DIRECTV Disconsolations

After my unsuccessful trip to the courthouse on February 13, and knowing that I had still not heard the last of DIRECTV (even though I had now sent back their receivers), I contacted the Better Business Bureau and initiated a complaint against them on February 14, 2007.  This complaint can be read online here, or you can read it in its entirety below.

DirecTV, Inc.
2230 East Imperial Highway
El Segundo, CA  90245
Contact: Bobby Vernon, Customer Care Manager
Phone: (310) 535-5000

Complaint Classification:    Contract issues

Complaint Description - Posted 2-14-2007

I [Bill Hardin] phoned Directv on an ad for $19.95 per month for basic service.  They signed me up for this program, but before closing the deal they told me I had called in a day too late.  I reluctantly signed up for the ‘Special’ ‘Total Choice’ plan at about $37 per month for 3 months with the promise that I could go back down to the basic service at $19.95 per month at the end of this period.  At the end of 3 months I phoned back in and verbally negotiated a deal with a phone rep for this $19.95 per month with additional charges for an extra receiver + tax, which came to about $27 per month.  Before the deal was sealed, the rep assured me there were no hidden charges.  The next bill was for for about $50.  I paid the agreed upon $27.  This went on for about 3 months while the bill got larger from the excess I never agreed to + late charges, etc.  They cut off my service and sent my name into 2 different bill collectors who have been harrassing me since.  I have written them about 3 letters, but they deny that they ever made a deal for $27 per month.

Complaint Summary

Directv has breached the contract they made with me, they have financially harrassed me for money I do not owe.

Resolution Sought

I would like new equipment (2 receivers) and free TV for the 6 months they have cut me off and aggravated me.  I would like them to honor the $27 contract they negotiated with me for a further year.  We can negotiate charges on about August 1, 2009.
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Additional Information

Date Problem First Occurred:  6-3-2006

Product or Service:  Satellite Dish TV

Order Number:  Acct#: 00940806

Amount Paid:  $0.00
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Company’s Response

Initial Response - Posted 2-21-2007

After researching your account, our records indicate that your account was disconnected on 9-25-2006 for non-payment.  We can find no evidence of a prior request for your services to be disconnected.  We do show that you wrote in about pricing and we tried to contact you three times about the pricing.  We do not carry a package of $19.95 a month.  Our lowest package at that time was $24.99 and then tax and lease fees.  This package had about 44 channels where the total choice had over 140 channels.  In order to discontinue service you must notify DIRECTV, using the customer service address provided on the back of each statemment or the toll-free number listed on the lower portion of each billing statement.  Please refer to the terms of our Customer Agreement, located at www.directv.com under the Customer Service / Billing tab, and also restated on the back of each billing statement.  As we have no way of knowing if you wish to discontinue service, and since we did not receive any of your statements returned to us as “undeliverable,” we could only assume your service was satisfactory.  We have reviewed all charges, payments, and credits appearing on your account and consider them to be accurate.  Please remit the final balance due, in the amount of $119.26, to the following address to avoid further collection action.  IRECTV [sic] Customer Service, PO Box 78626 Phoenix, AZ 85062-8626.

Initial Response Summary

no credit bal valid
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Consumer’s Rebuttal

Rebuttal - Posted 2-23-2007

Your phone message to me in June said to ‘contact’ Direct TV if I wished to discontinue the ‘Total Choice’ package, which I did.  With one of your company representatives, by telephone, I canceled the  ‘Total Choice’ and renegotiated a fewer channel, lower price ($27 per month) deal.  I have 2 witnesses to this phone call and the amount agreed upon, which these other 2 persons agreed to as they would help pay.  Either by way of incompetent record keeping, or blatant dishonesty, you are trying to extort money from me that I never agreed to pay, nor will pay.  I will take this as far as need be.
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Company’s Final Response

Final Response - Posted 3-2-2007

We can find no evidence of a request for your services to be changed.  When they were disconnected due to non payment we received a call from your sister who stated that she had one of the receivers in her home, at a different location.  This goes directly against the DIRECTV customer agreement, section 1 part (f).  We find the charges to be valid and due.
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The Better Business Bureau is somewhat helpful, but less than satisfying.  They limit the number of words you can use for an argument, and they cut the whole complaint off at 2 writings per party.

Would the Better Business Bureau allow it, I would end with this:

Your means and methods of searching for ‘evidence’ are inept and incompetent, to which I have 2 witnesses to attest.  My ’sister’ lives in a portion of my home, which I have owned outright for 22 years.  There is no one elses name on this ‘home’, and you have no right whatever to direct in any manner what I do with equipment I have legitimately rented from you - especially after your installation man okayed the exactly stated intention to share this service.

You have become emboldened by your ability to put otherwise decent people to sleep, and you think there is no one left awake to stand up to your criminal coercion, deceit and extortion.  But here I am, awake myself, and testing publicly to see if there is anyone else awake.  Let’s see.