2-year contract and broken equipement

IMO · 10-02-2009, 04:42 AM

I have been a customer for something like 5 months now. In the first 3 months alone, their repair people were here 5 times. Yes - 5 times. The 1 of 3 DVR's was replaced once. Now that replacement is out. I was told that they were having trouble with this model and that due to all the trouble I was "upgraded" to "special handling" and someone will call within 2 hours and would order me another replacement by mail. After no call and me calling back 2 more times, I was finally told it would take up to 4 hours and to be patient. No call. Now Saturday morning. Even if they arrange for a replacement today, I will be without TV in the main room for 4-5 days. Last month ALL receivers were out and it took 5 days to get a repair made.

NOW, this morning the sound is out on a simple receiver in the kitchen.

My question: How can I get out of my 2-year contract without paying the cancellation fee ? Surely there must be a loophole somewhere regarding such terrible service ????

bicker · 10-02-2009, 05:22 AM

There are a few avenues you can pursue.

Each of the service providers have some type of corporate customer service department. To get there, you need to call their corporate offices directly. If they don't know what you mean by "corporate customer service" or "executive customer service" then ask to be transferred to the President's office. Typically, though a corporate customer service group, you can either get truly effective resolution of your concern, or be excused from your commitment.

Another avenue is your local franchising board, typically your town or city government. You can file a complaint with the franchising board, and ask them to advocate for you against the service provider. This is a more political process, and more often than not, your representatives will expect you to just go away without helping you (no one said that government officials were necessarily all helpful people).

You could also call your local television station's consumer advocacy reporter and see if they'll care enough about your concern to advocate for you against the service provider. That's typically the most effective of the approaches, but the chances of getting them to help you is proportionately much much smaller.

Best of luck.

Orrymain · 10-03-2009, 12:11 AM

Before a TV station will kick in and help, you have to try and deal with the situation first. I'd go for the President's office. The higher you kick something up, the better the odds that things will be settled.

wcalifas831 · 10-06-2009, 04:45 AM

IMO I'm just curious, what service are you subscribing to? DTV or Dish? Just curious to see what company has so much issues that you have to wait days without having a picture in your main room. I suggest calling also the Better Business Bureau if your situation does not get better. I remember hearing that there's some kind of class action lawsuit on DTV for having people on fresh 2 year commitments after their receivers went haywire and didn't tell people that they would be under a fresh 2 year commitment. Well good luck and hopefully your issue gets resolved.

Orrymain · 10-07-2009, 12:38 AM

Boy oh boy, that's another strike against DirecTV. I'm surprised that outfit is still in business. They seem to have all kinds of contract issues with the public, many of which border on taking advantage and being unethical. I for one am never going near that outfit.


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