SUPER DUPER RANT - OPTIMUM

[chief38]

About 10 days ago we moved. GREAT to get out of he "rotten Apple", but I had to pay our final utility bills this morning and I was NOT a happy camper - putting it mildly!

I am the type that when I get a bill in Monday's mail, the check goes out on Tuesday morning. In all the decades I was in my past home I always payed everything on time and rarely complained unless there was real issue.

I turned in my 4 cable TV boxes, router and 4 remotes TWO DAYS after my last billing cycle. When I called the cable company this morning I was informed that I owe them for 28 more days because I have to pay for the entire billing period cycle. I was thinking at first I did not hear them correctly, so they repeated it and told me that I have to pay for the ENTIRE cycle regardless of when their equipment was turned in. When I asked how they cold charge for 28 days of additional service I was not receiving, they told me that's just the way it is.

When I requested to speak with a supervisor, they refused to connect me and told me a supervisor would do nothing more than they would. I am not a sue happy person (never did that) but I have to say there should be a class action suit against these Jokers! When you start service with them they pro rate the first bill from the day you sign up - but when you disconnect they ram it to you. How this is legal I can not fathom.

When I spoke to the Gas Co. the Power Co. the Water Co, etc, they ALL only charged me for the services I used when I lived there. Again, how can Optimum get away with this? Charging for services they never provided!?? Has anyone here encountered this or am I just "lucky"?

Rant over!

 

[ladder13]

Wipe the grime off your feet and be glad you left.

So where did you end up?

 

[AJ]

About 10 days ago we moved. GREAT to get out of he "rotten Apple", but I had to pay our final utility bills this morning and I was NOT a happy camper - putting it mildly!

I am the type that when I get a bill in Monday's mail, the check goes out on Tuesday morning. In all the decades I was in my past home I always payed everything on time and rarely complained unless there was real issue.

I turned in my 4 cable TV boxes, router and 4 remotes TWO DAYS after my last billing cycle. When I called the cable company this morning I was informed that I owe them for 28 more days because I have to pay for the entire billing period cycle. I was thinking at first I did not hear them correctly, so they repeated it and told me that I have to pay for the ENTIRE cycle regardless of when their equipment was turned in. When I asked how they cold charge for 28 days of additional service I was not receiving, they told me that's just the way it is.

When I requested to speak with a supervisor, they refused to connect me and told me a supervisor would do nothing more than they would. I am not a sue happy person (never did that) but I have to say there should be a class action suit against these Jokers! When you start service with them they pro rate the first bill from the day you sign up - but when you disconnect they ram it to you. How this is legal I can not fathom.

When I spoke to the Gas Co. the Power Co. the Water Co, etc, they ALL only charged me for the services I used when I lived there. Again, how can Optimum get away with this? Charging for services they never provided!?? Has anyone here encountered this or am I just "lucky"?

Rant over!

Just another case of BOHICA (Bend Over Here It Comes Again). I hear you and unless you get the class action law suit going (and they think you will win) or get a news outlet in on it, nothing will happen.

 

[s&wchad]

I’ve never had cable/satellite TV, so I have no idea how much money you’re talking about.

Care to say???

 

[grover99]

I was stuck with a three month bill from Dish when they failed to turn my service back on after I had put it on hold for three months. Got a notice that there were going turn it back on but they never did so I didn't worry about it. Then got the three month bill from when they said they were going to turn it back on but didn't. When I complained was told I should have said something about it not being on and it was my fault. I paid it to keep them from damaging my credit but dropped the service. Never will I ever deal with Dish again.

 

[AJ]

I’ve never had cable/satellite TV, so I have no idea how much money you’re talking about.

Care to say???

Depends on lots things such as what services you get from your provider. I have heard from friends of bills from $100 to $300.

 

[DWalt]

I would probably had not paid it. After a few letters the company would probably have dropped it. If they turn it over to a bill collector, so what? Just ignore them, especially if you are moving to somewhere else.

 

[Pisgah]

Legal or not is a question to be answered in court. But I'll bet you signed a contract telling them they can do exactly what they're doing...

 

[Onomea]

...I turned in my 4 cable TV boxes, router and 4 remotes TWO DAYS after my last billing cycle. When I called the cable company this morning I was informed that I owe them for 28 more days because I have to pay for the entire billing period cycle...

... When I requested to speak with a supervisor, they refused to connect me and told me a supervisor would do nothing more than they would...

I don't have any recent cable experience, but the way that Netflix, and Amazon Prime channels (Britbox, Acorn, PBS, etc.) work is that if you pass by the date of the month that you began service, they will bill you for the entire next month.

When did you tell Dish that you wanted to terminate service? If your termination was coincident with your turning in of the boxes, two days after the beginning of the next billing cycle (or, as you put it, two days after the conclusion of your last billing cycle), it does not surprise me that they are charging you for the full month.

I'm not saying it's a good thing, but I think is is a common thing.

I think you need to tell ongoing service providers in advance when you want to terminate service. (I do this for utilities, too.)

As for there not being a supervisor to talk to, that's BS. The way to get to a supervisor, and the supervisor's supervisor, though, is to be polite and ask nicely, galling as it is. The people on the other end of the phone line have you over the barrel. They're reading from scripts in a playbook. If you annoy them, they will do what they can to stymie you because it makes them feel good, allows them to get some revenge for being bawled out, which is human nature.

Anyway, good luck to you, and I hope you enjoy your new place.

 

[Doug627]

Check your contract. You can probably find it on line at the service's web site.

 

[quikdraw67]

Wipe the grime off your feet and be glad you left.

So where did you end up?

For sure. Did you move to a free state,?

 

[LVSteve]

Cable companies are greedy idiots. They fouled up my move in 2016 and refused to attend the home at a time that agreed with my work schedule. I guess my $200/month didn't mean that much to them.

 

[glenwolde]

It's quite common, and legal if it's part of the contract you signed. I was aware of it so I discontinued services on the billing date.

 

[Jessie]

Have you noticed that he’s not answering where he’s moving to? He’s not going to pay that bill! Good for you chief! Stick it to em’, make them find you first.
If you do pay it you’re probably in a very small group of people who do.
I understand your attitude about paying your bills. I suffer from that disease also.

 

[ladder13]

For sure. Did you move to a free state,?

I’m thinking PA.

 

[arjay]

Cable companies are evil

 

[Baxter6551]

I HATE Optimum. My cable bill is $225 a month for cable and internet - three boxes and 2nd to lowest level of channels - and I don’t even get HBO or Cinemax. If you are in the NY / CT metro area you don’t have much choice other than Dish. Frontier is now offering fiber optic but who knows about it.

 

[ladder13]

Have you noticed that he’s not answering where he’s moving to? He’s not going to pay that bill! Good for you chief! Stick it to em’, make them find you first.
If you do pay it you’re probably in a very small group of people who do.
I understand your attitude about paying your bills. I suffer from that disease also.

Anyone with even limited computer skills, like myself , can find anyone’s address by just typing in their name.
Imagine what the NSA knows.

 

[bigwheelzip]

I had Optimum when I sold the Brooklyn house a couple of years ago. I called them and asked what was a final bill cost when I turned in the equipment at their office the next day.
I paid that amount the next day and thought I was done.
A month later I got a prorated bill for the rest of the month. When I called about it, I got the same story you did, and was told I'm SOL.
Since I always keep notes, I told them the time, date, and person's name I spoke to who gave me the service payoff information.
They took that information from me, an said that all the phone conversations are recorded, that they would check the recording, and get back to me about the bill if I were liable. I never heard another peep about it.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[quikdraw67]

I’m thinking PA.

I hope so, we need more pro-gun people here.