Setanta Sports - Writing a complaint help please

durian

Lavendyr wrote: »

Hiya, I sympathise with your situation Have you tried writing a letter to the following address:

Customer Services, PO Box 800, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY2 6WD

I would start by sending a letter to that address by recorded delivery so that you have proof it arrived. In that letter, request action within XX working days of receipt.

If they have not replied within the number of days you gave them, write again addressing the letter to Michael O'Rourke, Chief Executive.

If this does not work, see if any of the documentation Setanta has sent you provides an alternative means of resolving a dispute in the event that you are unsatisfied with their internal response/action (i.e. an independent contact). If there is no alternative contact, call Ofcom's advice line and ask them what you can do next. You should be able to show Ofcom that you have absolutely exhausted every means possible of resolving the complaint with Setanta first (otherwise Setanta can claim that you did not give them the opportunity to resolve).

HTH

Just a question on this, who would sign at a Post Office box? You may be paying for recorded signed for but do you receive the proof then or just a Post Office scam making you pay extra but no proof?

durian

uk2007 wrote: »

I can see where you are coming from, but have nothing to do with Setanta.

I myself have worked in several customer services positions for 2 different companies. There are times when demand is so high that you are flooded with calls, emails, letters etc. Just give them a bit of time to get round to replying to your emails and letters etc.

I do believe you but it's a chicken and egg thing here really. Continuous poor service will just keep the poor customer service with ample supply of complains to no end. And with vested authority to do almost nothing, eg refund payments simply because the boss wants to keep the money, the workload continues to pile up. Thus, I do pity for customer service reps most times but they are in the firing line.

durian

sima3069 wrote: »

1

strange how they ain't canceled the service also. I'll take the footy for another month & let them have the £5 extra (would have wasted that+more in phonecalls trying to contact them). once bitten, twice shy, I'll not be touching this joke of a company again even if they have the next hattan fight (I'll do with out)

Completely Agree With You! Dont Think Of Joining Unless You're Sure because you can NEVER CANCEL...

durian

Things should have gone fine if I would have stuck to Satellite. But having signed up with a devil, you could almost never pull out cleanly.

I subscribed to Satellite in Sep 07 and was not allowed to switch to Freeview unless I terminate the satellite service. Fine, *what was I thinking* I therefore terminated it and my hell began...

I was told that my billing period was on the 2nd of every month and had to give 30 day notice period. And yes, I have to call specifically on the 2nd of the following month to cancel, no sooner.

Being me and much to their expectation, I forgot and called up to cancel on 4/10. I was told that there would be a last payment as my billing period happened to be on 2/11. Being naive, I did not cancel my direct debit but let it run for the final payment. And yes, I expect to play fair and charge me for the period 2/11 - 4/11. Heheheh...

After spending 30 minutes going through the whole Setanta complaint threads, YES the payment was taken for the whole 30 day period, ie 9.99 for 2 days worth of service!!! Sounds like a rip-off? Not yet, I further spent my hardly earned cash on the 0870 number, educating Setanta's customer service members of fair charging. Either she's naive or just completely blind but that completes my whole round of Setanta rip off.

My simple advice is if you are thinking of joining this company to try out the service, DONT! You would be just wasting your hard earned cash on wannabe SKY competitor who either doesnt understand business ethics or just ruthless.

Sigh.. if only I stayed on with Satellite but I might be better off than the Scottish fellows getting inflated charges without even knowing..

Anyway, I was thinking of going for Small Claims via Scotland's court? Or should send it to their hq? I will be checking out BBC and OFT websites for Setanta traces. I just cant allow a rogue company goes unpunished ripping off poor people's hard earned earnings..

Any advice if I miss anything here?

P/s: See this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A27156774

RobH007

Well, there's me thinking I'd read everything I could about my deal (3 Months @ £5 a month) and then lo and behold 1 month after they took the £15 another £5 taken from my Credit card.
Obviously I know now from reading previous posts there is a £10 connection charge but I can't find that mentioned on the t & c's for my specific promotion at all, but I can live with it I suppose.
What is worrying is the never ending stories of being unable to to cancel! I signed up on Nov 5th 07 so I've worked out I need to cancel the subscription on the 5th Jan 08 and that gives me my 1 months notice (if I'm wrong correct me) now if Setanta continue to take money from my Credit card then I'll accidently lose said card and tell my CC company, they will then issue me with a replacement card that Setanta don't have the details of and therefore they can't take anymore money from me. That's my plan of preventative action. Any one else thought of doing it?

Alan1977_2

Hi,
Has anyone actually suceeded in cacelling their subscription by now?

They originally told me that I could ONLY cancal by written notification that I wanted to commence my 30 day notice. A week after sending the letter I phoned to see if they had received it, the reply was: "no, and in anycase you can ONLY cancel over the phone". But that it also proving impossible. The first point of contact say that they are unable to process a cancellation request and that they must refer you to the "Accounts Management Team" - then you're placed on hold forever.

Cacelling mt d/d isn't an option beceuse they take the cash out of my debit card every month (stupid me I know). As a last resort - what could they do if I cancelled my debit card?

I've also sent an e-amil to Watchdog.

sima3069

Has anyone actually suceeded in cacelling their subscription by now?
yes, I managed to cancel wouldn't go back if they paid me, but see there free offers but they still require bank details. I got stung LAST hattan fight (free 2 month) thank god sky has this fight. when i got thru on phone and cancelled they just carried on taking money from account as I hadn't cancelled direct debit. so I cancelled DD and didn't bother ringing them and just watched setanta for another month(wasn't going to waste any more money on contacting them), tried email, but that is a waste. i just ignored the letter's saying I had to contact them. get the odd phone call of them and they tried saying I couldn't cancel, but i wasn't having it and praise the lord the letters etc stoped. there's not a chance in hell I would sign up by credit card after reading this, seems even if you say card is lost they can still claim money (sorry) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/2099270.stm my advice for anyone cancelling, is cancel direct debit & don't bother ringing them or email and wait on them contacting you by phone and just say you cancelled on a certain date and thats the end of the matter. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/2099270.stm wish you all the best with this joke of a company & sorry for this paragraph (damn thing has formatted it like this )

fedupconsumer

I managed after writing to them via e-mail which is a valid way of cancelling an account despite their protestations. Phone and Registered letter.They broke their terms and conditions not me so they were at fault. The only way of really gaining peace of mind is to cancel your direct debits.

Alan1977_2

I've finally gone through to someone in "Accounts Management", got them to cancel and they gave me a cancellation reference number. Guess I'll just have to wait 30 days to see if they switch if off.........

Glencoy

If only I had looked at the Forums before subscribing to Setanta!!

Subscribed under the £5 a month special offer (made prior to the early November big fight) which offered the reduced fee for the first three months then £9.99 thereafter..Did this by phone- absolutely no mention of the £10 connection charge. Simplistically I thought that the £15 charge taken when subscribing covered the three months! Of course all became clear when a £5 charge was taken in the second month. Rang customer services to complain- answer- oh did the operator not mention that to you- apologies! Asked for refund. Told can only consider that if put in writing to the Kirkaldy address. I will do this but given others experience doubtful if I will get anywhere. Think I need to try and cancel- given others experience this looks like being a problem too. Thought we may have a viable alternative service for sports to Sky- looks like we need to think again! Could Martin not have a look at this outfit's practices?