How to cancel Setanta Sports

Snapp3r

I had the same problem.

I entered contract with a broadband and phoneline supplier, and at the time they had an offer where you got 3 months free sentata, after which you pay on a monthly basis as usual.

This meant my free trial would end in February 2008. After a month or so of watching the setanta channel I found I wasnt interested in paying the £9.99 per month fee, so I phoned to cancel.

Customer services told me that I could only cancel my free trial subscription within 30 days from the end of the free trial. I didnt give it a blind bit of notice that there is also a 60 day notice period for normal cancellations.

Therefore, I had no choice but to pay £10.00.

I was obviously very unhappy, and sent them several letters over the period of a couple of months. I did not receive a single response to any of my letters.

Yet they continue to send me spam in the form of advertisements to my home address.

bikey

If anyone is still thinking of taking up Setanta after reading all this, here is another example of their appalling customer service:

Having held on the phone for ages, I decided to subscribe on-line. Having entered all my details (including credit card) I got an error message with a phone number to ring and a reference number. Eventually I get through on the phone number, but they said I had come to the wrong department and gave me another phone number. After much more holding on, I get through and they do not recognise the reference number, but say my application has definitely not gone through, so they invite me to subscribe with them which I do.

You have probably guessed by now that when I look at my credit card account not long after, 2 payments have been taken. When I phone them, they confirm that 2 subscriptions have been registered in my name and address. You would have thought that a relatively new company looking to win (and retain) customers would cancel one of them (even if it had been my mistake, which it wasn’t), but no they insisted that I must have taken out 2 contracts (why would anyone want to?). Therefore I could not cancel either contract until I had served the minimum notice period, which meant waiting a month and then writing to them. I did cancel both, but never got a full refund and I have got better things to do than spend my time pursuing it.

The disappointing thing is that I would be very tempted to take up their service in order to see England football matches / American sports, but they have definitely lost a potential customer for ever as far as I am concerned.

durclur

I am so pleased I am not the only one. We originally signed up to watch the Joe Calzaghe fight back in April and have been trying to cancel it for months now!!

I tried ringing couldnt get through, the recorded message suggested going online - no details how to cancel!!! In the end I cancelled my direct debit I was so sick and sent them an email explaining why I had done this and that I wanted to cancel (which to date has never been replied to!). After the threatning letters re none payment I managed to speak to someone at Setanta who informed me the only way to cancel this was to write a letter and it would be cancelled within 30 days, which I did.

They were still taking money out of my account after this period and when I rang to enquire why they told me it was actually 60 DAYS CANCELLATION!! To stop them from taking anymore money I cancelled the direct debit which cancelled the July payment even though it was on its way out of my account oooopppppsss! I have had a couple of letters from them since July saying I owe them money, obviously now I realise why! They can whistle for it!

What a complete shambles, customer service at Setant stinks, no one seems to know what they are talking about!!! I will never ever use Setanta again and have told all my friends and family not to do this either!!

Lee_Howden

[quote=neiluk111;13500341.

I give them 2 more years before they go bust.[/quote]

I second that after reading this thread.

I was going to sign up on the £1 offer late last year but my wife persuaded me not to do so (she wasn't impressed by the amount of sports I already had with sky sports!). I'm really glad that she did now, even though I have very little access to live football as the sky sports subsrciption has become a victim in our cost cutting exercise!

I'll obviously have to keep my eyes open for alternative methods to view these matches

scoobydoo12

Did anyone who has successfully cancelled actually got confirmation of cancellation?

I am a bit worried as I rang them at the end of may, reaffirmed in writing on July14th (delay due to holiday) and have heard nothing other than a 'you are leaving' offer flyer following the first phonecall. I have reaffirmed my position via email (yesterday) and cancelled the DD.

I hoped that would be the end of it but am mildly concerned now. Reading this thread they seem to think they can change their T&C willy nilly to increase the notice period to 60 days! I don't think so, not without notification as per their T&Cs. Regarless, 15th July->15th September will be 60 days, assuming they didn't "lose" the letter. Wish me luck.

[/QUOTE]

Hi there forgive me if ive done wrong MY 1st posting!!!
I wrote to Setanta in May to cancel my subscription of £9.99 a month (unfortunately payment by credit card) giving 30 days notice as per MY terms and conditions issued when I subscribed. 21 days after writing my first letter (3 letters 2 emails etc cos Id heard nothing from them) I received a letter increasing my subscription to £12.99 not giving me the 30 days they state they will give when increasing subscriptions in fact it was only 20 days. I tried phoning to cancel no chance always busy. I closed my credit card account so (I thought) I wouldnt get charged. They have since taken Julys payment of £12.99 and August £12.99. I phoned my credit card company and asked how I go about stopping the payments and they unfortunately stated YOU CANT, only with the Companys authority may I cancel. Obviously I was tamping!!!!! They will still bill me!!! I explained the problem and the lady wrote a complaint out and said I would have to go through the Reclaiming procedure unless I give them (Setanta) another call and speak directly to the Manager but she would note on my file my call/problem. I eventually got through to Setanta the Manager was not working that day (ha ha) and was told that my subscription would end 31 August. I stated that is well after the 30 days notice etc and she said about the new 60 days notice in their "new" terms and conditions. I explained MY terms and conditions were 30 days and Id cancelled well before and she said they didnt start "processing" my cancellation until 35days AFTER receipt and unfortunatley it does NOT start on date of receipt of cancellation letter but date of PROCESSING and therefore I fall within the 60 days notice!!! I could try and reclaim any costs I think I may get but HIGHLY UNLIKELY I will succeed and if so will only be a percentage of the last £12.99 taken. She was very rude and very UNHELPFUL. Oh yes you do not get any communication from them until theyve cancelled. (Only automated replies if you send emails stating a reply will be received within 5 days IT ISNT) Roll on 31st August and "watch this space"

IF YOU ARE THINKING OF JOINING SETANTA DONT!!!!!!:mad: :mad: :mad:

Oliver_Cromwell

Last night I called Setanta and changed my payment method from credit card to direct debit. Thanks to all for detailing their experiences in this thread.

(Let's just hope they stop charging my CC now!)

mateypeeps

olderandwiser wrote: »

My husband signed up in February believing the telesales operator who said that it would be quick and easy to cancel when the football season ended. He was asked for his credit card details and foolishly obliged. First mistake! You cannot cancel your 'direct debit' on a credit card, so only use your bank card! Our provider is M & S + More, and were brilliant, they accepted proof of our attempts to cancel, which included an email acceptance from Setanta, and proof of two letters of cancellation being posted, and refunded our payments. We also contacted our local Trading Standards office. Thanks to the help we received from those mentioned, months later we are free of Setanta. Don't think that it is sufficient to write to Setanta; record the delivery and check that it has been delivered; apparently so many people are sending their letters 'recorded delivery' that the postie takes a chance and delivers them in a bundle without obtaining individual signatures. Belts and braces only with this sorry shower of a company! Setanta stinks to high heaven. Those who have been lucky enough to cancel without a problem are obviously in the minority. I apologise for the epistle, but I just want to ensure the message gets through.

Same thing applies to Barclaycard CONNECT type DEBIT cards, unlike a standing order or a direct debit mandate, you CANNOT get the bank to cancel recurring monthly/annual payments.

So in this kind of case, where a bunch of incompetents/crooks cannot or will not stop charging your account for services you cancelled, you will get no help from the bank either.

I wonder how the Government (for which read the FSA) let the banks get away with aiding and abetting swindlers defrauding their customers.

I hope the banks are getting enough payment from these merchants to cover the loss in goodwill when the banks try to sell us their latest lame-duck financial packages!!!

Even worse, how can this CONNECT style card qualify under the latest flavour-of-the-month FSA mandate called TCF (Treating Customers Fairly) I would like to know. If I could not get the bank to cancel a fraudulent recurring debit I would not call that treating me fairly at all.

Perhaps Martin might get GMTV to do a little piece with him on this point soon, to warn people not to use CONNECT debit cards for recurring payments.

Whether or not to include Setanta as an example why you should not use a debit card, is a seperate issue.

Phil

rwgray

olderandwiser wrote: »

He was asked for his credit card details and foolishly obliged. First mistake! You cannot cancel your 'direct debit' on a credit card, so only use your bank card!

I though you could get payments back (and cancel future payments) on a credit card more easily, just by reporting (in writing) to your card company that these were unauthorised transactions and asking that all transactions be blocked and existing ones refunded. This might leave you owing Setanta (or whoever) some money, but better to be in the driving seat, I'd say... You can then pay what was really due, less (say) an administrative charge if you wish.

Am I mistaken?

Rich.x

jackie_d

Tried to cancel our Setanta recently. Have been with Setanta since they first came out and for this privilege we are paying £180 per year all up front. Phoned them before annual subscription came around for renewal - fed up with paying more than everyone else and wanted a cheaper deal either free with a box or with BT or Virgin, also moving in 3 months so did not need it for a full year. Repeated phone calls trying to cancel but they took the payment anyway. Have now given up calling so are basically waving goodbye to most of that money as we can only get football for 3 months and will ensure direct debit is cancelled with the bank for next year. Can also only get Setanta on a TV in the bedroom as we had a new sky+ box installed and the card only works on the one box.

Husband big fan of Scottish Premier which is only available on Setanta so if anyone has a good idea how to get Setanta via another provider please let me know as I never want to deal directly with these people again.

sarah03_2

I recently tried to cancel setanta - o/h watches big boxing fights, there wasn't going to be any on for a while so I thought i'd cancel, they offered me 6 months for £7.50 - only charged me £1.00 last month, the advisor then said if after 6months I still wanted to cancel to ring again and they would give me another offer - so at the moment, I still have setanta........