Monday, May 23, 2011

Time Warner

I've wanted to change our service from Time Warner to U-Verse for a long time but Lisa kept using her Road Runner email address so I couldn't. Finally these guys came to our door and made us a really good offer so I switched anyway and Lisa finally had to get used to gmail. I didn't like Time Warner for a number of reasons. They were more expensive, fewer HD channels, their modem locked up about every two weeks, their DVR only held about ten shows in it's memory and did I mention that they were more expensive? 


So I made the switch and on my Time Warner bill in big black letters I instructed them to cancel my subscription and I signed it. The problem was that I was set up where they automatically take their money out of my bank account. I noticed that February's payment went out and I just assumed that they didn't get my notice in time. Some how I didn't notice March's payment but when I saw Aprils payment go out I got mad. 


I called them up and they informed me that they can't cancel my account over the phone and besides I haven't returned their equipment yet. Unfortunately their store closes at 6:00 and they aren't open on weekends. I'm rarely home by six and with all the trips lately I finally got up there tonight. 


I started out nice and polite but when she told me it's their store policy to keep billing me I started getting a little upset. I told her that I sent them a hand written and signed document telling them to cancel my service and anywhere I've read that is a legal document. 


She replied that it is their policy to keep billing me until I return the equipment. I told her that was ridiculous  what if I lost the equipment? Are you going to bill me for the rest of my life?


She told me that if I lost the equipment then I would have to call their company and tell them that I lost their equipment. I told her than a phone call is not a legally binding communication and a signed document is. If I told them in writing to cancel my subscription then they have to cancel my subscription and if I didn't return the equipment then send me a bill for the equipment but they can't keep billing me indefinitely. 


She then reminded me that on the back of each bill it says that if I dispute the bill then I have 60 days to dispute it. I said, fine, I'm disputing the last two months of my subscription. 


Finally she gave up and said, let me call my manager. I said please do.


After a long conversation she said that the manager says he will give me one month, I said your bill says I can dispute 60 days, I want two months. They then talked for a lot longer and I said let me talk to your manager. 


The manager wouldn't talk to me and said I would have to make an appointment. I said fine. The girl then started to take my equipment and I said, "You're not getting this until I get a resolution here". (that was Brandons suggestion, his law degree is already coming in handy). The manager finally gave me a refund back to April 1st so I guess I'm out March's payment. Right now Time Warner is not my favorite company. I'm with Wile E Coyote, kill the Road Runner. 


By the way, U-Verse internet has not gone down once since we got them and we still haven't filled up our DVR's memory.


--------------------trivia--------------------
A ten year old girl was murdered and her heart was donated to an eight year old girl. The eight year old girl started having nightmares about being murdered. The dreams were so vivid that the parents called the police. Clues from the dream were actually used to find and convict the man who murdered the ten year old girl. 
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8 comments:

Lynn said...

WOw. Wow. Wow. I really don't know what to say. Some people and companies never cease to amaze me with their tactics. How do they ever stay in business??

P.S. I am blown away by your trivia!!!

Lisa said...

That trivia is crazy! Where did you hear that?

Alycia Grayce (Crowley Party) said...

Sorry you had to deal with crazy people. I am happy you didn't let up and you were able to get some of your months back!
p.s. that trivia is the craziest thing ever. the Lord works in mysterious ways.

Sutherland Family said...

Fred, I really, really want to cancel our TWC. But we are avid Padres fans. And they are the only company who broadcasts their games :(. What are we to do!

I'm wondering if you got a little feisty with the TWC lady...kinda like I did in that sobriety checkpoint in Lake Elsinore....?

Fred ... said...

Yes, it was very much like you at the check point.

Peter and Mandy said...

We had Time Warner, then switched to U-verse, then switched back to Time Warner. We signed a two year contract. When it's up we might just go without cable. Most of our favorite shows are available online. Peter's talking about hooking our computer to the TV, to watch the shows on a big screen.

Fred ... said...

I'm thinking of hooking the TV up to the computer as well. We're watching Netflix more than we're watching TV anyway.

Kathy said...

Just remember, Wile E. always got it in the end...