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Company debited money from our account for 18 months after we cancelled services

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Jireh

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Kentucky

We were moving so we cancelled our cable service at the old address, turned in the cable box, etc. Then started new service at the new address with new cable box, etc. We never received any receipts indicating we were still paying for the service at the old address. The line item on our bank statement simply read Cable Company... with no indication of address. They have confirmed the error and their stance is since we didn't catch it their policy is they don't have to refund the money. The amount is nearly $3000.

Do we have any recourse?
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Kentucky

We were moving so we cancelled our cable service at the old address, turned in the cable box, etc. Then started new service at the new address with new cable box, etc. We never received any receipts indicating we were still paying for the service at the old address. The line item on our bank statement simply read Cable Company... with no indication of address. They have confirmed the error and their stance is since we didn't catch it their policy is they don't have to refund the money. The amount is nearly $3000.

Do we have any recourse?
Ask for a credit...
 

justalayman

Senior Member
for 18 months there was a debit listed under cable. Did you have cable at your new place? Was there a second debit for that or did you pay for it some other way?


Seriously, for this to go on for 18 months shows some laxness on your part.

but none the less, if you terminated your service properly, you are due the money, even for 18 months ago.

as Zigner suggested, getting credit applied to your current bill would likely be the easiest way to be repaid. Suing them is another option but could be a pain, depending on the specifics of the issue. You should try going higher in the food chain at the cable company if you do not wish to attempt the credit route.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
for 18 months there was a debit listed under cable. Did you have cable at your new place? Was there a second debit for that or did you pay for it some other way?


Seriously, for this to go on for 18 months shows some laxness on your part.

but none the less, if you terminated your service properly, you are due the money, even for 18 months ago.

as Zigner suggested, getting credit applied to your current bill would likely be the easiest way to be repaid. Suing them is another option but could be a pain, depending on the specifics of the issue. You should try going higher in the food chain at the cable company if you do not wish to attempt the credit route.
I suspect that the customer agreement may not allow for this.
 

Jireh

Junior Member
Both payments were being auto deducted from our checking account separately. There was no indication of address - just XXX Cable Payment. But yes, I realize we were lax and should have caught this sooner. But the point is, at least I think, is we did our part. We cancelled the service and turned in the equipment. The fact that we were lax and didn't catch the error isn't an excuse for them to debit our account without authorization and then refuse to refund the money.

I started with a regular billing rep then moved on to someone higher in billing. The last girl I talked to in billing said it was in another department's hands and it was their policy to not refund and that we should have caught the error sooner. I'm not sure how to get a hold of anyone higher up.

I'm fine with getting a lawyer and suing them for the money. But I have no idea how much that would cost. But frankly, I would rather a lawyer have the money than this cable company.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Both payments were being auto deducted from our checking account separately. There was no indication of address - just XXX Cable Payment. But yes, I realize we were lax and should have caught this sooner. But the point is, at least I think, is we did our part. We cancelled the service and turned in the equipment. The fact that we were lax and didn't catch the error isn't an excuse for them to debit our account without authorization and then refuse to refund the money.

I started with a regular billing rep then moved on to someone higher in billing. The last girl I talked to in billing said it was in another department's hands and it was their policy to not refund and that we should have caught the error sooner. I'm not sure how to get a hold of anyone higher up.

I'm fine with getting a lawyer and suing them for the money. But I have no idea how much that would cost. But frankly, I would rather a lawyer have the money than this cable company.
I suspect your customer agreement will limit you to binding arbitration.
 

FarmerJ

Senior Member
To have better odds of getting this catv firms attention stop phone calling and send to them a written letter on paper outlining the date your equipment was returned and date service had been canceled by you and then list each transaction number for every over payment ask them to refund to you the over payments one last time and in the letter feel free to threaten to sue them for refund , send this letter via registered mail . Keep a copy for your self. ( will it work , hard to say but it will give to you a paper trail that the catv firm cannot dispute getting from you if someone has to sign for it)
 

Jireh

Junior Member
To have better odds of getting this catv firms attention stop phone calling and send to them a written letter on paper outlining the date your equipment was returned and date service had been canceled by you and then list each transaction number for every over payment ask them to refund to you the over payments one last time and in the letter feel free to threaten to sue them for refund , send this letter via registered mail . Keep a copy for your self. ( will it work , hard to say but it will give to you a paper trail that the catv firm cannot dispute getting from you if someone has to sign for it)
Farmer, thanks for the advice. Actually, thanks to everyone for the input. I think I will go this route.

One last question - will my bank be of any use? I mean, if I didn't authorize the payments can they be of any help in getting the money back?
 

swalsh411

Senior Member
maybe the most recent one. You only have a certain number of days (I think it's 60 or 90) to dispute descrepanies on your statement.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I doubt the customer agreement allows for taking payment for 18 months of service from their bank account when they were not providing any service to the address
Agreed - but their recourse would be limited, as outlined in the customer agreement.
 

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