DVD rental providers feedback

pug_in_a_bed

Funnily enough I've found the opposite, I've sent back three dvds in a row to screenselect as they were too scratched to play, where as lovefilm has been fine and a bit of a quicker turn around.

Wayne3765

Liz19 wrote:

I am currently with lovefilm on there 3 for 1 offer and the service has been atrocious. I am lucky if I get 2 dvds out a week. I am also with screenselect on their 3 for 1 deal and their service has been much quicker.

I am also with Lovefilm on the supposedly unlimited 2 discs at a time , 3 for 1 deal , I also think the service is awful, I sent two films back on a Friday and had the replacements Thursday, despite them receiving the discs back on a Monday they waited until Wednesday to post them back out.

I have sent a few complaints via email regarding the slow turnaround and lack of discs from the top of my queue and along with the stock replies regarding their fair use policy ( have asked how many discs I am limited to in a month but I am told there is no limit just a FUP :mad: ) I was promised that as compensation I would get my top 5 prioritised and delivered asap yet the discs they sent out were number 25 and 35 in my queue.

I have paid up until September but will not stay with them beyond my next billing date.

edina

I've used Tesco for months now & not had one prob. The speed they send another dvd back is fast. I return a dvd & 2 days later another one arrives!...so I can manage to get 2 dvd's a week. 8 dvd's a month or £7.95 & clubcard points too:j

edina

I've used Tesco for months now & not had one prob. The speed they send another dvd back is fast. I return a dvd & 2 days later another one arrives!...so I can manage to get 2 dvd's a week. 8 dvd's a month for £7.95 & clubcard points too:j

jwarne

Just as an aside, does anyone know where the box on the Lovefilm site to type in codes is when signing up for a free trial? I can only seem to get the 2 week one at the moment....

penny_pinch

I would like to share my experience of the DVD hire/rental company SCREENSELECT. In 2004 I took up a free trial with SCREENSELECT and subsequently hired DVD’s from them I closed the account in January 2005 and returned the DVDS in the post through their pre-paid return system via Royal Mail. That I assumed was the end of the matter.

In May 2006 some fifteen or so months after I closed the account I received a letter from VIDEO ISLAND (a company who have taken over SCREENSELECT) claiming that their records show that I have three outstanding DVDs that have not been returned to them. (Incidentally I had a contract with SCREENSELECT, VIDEO ISLAND are not the company that I had the contract with). Between January 2005 and May 2006 I did not receive a single letter, email or telephone call notifying me that SCREENSELECT had not received the DVDs.

I wrote to VIDEO ISLAND explaining that their DVDs were returned when I closed the account, they did not reply.

I have now received two letters from C.A.R.S (a debt collection agency used by VIDEO ISLAND) demanding £60 and threatening me with legal action if I don’t pay within seven days I contacted them and explained that I had returned the DVD’s. They apparently are awaiting further information from VIDEO ISLAND. Somewhat surprisingly C.A.R.S supplied me with a telephone number for VIDEO ISLAND I say surprisingly as nowhere on correspondence from VIDEO ISLAND is a telephone number or any way of contacting them directly. When I phoned VIDEO ISLAND the customer service representatives were very irate about the fact that C.A.R.S. had given me their number (I wonder why!!!). I explained that these DVD’s had been returned and asked why they had not notified me of this when I closed the account, or why they had not contacted me by telephone, email or letter to inform me they had not received the DVDs. I also asked them why it had taken them over fifteen months to let me know that they hadn’t received them. I did not receive any answers. They were quick to quote me vague policy statements and suggested that it was up to me to check that they had received the DVD’s.

Even if I pay this money (which I don’t owe them) what is to stop them from making other spurious claims i.e. billing me for other DVD’s they supposedly did not receive.

I have found a copy of their Terms and Conditions. It would appear that they are not responsible or accountable for anything.

Terms and Conditions excerpt SCREENSELECT


“The ScreenSelect website and its contents are provided "as is" and we make no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to the ScreenSelect website or its contents. We assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of the ScreenSelect website, any failures, delays, or interruptions in the shipment of DVDs, delivery of any content contained on the ScreenSelect website, any losses or damages arising from the use of the content provided on the ScreenSelect website, or any conduct by users of the ScreenSelect website. We reserve the right to deliver DVDs at our sole discretion. We disclaim all representations and warranties, including, for example, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. In addition, we do not represent or warrant that the information accessible via our site is accurate, complete or current”.

“In no event shall ScreenSelect, its shareholders, directors, officers, or employees be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages of any kind, or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether or not advised of the possibility of damage, and on any theory of liability, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this information. If any applicable authority holds any portion of this section to be unenforceable, then liability will be limited to the fullest possible extent permitted by applicable law”.



If I am reading this correctly (and I am no lawyer or law student) it seems that the consumer is responsible for any DVDS that get lost or damaged in transit and that SCREENSELECT/VIDEO ISLAND take no responsibility for anything.

Incidentally the little clause below in there Terms and Conditions indicates that they can ”move the goal posts” at any time and make new terms and conditions without letting customers know. This presumably allows them to invent new ways to extract money from unsuspecting customers who are not aware that the rules have changed.
.
(How many of us regularly click on to the website to check if the terms and conditions have changed.?)


“ScreenSelect reserves the right, from time to time, with or without notice to you, to change these Terms & Conditions at its sole discretion. The most current version of these Terms & Conditions can be reviewed by clicking on the "Terms & Conditions" hyperlink located at the bottom of most pages of the ScreenSelect website. The most current version of the Terms & Conditions will supersede all previous versions. Your use of the ScreenSelect website after changes are made means that you agree to be bound by such changes”.


I am now trying to find out my consumer rights with reference to this matter.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with this company? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


penny_ pinch

pug_in_a_bed

Wow Penny Pinch, what an awful situation to be in. Even if you did get proof of postage I doubt you still have it over a year after the fact.

Normally, or at least now, you get an email when you have closed your account and they have received your dvds. One thing that may work in your favour is whether you were charged anything more after your free trial - ie the deal is when yo usign up you give all your card details etc, so that if you decided to continue after the trial they can just bill you. I've been caught out and not got the dvds back in time, so have been billed for a full month's membership.

If you were not billed after your free trial, then this suggests the dvds were received. perhaps a good arguing point.

Interestingly, lovefilm now ask that all users get proof of postage when closing their account, otherwise you can be charged if you don't and their dvds go missing.

stars_bright

I am also having problems with Screen Select. When I first joined I was very impressed, especially with the turnaround. Then I started to get DVDs which were so badly scratched that they wouldn't play. Most recently I had the first in a series which wouldn't play so I returned it telling them that it was fauklty and asking for a replacement. Instead of sending the replacement they sent 2 copies of the next dvd in the series. I have kept one of the second disk and was waiting for the first disk to be sent but they keep sendng different DVDs, effectively my DVDs on hire is reduced to 1 while I hold onto this second disk, but if I return it they will probably send me disk 3. I have emailed them serveral times but find that they take days to reply and don't really answer anyway. I am about to cancel my subscription but will take the advice above and empty my queue and ensure that all disks are marked as returned before cancelling.
I think I may try Amazon instead!

PHIL_LANGERS

Hi,
I have just used the Amazon free trial (3 DVD's for £5.99 a month). As lon as you don't want the very latest movie release it's okay. I wanted the very latest release but you are just kept waiting and you get the DVD on the list that you don't really want.
It's not perfect but it's cheap. I am on to my next tart (Wilkinson's!!).


Phil

davsidipp

i would not bother with wilkinsons free trial the dvds you ask for you dont get and i made the mistake of having them for an extra month load of rubbish