STB Return Delay Fee

[MikeP]

Has anyone else been hit with a late return fee on their Set Top Box when taking advantage of the upgrade from Fetch Gen 1 to Gen 2?

I've just noticed that my Broadband bill for February includes a $181.82 "STB Late Return Fee". The Gen 2 box was delivered with a letter dated Friday 28 October 2016. The Gen 1 box was collected by courier on the afternoon of Wednesday 2 November, my first next available day off work, for overnight return. Nowhere on the Optus letter with instructions on returning the old box does it give a deadline of return. I have a copy of the Toll customer copy with pick-up date.

If an Optus representative reads this could they please advise me on how this fee can be refunded?

Thank you.

[Pete]

Hey MikeP, let me get this sorted for you 🙂 Could you please PM me through your full name, dob, home number and the consignment of the return? 

[MikeP]

Thank you, Pete.

I contacted Optus directly who have looked into it and confirmed that the STB was received on the date given. I received a message yesterday to say that the delay fee is being waived from the bill which I assume to mean that a refund or credit for the amount will be given as it already was paid on direct debit. 

[Mike-N · Accepted solution]

No worries @MikeP! If the bill has already been paid then any credit they apply to remove the charge would end up putting your Optus account into credit. If you send us a private message with your details we should be able to submit a request to have this refunded to you. Otherwise the credit would remain on your account until your next invoice is issued, where anything charged to you would be deducted from the credit first. 

[BradleyG]

I was shocked to see this fee on my latest bill! My fetch TV box died (probably hard drive failure) so Optus sent a new one. I hadn't realised the old, broken one needed to be sent back within a time limit else you get hit with a massive fee! What terrible customer service. At least send a reminder or something as many people honestly don't understand the process or that there was a time limit on sending back a broken box. It is not my fault the Fetch box failed in the first place.

[Dan_C]

Hey Bradley, it's not our intention to hit you with a surprise fee. This is something that our agents really should of advised you of when we'd organised the warranty replacement for you. At this stage have we sent out the collect kit for you? if we haven't yet done so, this is something we can definitely organise for you from our end. I completely understand that it's no fault of your own. If you'd like to send a private message with your full name, DOB and account number - we'd be happy to discuss this further. 

[BradleyG]

I sent you a private message the other day with my details.

I have attempted to send the old Fetch box back but the Courier did not arrive.

The courier service requires someone to be home or to drop it off at a depot but I have to be at work. How I am meant to return it? Why am I being punished for not being able to return your faulty hardware? I want the fee refunded immediately.

[BradleyG]

The story so far:

Optus' Fetch box hardware fails.

Optus replaced the Fetch box but the onus is on me to send the old Fetch box back.

I get charged a $185 fee that I was never told about because I did not return the box in a time period that again Optus never told me about.

When I try to send the faulty Fetch box back the courier requires that someone is home during business hours meaning that I need to take time off work to be available. More lost money.

When I booked the courier they never turned up. Twice.

On what planet is that considered good customer service when it was your product that was faulty in the first place?

[Monyetmerah]

Hi，I have also been hit with a late fee for the delay in the stb return on my latest bill，this seems to be an occurence by optus hitting the customer without any prior notice. I have received a new stb box without any prepaid satchel and was not 100% sure where to return the box.

[Steph_C]

Sorry you were not advised you needed to return the STB @Monyetmerah - if you can PM us your full name, account info and DOB we can organise a return satchel and credit the charge back once we receive the device.