KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A money-back guarantee is one of the ways some cable companies sweeten the pot and get customers to sign up for services, but one Spectrum customer who thought he followed all the right steps found it difficult to get his refund.
Jaquez Shelton and his family moved into their house in Kansas City, Missouri, in September 2018. They decided to bundle services through Spectrum, and a technician came out for the first time on Sept. 18, 2018.
"I had them out like four different times," Shelton said.
The family found their WiFi didn't work in parts of the house.
Shelton had already paid his bill for $126.37 on Oct. 3, 2018. He decided to ask for his money back.
"They promised me a 30-day money-back guarantee. It even says it on their site. I looked at all the rules, everything," he said.
Shelton said he returned the equipment on Oct. 16, 2018, which was within the 30-day window.
"They said 'We'll have your money back. Just wait until the next billing cycle,'" Shelton said.
He checked his account the next month.
"The next billing cycle comes, and they're like 'No, you didn't put in a request to get a refund,'" Shelton recalled.
Even more confusing, after canceling his account, Shelton said he received a bill for $12 from Spectrum.
For more than a year, Shelton called the company in an effort to resolve the problem. Then he reached out to 41 Action News.
A Charter/Spectrum spokesman said he couldn't provide specifics about customer accounts, but promised to "work with this customer to resolve the situation to their satisfaction."
The company sent Shelton a check for $126.37.
Spectrum told 41 Action News customers can ask in store or over the phone to start the refund process. There are no forms to fill out online or in person.
A spokesman also directed us to this web page about the guarantee. In fine print at the bottom of the page, it says customers must "have no outstanding obligation to Spectrum" to get their refunds.
That means the $12 on his account may have prevented Shelton from collecting his refund.
If you're trying to redeem a money-back guarantee, be sure to follow these steps:
- Make sure there are no charges left on your account.
- Read the fine print for the offer.
- Return all equipment before the deadline. If you're disabled and can't drop off the equipment in person, ask the company if they can pick it up from your home. Spectrum offers this service.
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