Want to give your money away join Setanta (Setanta Sports 1)

Member Name: lesmo

Product:	Setanta Sports 1
Date:	01/01/09 (525 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good for sports fans.

Disadvantages: Costs a fortune to leave the service

Is this a scam or just bad customer service? The latter I think but it's put me off signing up again, too much hassle.

I have had Setanta Sports for a while and with the financial situation as it is, I decided to cancel my subscription to save some money and the fact we did not watch it that much.

I checked for a number to ring to cancel the contract, which I found with a great deal of hassle on their web site it was a 0871 number and when the phone was finally answered it was press 1 for this 2 for 3 for something else etc then "sorry all operators are busy please hold" after 10 minutes of waiting it was finally answered, when I eventually spoke to an operator I was informed I had reached the cable division and I had to re-dial as they could not transfer the call.

I redialled and again another 1 for this 2 for that etc again while all operators are very busy another 10 minute wait.

When I did get through to Sky Division operator, I was told that I had to email them to cancel as the operator could not cancel my subscription, this I did, I then cancelled my standing order.

Today I received an Email stating that they cannot cancel my subscription as I had cancelled my standing order and I had to ring customer service's on yes you guessed it 0871 number again.

I do not owe them anything and will not take on Setanta Sports again so if you have Setanta be prepared for a fight to cancel your subscription.

Recieved a letter from Trading Standards today telling me that they had writen to Setanta so hopefully the harassment will end soon.

Update 9/1/09.

I tried to cancel on the 29/12/08. Since I did this review I have been forced to re-set-up my direct debit (under pressure) and now have sent 3 cancellation emails asking for confirmation that this will be done and not received any communication from Setanta and of today, do not know yet, whether it has been cancelled or not?

After I re-set up my direct debit with a Setanta operator I've now had a phone call, to ask to re-set up my direct debit again and today a letter arrived asking me to also re-set up my direct debit, in the letter they state that they had applied to the bank and that they had been refused the direct debit as I had cancelled it, although they only took out the standing order for January a few days before and that I had to ring them to restart my direct debit, ring their operator again (yes the old magic 0871 phone call again) to clear my out standing balance which is incorrect as they took for this month January, in advance on the 24 December 08.

I have sent an email everyday for the last 5 days to Setanta cancelling my contract, as they were not replying to any of my emails, I also mentioned that I had been in touch with the trading standards.

Today 12 January 09, at last received an email from Setanta stating that my contract would be finished one month after my last payment in January.

An update for anyone following the saga, 4/2/2009 today the picture was cut off, the cut off date should have been the 23/02/09 so with all the lies that they could not cut off my service (read below) without my direct debit in place was this the whole truth? The customer-service needs a good shakeup.

Another update, early this week I had a telephone call from Setanta asking why I had left and offered me a deal of £9.99 to resubscribe to Setanta to which I declined.
Today 12 February 09 Just had a letter stating they had made several attempts to contact me by telephone (and as my telephone records all telephone call numbers of which Setanta's not on the list!) then this must be fabrication, and telling me I have to reactivate my subscription otherwise the debt? will be passed onto a debt collection agency.

Another update 13 February 09. just recieved another letter the same as yester day oh well, another 08 number at this rate they will not need the tv side just do as the television companies and charge excessive prices for the for the calls.
Another update 22/02/09 had Setanta rep ring me and offered to switch the station on for free for a month (don't know if they recieved letter from the Trading Standards) have accepted the month but not signed up. Also Setanta told me to ignore all letters as the system is automatic and these are sent out by computer.

This may just be a bad experience or unlucky but if you read other peoples experience with Setanta Customer Services on Dooyoo then maybe not?

So if you cancel, remember you cannot ring to cancel on the telephone (waste of money), it has to be an Email to requests@setanta.com you cannot cancel the direct debit until either they say so or after the last payment has been made.

Apart from the customer service the programs a great for those who likes sports.

Summary: Customer service is very bad