HELP! Dish wants to charge me a $150 activation fee

[Digger100]

I use to be with Dish and have decided I want like to have tv again. They are wanting to charge me a $150 activation fee. I left Dish in good standing, I was in autopay, and of course I never missed a payment or had a late fee. I was with them 2.25 years and was not in contract and sent back the receiver's and everything just fine when I moved 10 months ago. I had just wanted to try life out without tv, if I hadnt moved I probably would have not stopped service. But I thought what the hey, this would be a good time to try out life without tv. I dont think this activation fee has anything to do with my prior service, I think it has to do with credit rating? The funny thing is I never borrow money, I've never owed money to anybody in my life. Before I went with Dish in 2012 I had been with DTV for 8 years. Before that I was with Dish for 5 years.

The other part of this is that I live in an apt. building where I am required to go thru a local dealer, they have the rights for this building. But this activation fee is from Dish. Can anybody from Dish help and wave this ridiculous fee?

 

[Hall]

It could be credit-related but when you mentioned the local dealer and them having "rights" to the apartment building you live in, I'm guessing it's a racket they're pulling....

Who told you about this fee ?
Who told you you have to go through this dealer ?

 

[stardust3]

Not owing anyone, having cc or borrowing money is almost the same as having bad credit due to delinquency. Qualifying for dish is all based on your credit rating.

 

[Digger100]

My landlord is the one originally told me I had to go thru them. When I talk to Dish directly it shows up on their pc screen too that I have to go thru this local dealer. This local dealer, big dog satellite, is the 1 who told me about the activation fee. They can hook me up with DTV with no activation fee. But Dish also talks about seeing whether you qualify for no activation fee, big dog says that the fee is strictly from Dish.

 

[dishcomm]

I use to be with Dish and have decided I want like to have tv again. They are wanting to charge me a $150 activation fee. I left Dish in good standing, I was in autopay, and of course I never missed a payment or had a late fee. I was with them 2.25 years and was not in contract and sent back the receiver's and everything just fine when I moved 10 months ago. I had just wanted to try life out without tv, if I hadnt moved I probably would have not stopped service. But I thought what the hey, this would be a good time to try out life without tv. I dont think this activation fee has anything to do with my prior service, I think it has to do with credit rating? The funny thing is I never borrow money, I've never owed money to anybody in my life. Before I went with Dish in 2012 I had been with DTV for 8 years. Before that I was with Dish for 5 years.

The other part of this is that I live in an apt. building where I am required to go thru a local dealer, they have the rights for this building. But this activation fee is from Dish. Can anybody from Dish help and wave this ridiculous fee?

looks like a person in the apartment management is taking a kick back from this dealer. They are demanding you use that particular retailer to receive service. That's BULL....
Now as for your issue with the activation fee. I am thinking that because you have no appreciable credit history, that may be the reason why Dish wants some kind of 'security'..That's a guess.

 

[ChadT41]

Sounds like a Pay in Advance account to me, or the installation fee of $99+$49 for the cost of the first receiver. This is usually in direct conjunction with poor credit history. Without more details, this would be my assumption. This would also be no HD.

 

[stardust3]

On mdu & commercial accounts dealers can get exclusive rights. For apt owners it makes sense. How many times have we seen buildings that were an absolute mess with unsightly dishes plastered all over.

Dealers with these types of accounts are not given a green light to make thier own rules. If anything they probably have stricter rules than a regular retailer.

 

[Digger100]

Something that came to me that I'll try tomorrow. I would offer to pay for the whole 1st year of service at installation if they waive the asinine activation fee.

 

[MikeD-C05]

That is why you need at least one or two good credit cards. I charge all my utilities , food , gas , health & beauty aides, vet bills ,supplements ,etc on these two credit cards. I pay them off monthly and NEVER pay credit card interest. I get cash back on both of them monthly for using them ( Bank of America $35.00 - $55.00 cash back /Amazon $35.00 cash back ) and I can show a steady payment history. Doesn't hurt to show a car loan and or house loan either. It is a better mix of debts. The more credit cards you have -up to a reasonable limit- shows more available credit or your debt ratio is better. I have $134,000 worth of available credit on all my various credit cards, but only owe $4800.00 on one card as of today. Will owe nothing by 12-1-15. I did just take out two car loans at 1.75% interest rate because my wife and I bought two 2016 Hyndai elantras for less than $13,200.00 last week. My credit rating was 818 according to my credit union.

 

[boba]

Grin and bear it if it really is DISH charging the fee you have to go through them to get "service". Or you can go with some other provider.

 

[DWS44]

Perhaps a PM to one of the DIRT folks would be in order. They can probably look into your account and confirm why (and/or by whom) the activation fee is being charged.

 

[Digger100]

How do I pm dirt?

Thanx.

 

[sethwell]

How do I pm dirt?

Thanx.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/index.php?threads/Contacting-DIRT.347490/

 

[DWS44]

On the main forum page, look under "Helpers Online Now" on the left-hand side of the page, and you can see which of the DIRT staff is online right now. They are highlighted in RED on the list.

 

[Slamminc11]

Big Dog is a bunch of crooks. Don't give them a penny!

 

[DishSubLA]

Not having a credit record is just as bad as having a poor credit record. Businesses have NO DATA upon which they can assess the risk, so NO DATA is like a NULL HYPOTHESIS. Is a consumer really willing to take a big risk with a company that has NO RECORD, no reviews on Amazon or the internet or Yelp or other websites that track dissatisfaction or jobs well done or the Better Business Bureau, or at least look up a contractor's license number in your state's database? So why in the world would any company take a risk on a consumer who is equally "none existent."

I would suggest that if you would like to establish some credit record, you can get a secured credit card in any amount you choose from your local reputable bank. Then use the card responsibly and pay the bill as per due date and you will have established some record with which a company can assess the risk and waive fees they have for those with NO or poor credit.

 

[Digger100]

Dirt said I would have to pay the activation fee even if I paid for 2 years of service at installation.

 

[Troch77]

Why would you want to pay 2 years of service?
That makes no sense at all.
Might as well just Pay the $150. It's not like it isn't applied to your programming any way.

 

[Jimbo]

Not having a credit record is just as bad as having a poor credit record. Businesses have NO DATA upon which they can assess the risk, so NO DATA is like a NULL HYPOTHESIS. Is a consumer really willing to take a big risk with a company that has NO RECORD, no reviews on Amazon or the internet or Yelp or other websites that track dissatisfaction or jobs well done or the Better Business Bureau, or at least look up a contractor's license number in your state's database? So why in the world would any company take a risk on a consumer who is equally "none existent."

I would suggest that if you would like to establish some credit record, you can get a secured credit card in any amount you choose from your local reputable bank. Then use the card responsibly and pay the bill as per due date and you will have established some record with which a company can assess the risk and waive fees they have for those with NO or poor credit.

He DOES have a history ....
He's been with DISH as well as D* previously, as long as those bills were paid on time, he has a decent credit history.
Depending on the rest of his life credit being also good he should be fine ... I don't think credit has anything to do with this.

 

[DWS44]

Dirt said I would have to pay the activation fee even if I paid for 2 years of service at installation.

Oh well...at least now you know that its coming straight from Dish, and not just something a shady retailer is throwing at you.