How to cancel Setanta Sports

MSE_Martin

NEWS FLASH! Update 11 Sept: Setanta Revises Cancellation Policy

Following the complaints on this forum, and a BBC Radio 5 programme (which I appeared on and frankly Setanta received a kicking from callers) after reviewing the critism it received over its 60-day, post-only cancellation policy, Setanta has issued the following statement, effective immediately:

"Setanta Sports has today taken the decision to revise its customer contract policy. Setanta will now be accepting 30 days cancellation notice instead of the previous 60 days.

The requirement for official written notice has also been modified to the effect that such notice can now be submitted by either email or letter; a change from the original policy where only postal letter was accepted. As is common practice for subscription services, Setanta has retained the need for written confirmation in order to ensure that requests can be evidenced and properly processed.

This revision is part of Setanta’s ongoing programme of continuous improvement of its customer service processes.

Richard Brooke, Corporate Development Director, Setanta Sports, said: “We have listened to the views of customers and have decided to respond with immediate effect by reducing our cancellation notice from 60 to 30 days. This reflects our belief in delivering sports fans with exclusively live premium sports content at good, honest value pricing”. "

How to cancel

You can now email your cancellation request to [EMAIL="requests@setanta.com"]requests@setanta.com[/EMAIL]. The cancellation will take effect 30 days from the next billing date.

My original note about the problems is below (and some of the original discussion reflects that)
________________________________________________________________

What's this about?

Many MoneySavers have reported problems trying to cancel their Setanta Sports subscriptions, so we've contacted Setanta's press office and asked what the procedure is.

It's one of the worse cancellation systems I've seen

Frankly once I read it, I wasn't surprised there've been problems, this is perhaps the worst cancellation system I've seen from a major company.

Outrageously, while you can call up and sign up over the phone, you can ONLY cancel in writing (paper, not e-mail) giving 60 days notice from your next billing date. The 60 days only begins from when the letter's received. This is something that anyone considering signing up and trying Setanta should bear in mind.

How to cancel

So if you want to cancel, jot out a quick letter as soon as possible including your name, address, phone number and Setanta account number (if you have one) to be sure. It's also worth noting down when you wrote and sent the letter in case of further problems.

Send the letter to the following address

Setanta Sports
PO BOX 182
The Quays
Newry
Co. Down
BT35 5AT

It gets worse...

If you've been having problems and have called up to cancel, Setanta admits you may've been told the wrong address to write to. It has assured us this is now the central point for all cancellation notices.

Alternatively, cancel by Direct Debit

If you signed a direct debit, then you have a right to cancel it automatically via your bank. However if you signed up with what's called a 'recurring payment' via your credit or debit card, then sadly you have no cancellation rights, the company you signed up with (in this case Setanta) has to cancel it.

For a full explanation of this read Direct Debit D-Day

Martin

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afinch

Try getting a refund from them, its even worse. I was overcharged by £30. Which I never got back despite trying to chase for 6 months. I reluctantly gave up.

alanm_4

I had Setanta by Broadband for a month for 7.99 (because there was something specific I wanted to watch), then cancelled it without a problem, then reactivated it for a month again about four months later, then cancelled again.
Hate to say this in the context of this thread, but it was simple, painless and worked.

The_Hawk

I was going to sign up with them last year, until I read about the problems others were having cancelling. It seems nothing has changed.

Maybe they should understand that, ultimately, there is a price to pay for bad customer service and the few extra pounds they might make, by making it diificult to cancel, will be more than outweighed by the long term impact of being unattractive to others.

techspec

I had Setanta, and tried to cancel it this summer, whilst there was no football, but couldn't. I also never recieved a promised refund when i joined. Setanta made a lot of its 'no contract' policy when it came out, but it's a nightmare. They can't get it through their thick skulls, that you are likely to return, if treated right when cancelling. Well sod em, as i have now left, and will NEVER rejoin for the way they have treated me. AOL used to be the same, and its now 5 years since i dumped them.

arwynbr

I also will never touch Setenta a gain, I phoned (make sure you get a call reference) to cancel, sent a letter as requested, they charged me double subs the week after and then denied the fact that I had sent the letter!
I was firm with them on the phone, quoted the ref, read out a copy of the letter, after a 30 sec silence they said "ok sir, your account is cancelled"

If they'd let me cancel straight away, I'd probably be back with them by now... no chance! It's their loss!

HH62

alanm wrote: »

I had Setanta by Broadband for a month for 7.99 (because there was something specific I wanted to watch), then cancelled it without a problem, then reactivated it for a month again about four months later, then cancelled again.
Hate to say this in the context of this thread, but it was simple, painless and worked.

This also reflects my experience. In fact the second month I cancelled was the day after my Setanta payment was taken from my credit card..I emailed them and they refunded the payment even though they'd already taken it.

AJ73

I also had problems with them, primarily my own mistake because I signed up for £9.99 a month, although the small print I read said you can cancel after 30 days, giving 30 days notice which I felt was ok for £9.99 a month. However, I missed the £10 setup charge and later when I went back to check it is there the fact you are charged a Sky setup fee, but it is not exactly big and bold like the £9.99 a month. However, fair enough, my mistake.

Even so I got the hump so cancelled them at the source, the direct debit and sent the letter via email informing them why I cancelled. Two days later a lady called me to advise and I explained I was not happy because of the setup fee so she offered me 3 months at half price if I came back, thus covering the setup fee. That was the Wednesday and we agreed for her to call back on the Monday and I would think about it, with the intention I would rejoin. Thursday a guy called wanting to know why I cancelled, so I explained and he said he would make a note to call back Monday. Friday the same thing, I explained again, Saturday I get the same thing so by this point I was well annoyed and told them to stick it and they agreed to cancel.

But, what they do is keep your details on their database and send you junk mail once a week, via email and post. Normally I put a label on with 'return to sender' to cost them money. But, I succumbed last week to the last letter, primarily because my team were on their pre season friendles and they have some of the England games for cheap 3 month deal, but with the offer due to end at 4pm that day (same day I got the letter) I tried calling and calling, only for each time their system to say they were too busy and to call back later, before it disconnects me. I eventually got through to their sales team only to be told I must go to customer service because I am coming back to Setanta, but of course that does not work. I eventually got through that day only to be told the offer was over and tough, but after some arguing and asking to speak to the manager the eventually agreed to give me the offer deal.
I have gone back to them, but I know full well that I will have problems with them when I decide to cancel. Like the others have confirmed, their customer service is totally shocking and my advice would be if you write to cancel, send it international signed for, scan the proof of that for safe keeping, that way they can not deny receiving the letter quite so easily.

jinkssick

Good to see good folk not giving a dime to this crappy company. Hope the small millions that visit this site decide how great this company works.

CornishJon

My cancellation wasn't so problematic - but maybe I was the lucky one!! I sent them an email giving them their notice (it was 30 days at the time which was a couple of months ago) then at the end of the 30 days, just cancelled my direct debit. I got the usual computer generated letter stasting my direct debit had been cancelled - so I just emailed again with a copy of my original email and haven't heard from them since ..... (apart from the usual begging letters to come back!!!)

Colin2511

we sent the letter, they ignored it and took out another months payment so we cancelled the direct debit,

they then phone and threatened us with court orders, bailiffs and extra charges, we said we had cancelled and had the date they signed for the recorded letter, - they said tuff it had not reached their department and that no order could be cancelled unless the direct debit was reinstated

After several phone calls back and forward (one customer services rep agreed and said if we reinstated it they would just take more money)

I sent a special delivery letter to the address above stating that I had cancelled within their terms and if they sent us abusive phone calls again I would seek legal action

We have now only had one "sorry to see you leave please come back call"

!!!!!!!!! we cancelled as we had changed to virgin where the setanta sports comes with the package, - why would I want to pay for something that is free?

I will NEVER use this company again and will ALWAYS tell anyone thinking about it to stop being silly and not to sign up.