How to Avoid Equipment Return Fees from Cox

When you close your account with Cox, you have to give them back their equipment, and this seemingly simple process is often the source of equipment return fees from Cox. We show you how to avoid them, and what to do if you are wrongly charged an equipment return fee.

Why do I Have to Return Equipment?

When you open an account with Cox, and they send you equipment in the mail, you are actually renting the equipment. Every month you pay a rental fee on the equipment you use for your internet or TV. Now, even though you’ve likely paid the cost of the equipment in monthly rental fees by the time you close your account, they still want it back. So you have to return the rented equipment. 

Equipment from Cox

But what do you return? For internet users, Cox requests things like a modem and router.  Beyond that you might also have to return TV components and equipment like:

• Digital receivers
• Power cords or power supplies
• Internet modems
• Telephone modems
• Remote controls
• Homelife leased touchscreen devices
• Netgear routers 

Note: You should get a confirmation letter or email from Cox detailing what you need to return based specifically on your services. 

How Long Cox Gives You to Return Equipment

Cox does not give you long to return this equipment either, only 10 calendar days; the deadline begins as soon as you close your account, initiate an upgrade or downgrade to your plan, or ask for replacements on faulty equipment under warranty. 

Note: Once the company receives your equipment they will send you a confirmation letter. Tracking information should also confirm that your equipment was received so you can reach out to Cox for confirmation if you don’t get the letter.

What Happens if You Don’t Return Equipment

It’s easy enough to close your account and then figure everything is done, but if you fail to return your equipment to Cox, they will charge you, and they will charge you quickly. They charge upwards of $65 for replacing lost or damaged equipment, per item, but you might find yourself on the receiving end of the value of the entire equipment which can be hundreds of dollars like many customers. 

Like most big companies, Cox will charge you under two circumstances:

1. If they claim there was damage or abuse to their product, they will charge you for it
2. If they claim they did not receive the equipment, and it is missing, they will charge you for it

Document Your Equipment

There may be claims about damaged equipment while you rented it, even if it is not accurate or not your fault. Therefore, it is important to document the condition of your equipment before you send it back. Take lots of pictures of everything, from all angles, so that you can prove it was in good condition before you sent it back. If you are shipping it through the mail, take photos of the box in which it is packaged too so you can prove the condition of that before it was hauled off by UPS. 

How to Return Your Equipment

When you are ready, you can use two methods to return your equipment:

1. Send it through the mail, via UPS, or
2. Hand deliver it

If you send it through the mail, Cox will give you a prepaid label you can put on a box. Bring it to a UPS store and they will be able to ship it for you, for free. But be advised: this can take up to two weeks and if things get lost, Cox might try to charge you. 

That is why many people choose to deliver it by hand to a Cox store if they can. 

In either case, for UPS mail choose an option with delivery confirmation and for in person delivery get a receipt.

What Happens if Cox *Loses* Your Equipment

Whether you deliver it in person or send it through the mail, time and again, big companies like Cox frequently *lose* your equipment. Then they try to charge you for it. They are like the IRS in this fashion: if you owe them money they take it out of your account immediately but if they owe you money, it will take months or years before it gets back to you. 

So, if Cox is claiming you lost the equipment or didn’t return it and are trying to charge bogus fees, we can help. At FairShake we handle these types of claims regularly and we get our clients fair results. 

If you’re facing a bogus Cox equipment return fee, we can help make sure you’re not forced to pay money you shouldn’t owe! Start your claim today…