Telewest problem - tv drive, contract issue

mclaren · 20th June 2006, 20:27

Basicly, i have had the telewest tv drive for 13 days (this is the 9th working day). When i went to get the tv drive, i called up telewest and i expressed my intrest in the tv drive. I said that i was already a sky customer and i was going to have to wait till sky installed HD box which would take weeks. Anyway, the man at the other end of the phone said that i would have the box installed for the 7th june. He then went on to ask how i wanted to set it up. I said tha ti wanted a new contract so i would be in full control of the tv. He said that iw odul be better to put it on to my mums account. I asked why, and he said that it would be exactly the same but it would be cheaper, and i would still have control over the tv. so i agreed. The man came up, installed it but was not exactly cheery. He installed the box and went away.

Today i called up, to cancel the box as it is not what i expected. On the phone they said it had high def channels - it has 2! both free to air channels. I was expecting sky sports HD, movies HD, etc.... Anyway, as i got on to the call, the man said to me that i could cancle but he wanted to keep me as "telewest are better than sky". He then went on to make me some deals but i declined and asked to cancle. He then said that i would have to pay out of the rest of the contract because i was an existing customer and new contracts were for new customers. Now, i asked for a new contract but the person when ordering it said it would be easier to put it on the one. The TV Drive at the moment is in my mums name, she is blind.

I then went on to say that i had not signed any contract to agree to this, he said that i didnt have to (i thought these things had to be in writing and signed?). Also, the main point is, that i was the one who ordered this, they didnt confirm with the main account holder, mu mum, so can i ask, is there any way i can get out of this contract?

They told me on the phone when i asked about getout clauses, they said i had 30 days, (30 days to test drive the system, and that they guaranteed that i woudl love it) and now they are saying i dont and have to pay the lot.

I would like to know if can get out of this contract since i did not sign or agree to it with the change of T&C's?

Thanks

towelie · 21st June 2006, 16:23

I wouldnt let them get away with this. With anything like this you have a cancellation period. Also you said when you booked it and they put it on your mums account they didnt ask to speak to her. I work in a similar call centre and know if I had to add something to someones account withotu speaking to the main account holder I would be dragged over the coals as this is breaking data protection. Only time we are allowed to do this is if the main account holder has given permission to anyone else and also provided a password which must be verified.

I would try calling them up and ask to speak to a manager. The person who booked it for you has been naughty in adding it to your mums account.

Good luck!!!

callumsgran · 21st June 2006, 16:26

I would agree with towelie, sounds like sense to me

sequenci · 21st June 2006, 16:38

Yup. you have a very strong case!

I must say with regard to telewest they will at some point also obtain the channels you're looking for, it is in Sky's best interest from a revenue perspective to include these chanels for cable customers. How long this will take is anyones guess as sky currently charge £300 for the HD box. They will probably try and get as many £300s as they can and then allow Telewest the channels too.

mclaren · 3rd July 2006, 15:47

quick note on this

i wrote a letter in to them explaining all this and that i felt i was being not welcomed to telewest - they phoned me up, and they said we will give you tv drive for £5 a month + extra for channels, i declined, and went ahead with uninstall. they then went on to call again and offered me normal tv pack with normal box, 4mb broadband, phone with caller id for £29.50 for the next 12 months. the phone and internet was costing me £35.50 alone before so i am saving £6 per month £72 a year plus the cost of caller id £1.75 so im saving a total of £93 a year because of this

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