How to dispute cable and internet equipment fees
Cable and internet bills are full of small lines that were never in the price you were quoted. Three of them cause most of the fights: equipment you say you returned, monthly equipment rental, and TV add-on fees.
Unreturned equipment charges
After you cancel, some providers bill $100 to $300 for a modem, router or set-top box they say never came back. Often it did come back, or it was your own equipment. The fix is proof. Look for a return receipt from the store, a prepaid-label tracking number, or a photo of the box and label. If you have none of those, write down the date, the place and who handled it.
Monthly equipment rental
A rental fee of $10 to $25 a month adds up fast. If you own your modem or router, or you never agreed to rent one, say so, and ask for the fee to be removed and the months you overpaid to be refunded. Check your first bill and your sign-up emails to see what you were told.
Broadcast TV and regional sports fees
These appear below the advertised price and work like a rate increase. Compare the bill with the price you were quoted. If the total is higher than what you agreed to, ask for the difference to be credited. Large internet providers must show a plain-language price label at sign-up, so look for yours.
What to put in your letter
- Your account number, the date you cancelled, and the date you returned the equipment.
- The exact lines you dispute and their amounts.
- Your proof of return, or why the equipment was yours.
- What you want: removal of the charge and a refund of anything you paid.
If they say no
Ask for the retention or billing manager, then the company's corporate customer relations. If it is still not fixed, you can complain to the federal agency that handles phone, cable and internet companies, and to your state's consumer office. Our guide to escalating a fee dispute shows the order.
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Fight That Fee reads your bill, writes your dispute letter, and tells you who to send it to and what to do next. $9.99 to start. Follow-up letters are $2.