Dish Network equipment proof of ownership

[dish2006]

Hi

I have been with dishnetwork since sep 2007. I was on a contract for 2 years and later continued month to month. I cancelled the service today and dish rep says equipment is owned by dish network. If I remember correctly at that time if you sign a contract you own the equpment or otherwise you lease the equipment. Am I incorrect. Reason I am suspicious because I ordered through a local retailer but rep says I ordered directly through dishnet.

Thanks

 

[jayn_j]

Is the local retailer still around? Do you have a copy of the sales receipt, or can you get one from the retailer?

DISH is notorious for marking owned equipment as leased on their records and then requiring you to prove ownership. It took me 9 months to straighten it out and I was forced to escalate to the ceo@dishnetwork.com address and fax a copy of the original sales receipt.

You also need to be aware that by 2007 most equipment was provided on a lease agreement. Unless you paid a large upfront cost, you were likely leasing. You still sometimes paid an upfront cost and still were leasing, especially with the HD DVRs. If you don't have the original paperwork, or can't get the retailer to reproduce it, you are likely hosed and need to return it.

 

[dish2006]

jayn_j, Thanks for your response. I don't remember who the retailer was(could be dishstore or another local company). Didn't pay large sum in the beginning though. Did DishNetwork ever offer own your equipment contracts. I am planning to return anyway by paying $15 shipping. I got DirecTV yesterday and have no use for superhot VIP722.

 

[jayn_j]

I bought my 622 from Dishstore and paid to own it. Very few did that, so one month my bill notice changed to 'leased'. Didn't make a difference in the monthly bill because the lease charge was the same as the outlet fee for owned equipment, but when I cancelled, they sent a bill for ~$450. That was the basis of the 9 month fight.

 

[mike123abc]

It has been a long time since Dish made you buy your own equipment upfront if you had good credit. If you had bad credit they had a plan where you bought your equipment upfront and got monthly credits on your bill. I do not recall any offer of a monthly plan where you end up owning the equipment at the end of the contract. It was always pay upfront for equipment.

 

[navychop]

Nope. You sign a contract, you're leasing. Owning can (usually) avoid a contract. So you clearly were leasing. We pay up front either way, it's just a matter of how much. Not much reason to own these days, especially since you're likely to go thru this sort of hassle, sooner or later.

 

[kjlued]

I really hate to take this stance on this issue as I think it is absolutely retarded that Dish charges a fee to return their equipment to a customer that has fulfilled the service agreement.

That being said (and this is the part I hate to say), it is just better to pay the $15 and move on.
Doesn't make it right, but the amount of time it will take to fight this is way more then $15 is worth especially since you might find yourself in collections over it.

The good news is that currently D* does not charge a fee to return equipment.

 

[jayn_j]

I suspect it isn't the $15 shipping fee. It is that DISH wants a 722 back and is willing to charge him $400 unless he returns it. If he paid for it up front, it means he is actually buying it twice, instead of being able to sell it on ebay.

However, the point is probably moot since the OP said he didn't pay anything up front, so it is most likely leased.

 

[kjlued]

From his second post, I gathered it did have something to with the $15

IMO, if you don't complete the contract that you should have to pay to get the equipment back to them on top of all other penalties.
To me, either service would suit my needs as they both offer all the channels I want and all I need is 1 room service.
However, something as little as knowing about that $15 would probably stop me from ever switching to Dish.

I also imaging it has stopped several people from going back and that they used this to convince friends to go with D* instead.
I would imagine that $15 has cost them more money then they know.

 

[mike123abc]

I believe you can ship them back at your own expense and not pay the $15. The $15 is just if you want Dish to send you prepaid shipping labels.

 

[kjlued]

I believe you can ship them back at your own expense and not pay the $15. The $15 is just if you want Dish to send you prepaid shipping labels.

Well, what does that solve as you still wind up paying the money and going through more hassle.

I think they should do what Direct currently does and just send you the boxes with shipping labels for free.

 

[mike123abc]

Well, what does that solve as you still wind up paying the money and going through more hassle.

I think they should do what Direct currently does and just send you the boxes with shipping labels for free.

They used to do that. But, I guess they figured if you already cancelled you would not cancel because they slapped another fee on you. I think it is a stupid idea. It is one of those things that would make people mad and leave a bitter taste in their mouths. A couple years from now the person may be evaluating switching back to Dish and have second thoughts over the $15 (not the 15 but the insult of the fee).

 

[navychop]

Maybe it's a way of screening out customers they don't want back. Hard to believe, but .........

 

[jayn_j]

Hmmm, if they didn't want me back, why did their reps follow me through 2 phone # changes over 3 years before they finally gave up?

 

[Dishman1978]

Hmmm, if they didn't want me back, why did their reps follow me through 2 phone # changes over 3 years before they finally gave up?

Cuz they can. Lol

 

[kjlued]

Maybe it's a way of screening out customers they don't want back. Hard to believe, but .........

Maybe you are right and since they charge this fee to every customer, I am guessing they don't want anyone back....ever.