How to cancel Setanta Sports

dunk

I called today to cancel my Setanta because they have been overcharging me for over a year - every time I call they tell me that my billing is now sorted out or they hang up on me. When I called today I was offered my subscription to be reduced to £9.99 for 12 months - I declined to go for this as I asked if I would be tied into a contract and I was advised that I would be held to a new 12 month contract. So be aware of 12 month special offer.

cloud1

Enders Analysis has warned that Setanta may not survive after losing a package of live Premier League coverage rights to Sky last week.

On Monday, it emerged that Setanta was seeking to secure £159m in new funding to attempt to buy the package, or the rights to some of the matches in it, back from Sky. Further press reports today suggest that the broadcaster plans to meet with the Premier League in a bid to secure a deal to restore effectively half its Premier League output.

Enders said that Setanta currently reaches 1.5m subscribers, "slightly short of its required break-even total" of between 1.7-1.8m, assuming £10m in annual revenues per 100,000 subscribers.

"We... envisage mass subscriber defections," Enders warned. "With live Premier League football such a jewel in its crown, the fear is that Setanta could easily lose upwards of a third of its current subscriber base. At the very least it has to review its entire business plan and survival cannot be taken for granted."

However, it added that "many diehard sports fans will still want Setanta even with a reduced Premier League offering", and suggested that the combination of reduced rights payments and a fan base who may be willing to continue to pay for the service "may actually prove positive".

A spokesperson for Setanta said that the broadcaster "retains the rights to show 46 Premier League games per season until the end of 2009-10 along with a host of other top-class sport".

It's a sinking ship, time to get off!

fedupconsumer

cloud1 wrote: »

Remember to let Watchdog know your experiences, Setanta don't care about your story unless it's publicised and their reputation is affected. When Martin got involved a few months ago they buried the bad news with "good" news, which was reducing the 2 month cancellation period to 1 month, but we can clearly see this isn't actually happening.

Please let them know your stories too:

[EMAIL="watchdog@bbc.co.uk"]watchdog@bbc.co.uk[/EMAIL]

or write to them at:

BBC Watchdog, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS

I'm about to cancel too, and reading back in this thread after a few months away from it, I'm horrified that nothing has improved.

Steve

The situation was raised on X ray a BBC Wales consuner programe last year the company did not seem to care at all, says it all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/x-ray/sites/allarticles/updates/10p09_setanta.shtml

dazzling2865

This has to be a joke?!

I feel that everyone should be aware of Setanta Sports HIDDEN “billing cycle” scam.

I tried to cancel my subscription on 27th January 2009 giving the required one months notice (this date was they date of my direct debit and so at the point of the email, which was there preferred method of cancellation, I had paid and was giving one months notice).

However, they tell me I am “cancelling out of my billing cycle” and so due to pay yet another month’s subscription on 27th February 2009!

NOW THEY HAVE THREATENED TO PASS MY "DEBT" ONTO A COLLECTOR!

Surely this needs exposing? Copy of my letter to Setanta is as below this email.

Written to Watchdog, written to Setanta as below:



Dear Sirs,

COMPLAINT: Account number xxxxxxxx

I am in receipt of your letter dated 9th February. Your letter fails to acknowledge in any way my cancellation of services by email on 27th January 2009 (copy attached) and subsequent calls with your contact centre. Additionally I can advise that on the advice of my bank I cancelled my Direct Debit sameday as no further payments were due.
On 27th January 2009 I called your company to be advise that I must cancel by email, which I did promptly sameday. You will see that I provided all details and the response on 28th January 2009 by email from your company was that you were “unable to process my request”.

On 29th January I received a call from your contact centre in which I was advised that Setanta would need a further payment to cover provision of services until approx. 19th March, this being beyond the 1 month’s notice I was providing due to your policies in relation to your “billing cycle”.

Please be aware that I rejoined Setanta after receiving a sales call from your company in September in which I was assured of a simple cancellation process. At no time during this call was I advise of the cancellation policies in relation to your companies “billing cycle”, furthermore there was no mention whatsoever of such a “billing cycle” nor in fact did I sign any agreement that brought this to my attention.

To compound the issue your company has now cancelled the provision of services, irrespective of the subscription payment made on 27th January, in effect failing to provide services for which I have paid. Furthermore I am now being threatened by your company with the “so called debt” being passed to a debt collection company, irrespective of my payment for 1 month’s subscription which has been debited on 27th January, the same date as my cancellation request.

I am now well aware of a growing public record of the underhand tactics employed by your company and remind myself now why I was hesitant to re-subscribe in September 2008.
If this matter is not brought to a satisfactory conclusion I will not only be prepared to contest this matter in a Court of Law but I will ensure that through the public domain that others are aware of your business tactics.

Yours Faithfully,


Encl: Copies of emails to/from your company (3 pages)

Fair_treatment_4_ave_joe

I’m sorry to say I have had a similar experience. Joined in sept 2008, tried to cancel in November 2008 but they offered half price (£6.50) so I agreed to stay. Then out of the blue they created a second account without my consent therefore taking two payments per month. (£6.50&£12.99). Then a completely weird one off payment of £9.54 on a random date. I then decided to get rid of this class act. Sent email to them Dec2008 to cancel. Was informed that one more payment would come out in Jan2009 then 30 days later it would be turned off. As an honest person I paid TWO more payments in Jan 2009 due to their billing error then a few days later cancelled the TWO direct debits. That’s where the fun begins......Immediately started receiving calls saying I owe them money?????Went berserk on the phone after being calm and collective on all previous calls which I haven’t got the energy to explain. They then said "no problems, its all sorted" and that they will not bother me again. Day later.....more calls.I thought it was then time to contact a body so I rang Trading Standards. They advised me to write (recorded mail) to demand an explanation, remind them that I have cancelled and demand a refund plus supply proof of cancellation email and bank statement to prove that I have paid up in full (TWICE). No reply apart from TWO letters demanding more money or in 14 days my debt will be passed to debt collecting agency. I’m past angry. This is really bothering me in many ways. I feel bullied, upset, angry and depressed.Trading standards have advised me to allow them to take me to court.Everytime I ring Setanta they say its sorted but then more debt letters come. I have always been very good with my credit rating as I want to move house this year but fear this may cause huge problems with my score.Help Please!!!!!!!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2008/12/setanta_users_experience_viewi.html

tAngo_4

Iv now picked up my new thompson top up+sentana box. an phoned to fined out how to get my free few months showing. they said i had to give them my bank details before i can get it!!!!! so i said no thank u . they was beging me to sighn up........... thank u everyone for letting me know how low they are. for i would hav been suckerd in:j

Izual_Rebirth

So I sent them the e-mail few weeks back and canceled my DD for good measure.

Got a phone call from them a week later. Explained I'd canceled by e-mail and they said they already had that on my account. They explained due to the 30 day notice period I still owed one months subscription which I paid.

I then received another call two days later confirming my cancellation and asking me why. I told them I was going on holiday to Australia for 9 months and they said they'd let me come back to them anytime and wished me a happy holiday.

Finally received written confirmation few days ago so hopefully there won't be any issues with this one.

ashleyk

I am having headaches cancelling as well. It should have expired in December following a 3 month half price special and instead I found myself billed in January and now February, even though I had confirmation in early January that my account was being cancelled.

The operator in customer service said she didn't know why I was billed again but said I would have to write a letter now to head office to get it cancelled. I am not impressed and wouldn't dream of signing up again now. My only interest was the boxing and that has been very disappointing with only one decent fight a month at most. They tend to advertise fights that then don't materialise making you think there is lots going to happen.

tatey69

I have just sent off the cancellation request e-mail to [EMAIL="requests@setanta.com"]requests@setanta.com[/EMAIL], reading on here it appears people have had major problems. Do you also advsie sending a letter recorded delivery?

If so can somone please post the best address to send this to

Cheers

hmackie

Hi, I have just received my confirmation from Setanta that my subscription will be terminated 30 days from my next billing date (early March) so hopefully this will work ok.
I firstly phoned them and got questioned why I wanted to cancel and would I stay if they offered it cheaper but it's a waste of money for me.
They gave me the [EMAIL="requests@setanta.com"]requests@setanta.com[/EMAIL] email address to send my cancellation request (name, address and setanta account no.) to and two days later I have my confirmation - I just hope after reading the problems people have had with them that it actually goes through!
Good luck people!