When customer service doesn’t help resolve your DirecTV complaint, you can use consumer arbitration to make your case in front of a neutral third-party in a format that is slightly less formal than going to court.
Your contract with DirecTV includes a forced arbitration clause which prevents you from suing them in most courts and it forces you to use a complex claims process called consumer arbitration. But it’s not all bad.
Arbitration is a less formal process than going to court but it’s still a way for you to make your case in front of a neutral third-party, the arbitrator. So if customer service has let you down and small claims court is either too time-consuming or too limited, arbitration is another good alternative.
From start to finish arbitration usually takes a few months but it’s very simple and flexible. Most of the work can be done through email or over the phone instead of going back and forth to the courthouse for in-person hearings. You can go through the process on your own or you can use a claim processor like FairShake to help.
If you decide to do it alone, here’s what you need to know:
Before you initiate the arbitration process make sure you have a clear and concise description of what the issue is and what you want in compensation from DirecTV. You will need this later when you file your claim.
Your DirecTV contract requires that you initiate consumer arbitration using the American Arbitration Association, an organization that oversees consumer arbitration and is in charge of appointing the arbitrator to your case. You can download the filing form from the American Arbitration Association here.
Enter your description of the dispute and the compensation you’re requesting in the space provided at the top of this form. Then enter your contact information in the following contact information for DirecTV:
DIRECTV LLC, Consumer Arbitration Demand
P.O. Box 915
El Segundo, CA 90245
After this you’ll have to calculate the amount of money you have to pay to start consumer arbitration. Your DirecTV contract likely requires that you pay the money up front to initiate this. You can find the current filing fees for the American Arbitration Association here. The fee you pay will be based upon the size of your claim which is why it’s important to have the amount you’re asking for from the first step so that you can figure out how much you have to pay.
In order to file for arbitration you’ll have to provide a copy of the arbitration clause in the DirecTV contract to the American Arbitration Association. Find your contact here:
https://www.directv.com/cms3/commercial/pdf/commercial_agreement.pdf
When you’ve downloaded this, title it the “DirecTV customer agreement with arbitration clause” when you save the file.
Now that you have all the documents you’re ready to file the information with the American Arbitration Association. To do so go to the “fast file” option on the website available at:
Enter your contact information in the boxes and specify that you are requesting arbitration. Use the box at the bottom of the page to upload the demand for arbitration that you prepared in the earlier step as well as the DirecTV contract that you downloaded in the previous step.
Finally, enter the filing fee that you calculated at the bottom of the page.
DirecTV needs to get a copy of all the documents you’ve submitted. Once you submit them the American Arbitration Association will send you a confirmation which includes the information which might take a few days to show up. You should print out the email you get from the American Arbitration Association and send a hard copy to:
DIRECTV LLC, Consumer Arbitration Demand
P.O. Box 915
El Segundo, CA 90245
Once that is done wait for further instructions from the American Arbitration Association.
Usually within a few weeks a case administrator from the American Arbitration Association will contact you and DirecTV by email to arrange for your arbitration. They will make sure that all the documents are properly submitted and they will manage and schedule any necessary phone calls or meetings. Again from start to finish you can expect the process to take several months.
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