How to Avoid Equipment Return Fees from DISH

Did you recently close your account with DISH Network? Did you try to upgrade your plan and return the unused equipment but are now facing bogus fees for *lost* items? We explain how to avoid equipment return fees from DISH and what to do if you get wrongly charged.

Why do I Have to Return Equipment?

If you open a DISH Network account, and you don’t have your own equipment for things like internet, they will send you some. However, this is a rental, which means you pay every month as part of your bill to cover renting their equipment. Even though, by the end of your term with their company, you’ve paid about the same as the equipment is worth, if not more, you still have to give it back. 

What Equipment from DISH Network Do I Return?

You have to return just about everything DISH Network sent you when you opened your account. This includes things like a modem and router, receiver, and accessories. 

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

How Long DISH Network Gives You to Return Equipment

Dish Network starts the 30 day deadline as soon as your return has been initiated, which means as soon as you close your account and navigate through the online account portal to get the prepaid label.

Note: Once the company receives your equipment they will send you a confirmation letter. If you don’t receive a letter confirming your equipment was received even though your receipt or confirmation shows it was received, make sure to reach out to the company.

What Happens if You Don’t Return Equipment

If you don’t return the equipment, you get charged. Even if you do return it, but it doesn’t get there by the DISH Network deadline, you get charged. If the company believes you damaged or abused their product in some way, you get charged. 

You get charged a lot. And if you don’t pay, they send it to collections and leave a bad mark on your credit score. 

How to Return Your Equipment

You can avoid this by returning your equipment, all of it, the right way. According to DISH, you have to log into your account, and make your way to the accessories purchase history tab. From there you select the items associated with your account which you want to return, and you initiate a process to receive a prepaid label which you can attach to the original box in which the equipment was sent to you or a new box if you, like most people, can’t find the original from 2 years prior. 

DISH Network, like other providers, has a business relationship with UPS which means you can print a prepaid label from DISH after closing out your account and drop off the package at any UPS store. You can, of course, use a regular post too but you will likely have to get a new label from customer service or pay for it yourself; UPS is usually free. 

If you’re mailing it, choose an option with delivery confirmation.

The other option is to hand deliver your equipment to a DISH Network store. This, too, seems easy enough, but don’t walk away from the 18 year old at the counter without getting a receipt to prove it was delivered. 

Document Your DISH Network Equipment Condition

In any of these cases, be sure to document the condition of your equipment by taking photos. This is especially important for shipping because equipment can be damaged while in transit and with the prepaid shipping services, this is covered by the shipping company if you can prove it. 

What Happens if DISH Network *Loses* Your Equipment

You’ve done everything right. And yet your account still gets billed for lost or unreturned equipment. Frequently companies *still* lose your equipment and try to charge you. But that’s something FairShake can help with. We work with customers who have been accused of failing to return equipment, or charged for damaged equipment—and we get results.

If Dish Network is trying to overcharge you for bogus equipment return fees, start your legal claim today…