with my credit card and I'm not sure how that will work out. Is there anything else I can do as far as Direct TV?

[aircantu1]

They did the same thing to me. Hate them.

[crunchy_mommy]

Report them to the BBB. Unfortunately you may not get too far... I've reported 2 businesses to the BBB. The first one, I guess it kind of "scared" them into compromising with me, and we got our $ back. The second one, they had "proof" that they had told DH about a certain fee, even though they outright lied to him, but since they had something documented on their end, we had no recourse. But you never know, if they won't work with you then I'd report them.

[Denvergirlie]

Direct TV is always a 2 year contract, if you signed up and were not told that, then the person who signed you up might have not be truthful, but there is always a 2 year contract with them.

Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do. You agreed to their service, and you are now breaking the contract, so they have every right to collect the early termination fee.

This is the very reason we are going to try going TV free and use things like Hulu and Netflixs, because I refuse to sign a contract.

[Adallae]

Do they record their calls? Can you request a copy of the tape to prove they said there would be no fees?

[goldfinches]

ugh, I hate direct tv.
They forged my initials and signature on a paper the installer used to install a dish on my rented roof. when I complained, he faxed it over, and it was so obviously a fake. They've been giving me all kinds of credits ever since.

Anyway,
I'm moving and my contract isn't up until August. I called and they told me it would be a $100 charge to cancel. I wonder if it's $100 if you're under a year and $200 if you're over?

Doesn't matter, if they told you it was nothing, that's what it should be. Did they by any chance record the call? Do they have a mediation center? I know I've recieved calls from them before after I've had a complaint call where a guy's asked me if I was happy with the results. When I've said no, he's given me great bill credits. Maybe you could ask them if they could send you to their resolution/mediation center?

(I have a tough time believing that "supervisors" you talk to on the phone are really supervisors and not just other employees pretending to be a supervisor.)

[KatWrangler]

They did that to us too. I hate them We moved and out new landlord would not permit the installation. We were screwed.

[Drummer's Wife]

That is awful! and wrong that they didn't tell you when you canceled. We have avoided getting Direct TV b/c I had heard about the 2-yr contract.

[leavemealone]

The only thing I can think of is to do a chargeback on your credit card. If Directv doesn't answer within a certain amount of time, your credit card will credit the charge to you. I'm not endorsing the idea, but it's one option you may have.

[EricaDoula]

We are going through the same exact thing with them right now!

[SunshineJ]

Originally Posted by sandcastle

The only thing I can think of is to do a chargeback on your credit card. If Directv doesn't answer within a certain amount of time, your credit card will credit the charge to you. I'm not endorsing the idea, but it's one option you may have.

If you don't have anything in writing specifying a 2 yr contract and they told you that you were not liable for anything else, then I think this is a perfectly acceptable course of action to take.

[CarrieMF]

Direct TV is always a 2 year contract, if you signed up and were not told that, then the person who signed you up might have not be truthful, but there is always a 2 year contract with them.

Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do. You agreed to their service, and you are now breaking the contract, so they have every right to collect the early termination fee.

yup. If you signed a contract with them, read it over. It won't matter what they told you over the phone, if you signed it you agreed to it.

[joyluc]

We had a huge fight with them because we couldn't get reception in our new home and they refused to cancel even though we got no service. My DH typed a long, detailed letter about all our communications (at one point they told me I couldn't rely on the information provided by them or the companies they contracted with). Anyway we searched their website for their VP of Consumer Relations or something and their President and a couple of others and we broadly distributed the letter. We got out of our contract. Good luck, when we were in the middle of our fight I read long listservs about how many troubles people have with them.

[MommaJayla]

Thanks for your responses...I just spoke with someone at their customer advocacy department, whatever that means, who is also refusing to budge...but when I asked for a copy of my contract, he told me that I had never signed a contract and had absolutely nothing nothing nothing showing that I had ever agreed to any type of contract with them, but that they still considered it a valid contract WTH