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Packing up shop - the frustrations


Tazzn

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Argh........ even if we were still a little on the fence about leaving packing up shop and closing accounts/cancelling amenities has definitely put us CLEARLY on the Aus side of the fence.

The process has been absolutely ridiculous and we haven't even tried to cancel the TV license yet!

Vodacom: Though not too frustrating wants to charge almost the same to cancel the cell phone contract that it will be if we continuing paying it monthly. So okay we will continue to pay and let mom in law use the contract. BUT when hubby mentions to the lady that we will be outside the country when cancelling the contract she suggests that is not a very good idea and things could be problematic. So we are stuck with cancelling now.

Telkom: After 2 visits to their store and holding for ages with no answer on their call center number DH gives up. I take over the reins (wanting to do the right thing) and spend another half a day holding for their call center (thankfully I can work with a phone glued to my ear). Finally get through to someone who says that no cancellation has been registered and I have to send an email. I dutifully send the email with all attached docs - guess what the mail box is full and my email bounces back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broker: Just plain rudely cancels our appointment an hour before.

Medical aid: Which has been great so far has not responded to my email in a week and half

Municipality: House was sold end of Feb. We go a week later and get told we need to wait for the last bill to arrive and then come back. So last bill arrives about a week ago. Hubby goes in to - we have to wait 6-8weeks before we can hand in the forms for the refund (we leave in 7 weeks) and they will not pay the refund to us directly but will write a cheque. So I guess we can kiss that good-bye!

We haven't even attempted the TV license yet.... what are the chances that SABC will break our streak????

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Hi Tazzn

It is a difficult task. I just cancelled Telkom over the phone (call 10210), had to wait 30min for someone to pick up, then spent about another 10min cancelling, but it is cancelled as of the end of April :)

Haven't tried TV license yet, but I believe it's a major mission. Going to try today, will give you feedback.

Good luck

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I have had to cancel a tv licence before due 2 households becoming one household. Needless to say it was painful. Send an email to the cancellations department, put delivery and read reports on both. Phone them when you get the reports and ask if they have received it. Ask them for an email confirming that it has been cancelled. I do need to advise that it was a couple of years ago and took me a couple of months to finally get it cancelled.

Customer Care

We’ve set up a dedicated Customer Service Centre to ensure your enquiries or problems are resolved quickly and efficiently.

Feel free to contact us on (011)330-9555 between 08:00 and 18:00 on weekdays, or between 08:00 and 13:00 on Saturdays, excluding Public Holidays.

Alternatively, we have several other contact methods for you to make your needs known:

Fax: (011) 330-9560/1
Postal: Private Bag X60
Auckland Park, 2006

E-mail: tvlic.info@sabc.co.za

Please ensure that you include your correct ID number and / or TV licence account number, so that we can process your query accurately.

Hope this helps, and below is a link of a frustrated customer.

http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/It-is-Impossible-to-cancel-a-tv-license-20130201

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Hi @EDurand

I called the customer care number (011)330-9555. only waited 5min.

The lady was very helpful. I have to decide if I am taking it or selling it, here are the requirements.

Taking the TV to Aus:

  1. Provide a copy of flight ticket... &
  2. Provide a copy of inventory list from moving company indicating the TV on the list.

Selling it:

  1. Provide an affidavit stating that you are selling it to Joe Soap with TV license number 1234567 ...or
  2. provide an affidavit stating that you are selling it to Joe Soap who does not have a TV Lic #, in which case on the affidavit you need to state his/her ID number, residential address and conact number.

You send this to them and the account should be closed within 3 working days. (hope this is true, but based on your experience, not)

Hoping for a smooth transition.

Have a great weekend :)

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Thanks for the info, holding thumbs it goes smoothly. Mine was a different situation I suppose.

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Argh........ even if we were still a little on the fence about leaving packing up shop and closing accounts/cancelling amenities has definitely put us CLEARLY on the Aus side of the fence.

The process has been absolutely ridiculous and we haven't even tried to cancel the TV license yet!

Vodacom: Though not too frustrating wants to charge almost the same to cancel the cell phone contract that it will be if we continuing paying it monthly. So okay we will continue to pay and let mom in law use the contract. BUT when hubby mentions to the lady that we will be outside the country when cancelling the contract she suggests that is not a very good idea and things could be problematic. So we are stuck with cancelling now.

Telkom: After 2 visits to their store and holding for ages with no answer on their call center number DH gives up. I take over the reins (wanting to do the right thing) and spend another half a day holding for their call center (thankfully I can work with a phone glued to my ear). Finally get through to someone who says that no cancellation has been registered and I have to send an email. I dutifully send the email with all attached docs - guess what the mail box is full and my email bounces back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Broker: Just plain rudely cancels our appointment an hour before.

Medical aid: Which has been great so far has not responded to my email in a week and half

Municipality: House was sold end of Feb. We go a week later and get told we need to wait for the last bill to arrive and then come back. So last bill arrives about a week ago. Hubby goes in to - we have to wait 6-8weeks before we can hand in the forms for the refund (we leave in 7 weeks) and they will not pay the refund to us directly but will write a cheque. So I guess we can kiss that good-bye!

We haven't even attempted the TV license yet.... what are the chances that SABC will break our streak????

Hi Everybody

A good idea is to download a general power of attorney form, complete it and give someone close to you the right to do certain transactions on your behalf. Your bank will have their own forms to complete, all you need to do is go along with the person you wish to nominate, fill in the forms and that person will be able to handle any banking matters on your behalf. Hope this helps. Good luck!!

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Hi Tazzn,

We are in exactly the same situation - leaving at the end of April and running the cancellations gauntlet......

My opinion, I am going to totally ignore the TV licence - that gives me the largest cramp - I have been a conscientious objector to TV licences forever (even worse if you have a business that has a TV licence - we have 10 branches around the country with 10 TV licences - TV Licence cost = approx R4000 p.a, audit fee from auditors to audit our TV's = approx R20,000 per annum because SABC are too useless to do their own checks) - let them sue me for the licence!

Luckily my cellphone contract is only R90 per month - so that will be cancelled once it runs out.

Telkom - that is also a painful one - havent started the process yet - I will start as soon as we are officially in the last month.

Municipality : yep, just write that one off - even if you are in the country you have about a 20% chance of getting a refund.

Good luck with the move.....

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Municipality: House was sold end of Feb. We go a week later and get told we need to wait for the last bill to arrive and then come back. So last bill arrives about a week ago. Hubby goes in to - we have to wait 6-8weeks before we can hand in the forms for the refund (we leave in 7 weeks) and they will not pay the refund to us directly but will write a cheque. So I guess we can kiss that good-bye!

Never got our council deposit back - eventualy I gave up. (My sanity was worth more than that). Mrs Redistributionofwealth probably bought herself a pair of knockoff Tony Bianco's with that...

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