Below is a copy of a complaint letter I filed with DirecTV through their "Contact Us" form. Apparently they do not have a mailing address for official complaints and accountability is non-existent just like their support for subscribers in multi-dwelling units.

I will post any response or resolution to assist anyone else experiencing similar difficulties.

To Whom It May Concern:

I just experienced the worst US based customer service of my life. As a subscriber I am being put in the middle of a finger-pointing session between the contractor selected to provide service (Consolidated Smart Systems 800-262-1327) and DirecTV, to whom I pay a subscription fee for service.

Equipment was installed by Consolidated for my building and the wrong identification info was provided in the paperwork to DirecTV thus preventing the building from properly receiving signal since the actual equipment is not authorized. My building manager has been in contact with Consolidated on multiple occasions and they are unresponsive since the problem is with DirecTV programming.

I contacted the DirecTV customer service department this evening hoping DirecTV would be proactive about resolving the issue and allowing their subscribers in the building to resume service. This was not the case.

I spoke with the level one customer service person expecting to escalate, which I did. I then spoke with Helen-LC597, a supposed supervisor. She was indignant and rude when I attempted to explain the situation, claiming DirecTV has no way to obtain authorization to resolve the issue and that your company is not even permitted on the premises--even with approval from the property manager. She refused to provide me with any information at all and told me to contact my property manager and nothing else. I requested to speak with her supervisor and was quickly passed along to Nancy-LC044. Nancy was more pleasant than Helen at first, but quickly regurgitated the same information like she was reading from a script. I asked her the following simple questions: 1) Can you please provide me with the phone number for my property manager to call to resolve the issue; 2) Can you provide me with the physical address to which I can send a complaint; 3) Can you provide me with your supervisor's name?

Nancy flatly replied "NO" to all three simple requests. Is this the role customer service plays in your company? Is it somehow not in DirecTV's interest to ensure their subscriber's are able to receive signal in their building? How am I, the consumer, supposed to resolve this issue? Any enlightenment you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

I look forward to a prompt response and a swift resolution to this issue. This has been going on for weeks and is expected to go on for several more weeks if nothing changes.

The address of the property in question is:
Santee Village Condominiums
738 S Los Angeles Street
(I'm in unit 306)
Los Angeles, CA 90014

I can be reached via e-mail or telephone as listed in this request.

For a company priding itself on customer service you sure are acting a lot like a cable provider. Do multi-dwelling units count when measuring customer satisfaction?

Best Regards,

Chris Mammarelli

Apparently there have many of the same complaints...so maybe this will not be addressed.however recently I brought a new TV with the plan to watch HD stations... Directv has made 6-7 visits to my home with multiple technicians who have not connected the television correctly... (please be aware that we were hoodwinked and told we NOW need to purchase a larger satellite and HD service.) Every week I have a conversation with the customer service department trying to trouble shoot our problem. We continually receive SEEKING SATELLITE SIGNAL 771... on the screen despite our efforts to follow the over the telephone directions from customer service... This is becoming tiring not being able to watch our new television. A proper response would be more appropriate that rescheduling incompetent technicians. At this point we are prepared to cancel our service... switch to Timewarner and contact the attorney general for theft of services... Oh... I also don't like not having TV when there is bad weather... this is when you need TV.

First off I want to say I was told I was an A+++ customer, The last rep I talked to told me I was a quote "reoccurring problem customer" well I guess I can take my reoccurring $200 dollar a month payment somewhere else. I find that very offensive. My Husband and I are both Retail store managers and this is not how you treat your customers.

I had a HR20-700 HD Plus DVR "Paid full Price" That went bad and directv sent out a replacement. I put the receiver in their return box with their return label and dropped it off at FedEx. They Sent a beat up refurbished unit that had more problems than the first one. I go to call on this unit and find a $400.00 charge on my bill for Non Returned Equipment. I have spent over 10 hours on the phone with Directv this month with no resolve. They agree they have received this unit. They agree Directv is in the wrong after researching it for the $400.00 Charge, But are unable to refund my money because they are not authorized to refund that large of an amount. So it gets passed on to a special department, that you cannot TALK TO, AND HAS THE FINAL WORD. I was denied my refund. Another csr and 2 of her senior managers signed and agreed that directv was clearly in the wrong and the first escalation had the wrong information. Somebody can hit a button and a $400.00 charge appears on your bill but directv cannot fix it. So after a month and 3 refurbished HD DVR's I can finally watch my Sunday ticket and superfan that I pay over $100.00 for a month alone. OH but wait I still have a $400.00 wrong charge admitted by directv on my bill that they can't fix.

I closed my account with directv and they debited the final bill out of my bank account without my consent or knowledge. I checked with my bank and they acknowledged that Directv has a history of doing this to their customers. I think that is appalling and they should be held accountable for this.

Beware people!

I LOVED DirecTV. To think that I will never, ever use them again, still doesn't feel good. I had them for 5 years, before the event.

So what is the story? Simply put, I moved and took advantage of the Movers' Program. Remember, I liked DirecTV. I didn't want to get rid of them for nothing!

Move forward another year, and I move again as I sold my home before my new one being built is finished. I suspend my service, while I live in temporary residence. My new home completed, I have DirecTV. come out to install. The guys show up, and the only place to put the dish is on my garage in a VERY conspicuous place. Then they inform me that all the HD boxes I had purchased in the last 18 months ($1200.00 worth) were no longer good and that I had to buy new ones. I have 4 HD T.V.'s in my home. That is a lot of money. I decide, with regret, that it is too much to take on. I decide to go with cable, no big dish on my garage roof, no additional cost of HD boxes etc.

Move forward a month. A get a bill for 380 dollars. Mind you I have not had a service in 7 months. They inform me that I have an early termination fee. Remember, I have been with DirecTV for 5 years. Early termination???? I call twice to dispute, the answer each time is, "we don't understand why you have an early termination fee." You have been with us for a long time. We will escalate and get back with you. I get one more bill and then nothing.

Move forward to today, I get a collections call. Of course I go crazy. I like my credit. I call billing, and again no answers. No one can tell me why I have a cancellation fee or why I owe all this money. I am told to write a letter to disputes and they will get back with me in 10 days. Whatever. So I call the SVP's Office Ellen Filipiak. I get a gatekeeper who tells me she can help me. After telling her the story she informs me the reason I had an early termination was because when I moved the first time and took adavantage of the Mover's Program I committed to a two-year commitment. That is right folks, the program they have to mitigate the churn when people move, the most vulnerable time to a cable or Satellite providers customer base, they slap you with a two year commitment. Interesting "Mover's Program" . And no I didn't see or read the "service" agreement, that is my fault. But I can tell you, they didn't tell me about it.

At least now I know why, my bill was so high. But here is the best part. I am in collections now, because no one at DirecTV could tell me why I owed the money and I was told that they agreed, I shouldn't owe an early termination. I am not in collections because I WOULDN'T pay. I say fine, I think you policy is deceptive and cheap, but I'll pay. However, you need to let the collections company and the Credit Bureau's aware that the reporting was a mistake and that I am not delinquent, but that I was given poor information. There answer: "We are not going to call Equifax (the credit bureaus)."

I am now looking at a ding to my credit due to the fact that they slip in a contract mimimum at the most inconspicuious time and with little to no disclosure and the fact they gave me misleading information and the lack of information about what I actually owed an why. Their unwillingness to take action or accountability for their inability to communicate and manage their business appropriately amazes me.

I have paid the bill, early term and all and will never, ever, ever use them again. DirecTV's integrity is in question, their commitment to customer is in question and their overall business practices are deceptive at the very least. Finally, this says nothing for the inept dolts they employ to engage with the customers.

My recommendation: don't go near DirecTV, they will smile while they are picking your pocket.