Setanta Sports cancellation problems - an update

A week or three ago, I posted about my problems trying to cancel Setanta Sports, and their subsequent unauthorised taking of an extra payment from my account.

Following James’ (the customer ‘service’ manager) suggestion, I wrote them a second email, enclosing the first email I had sent in December. I also obviously cancelled my direct debit as soon as it was set up. Last week I received this reply to my email:

I am sorry to hear you wish to cancel your subscription with Setanta Sports however, I can confirm that your request will be processed and your subscription will be terminated just before your next billing date.

This was followed by two paragraphs of the usual ‘please don’t go’ marketing gumpf. (Actually if they had referenced that video it might have made me stay. Maybe.)

The interesting thing about the email is that it says my account will be terminated prior to my next billing date (sometime in February). This is contrary to what James had told me on the phone – that I would have to pay one last payment (for the second time).

In the back of my mind I was thinking that this wouldn’t be the end of it so I was not surprised in the slightest when I got the automated phone call from them asking me to get in touch with them about my billing (the cheek of that – like I am going to call them).

This morning I also received a letter in the post telling me that they’ve recently approached my bank for payment and been refused. I am so glad I cancelled my direct debit.

What I want to know is how comes they have been in touch with my bank a full three weeks before my next payment would have been due had I remained with them. Are they constantly checking to see if people are cancelling their direct debits?

Anyway, officially I’ve had the word, but the other communications is following the pattern of what happened in December. So I am fully expecting a customer ‘service’ representative to phone me up rudely demanding to know why I have cancelled my direct debit. I will be telling him/her to ‘go away in jerky movements’ as Mi Mam always used to say.