ITV Digital to reclaim boxes

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Mentioned on Breakfast TV this morning - evidently, the administrators of ITV Digital are going to write to all former subscribers requesting the return of the loaned set top boxes - or payment of GBP40 to keep it.

This only applies to boxes originally supplied as part of a subscription agreement (including pre-pay). It does not apply to boxes which were sold AFTER the collapse.
 
I'll just remove the gubbings from mine and they can have the case back with a brick in it.

To be honest its just the excuse I need to persuade the missus to let me get Sky.

Incidentally does this mean I'll get the £4.70 I calculate I still had left to run on my subscription?

Rubbish box anyway. I've tried everything I can to get the RFI off it ( its definitely the box : spent ages trying to troubleshoot my HTPC and projector)
 
I'm too slow, I was goinng to post this, here is the BBC news online story. They would seem to be admitting it's actually not practical to chase the 1m odd boxes individually, tracking you all down, and sueing you for £40 when they can't sell them again for 2 1/2p would seem to be the most stupid pointless dog-in-a-manger attitude. I know accountants are supposed to have hearts of stone,but few of them are stupid, those exams are hard! It'll never happen.
 
I agree with MAW.

I heard somewhere that if people decline to take up this 'bargain' offer the liquidators will arrange to have the box collected rather than the subscriber having to send the box back themself. Imagine the cost of attempting to recover 800,000 plus boxes?

IMO it will never happen. these rumors have been around before i wouldn't spend too long worrying about it!
 
If, when they write to me, they offer either a freephone telephone number, or a freepost correspondence address, I will invite them to make arrangements to collect their box.

If, when they write to me, they offer a 'to pay for' telephone number and/or a non-free correspondence address, they will get no response. If they call me, I will invite them to make arrangements to collect their box.

In any event, I will not be taking any time off work to meet with a courier, nor will I be carrying their equipment to a post office or similar.

As it is, my pre-pay subscription had only a few weeks left to run when they collapsed. It seems to me that anyone who has an outstanding prepaid subscription (for which no service was provided) ought to be entitled to offset the value of this against the GBP40 asking price. It will be interesting to see if the liquidators actually calculate an individual outstanding balance for each subscriber and offer a purchase priced at the difference.
 
They charge accountants at £100+ per hour, that's why absolutely none of it will happen. They may send you a letter, to which cou can reply, 'come and get it then', and you will hear no more.
 
I still think they are on dodgy ground because the contract didnt say what would happen if the ceased to trade, it only made provision for a subscription cancellation.I am sure if you took them to court they would lose more money than they would gain. If these boxes are their property then they should be responsible for any moneys owed. If they offer to take me to court for it I will counter claim for my £3-4 owed from my subscription in a small claims court. That way I may still lose, but I lose £14, they lose a £1000 in case prep and turning up. If I win I get my tenner back (or is it £20 now) and they lose £1003-£1004.
 
The consumers association say they are in the right, but that it makes no sense. If you get a letter, just tell them to come and fetch it. It'll cost them far more than it's worth, and they'll never do it. Just don't send them the money, it's what they're counting on. Just legal extortion, it'll be the people least able to afford it who will be most likely to be frightened into paying. They maybe can't afford £100, especially in the season of goodwill, for a freeview box, and will see no alternative. If it's your granny I'm talking about, tell her!
 
i agree with micky boy

money towards a better box. if you want it, you'll have to come and get it...and what are they going to do with them? The second hand value can' t be much, surely not enough to pay for couriers/post advertising and redistribution. ah perhaps its government subsidised.. a back door way of encouraging people to go digital.:)
 
Tell them where to go because you sold the box to re-cover money they owed you, even if it was only £10.

Personally I would not even bother to respond until they started to threaten court action with a solicitor’s letter. Then if it got that far (and I doubt it ever will) then I would respond kicking up a fuss about them threatening me saying this is the first letter you've sent me and of course you can pick up the box at my convenience, just make sure you send me the X amount of money you owe me plus interest and then my wages for the morning/afternoon I'll have to take off work to meet you. If they agreed to all this and actually paid me then they could gladly take the piece of c**p because it would cost them about £150 in advance. That’s about £70 - £80 for a nice new shiny FTA box with software that works and £70 - £80 change to put towards another AV upgrade, sorted.
:D :D :D
 
Just so, but the government will probably have a quiet word with them to stop it all, they can't be seen to be obsructing the onward march of DTTV, and appearances are very important to this government.
 
£40 is £30 too much

No software updates, slow, turgid menus, breaks up easily

Pace DTTV PVR will be the replacement
 
Mine got destroyed by lightening, insurance payed for a pace freeview box in replacement, will I have to claim on the insurance again for the £40 ondigital want?
 
Do they want me monkey back an all?
 
In all of this mess, the biggest surprise is that Monkey hasnt found another job. Youd have thought he would have his own sitcom by now.
 
The monkey HAS got another job, he's working at Grant thornton, and is responsible for the whole b*** up.
 
When you get the letter you should reply: Send them a bill for the storage costs, I would think that £40 seems about right for all that time you have been caring for their box. :)
 
QXLs copy of the OnDig contract:
http://www.qxl.com/isroot/html/uk/ondigitallegal.html

Lots of stuff in it about OnDig getting the boxes back if you go bankrupt.

But can't see anything about what happens if OnDig went bankrupt.

Also didn't OnDig breech the contract by failing to provide a service even when they were still charging people (not everyone got refunds and some of the refund cheques bounced)
 
Julie Winston beat me to it - definitely should charge them for storage of the receiver,active-box,keyboard,manuals and the ****ing great box it all came in,as it has been totally useless for many a month!:p
 
Waist of time to send a letter with all sent in it will be 2 piles one for the money and one for rubbish.Any way they owe me £50 ill take the box and £10 tnx your not gettin a penny out off me either that or ill leave outside for collection (ill put it in that black thing on the side of the road to keep it dry):mad:
 
Dont liquidators have a legal responsibility to do everything possible to recover as much money from 'assets' as possible. I suspect this exercise is simply to cover themselves.
They are probably just hoping to get enough £40 from the easily intimidated to cover the cost of the exercise.
 
Originally posted by Richard46
Dont liquidators have a legal responsibility to do everything possible to recover as much money from 'assets' as possible. I suspect this exercise is simply to cover themselves.
They are probably just hoping to get enough £40 from the easily intimidated to cover the cost of the exercise.

Exactly. I don't think they have any intention of following up on this, as it just isn't cost effective. They'll get some cash from people who don't know any better, at the cost of a few stamps. But, I really doubt they'll go any farther than that.
 

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