Directv
Late Installer, Poor DVR and $220 Cancellation Fee Threat

We ordered DirecTV to be installed to replace our Dish Network system that we bought 5 years ago. The installer was supposed to be at our house between 8 a.m. and 12 noon. He showed up at 4 p.m. The installer cut the cables that had been used for the Dish receivers because "they were too long." He completed the install at around 6 p.m.

I got home on the morning of the 19th and started looking at the features of DirecTV's DVR. Compared to the Dish DVR, DirecTV's was terrible. I contacted DirecTV Customer Support and Technical Support and spent about 3 hours on the phone trying to address my concerns. I was not happy with the use or functionality of any of the receivers. I worked on Monday the 20th. I talked to Customer Service on the 21st and was told that if I did not cancel my service that day I would incur charges. I thought she was talking about my "monthly" charges. I told her to cancel the service immediately. She said she would.

On Thursday I received a statement from DirecTV, but I did not open it until Sunday when I was paying bills. Lo and behold, DirecTV had already charged my debit card $70, when my charge was only supposed to be $50. I called DirecTV and asked if the charge was going to be credited to my card, and I was told that the charge was credited to my "cancellation fee." What?

I told the customer service rep that I had canceled my service on Tuesday, and I was told that I would not be charged anything. She said, "Sorry." She told me that Monday morning my card would be charged another $220 to cover the cancellation fee, and that I could write a letter to a PO box if I wanted to contest the fee. In order to keep the $200 charge from coming out of my bank account, I had to call my bank, cancel the card and have a new one issued.

On Monday I did a search for the DirecTV corporate office and got a phone number for the office in San Mateo. I called and asked for Customer Relations, and was sent to a person who answered the phone "Office of the President." I told this person my story, and after about an hour of conversation, I was told that the cancellation fee would be waived and that I would receive a check for $68 for the $70 that was already taken.

I will never even think of getting DirecTV again, and I have told everyone I know to stay away.

Company: Directv
Country: USA
State: California
City: San Mateo
Site: directv.com

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