Is Verizon Fios wrongly charging you an equipment return fee? FairShake can help.
But Verizon has strict rules and policies regarding equipment returns. Failure to return the right item in the right way can land you with a final bill rife with equipment return fees from Verizon.
We explain how to avoid these, and what to do if they try to charge you anyway.
You have to return every piece of equipment that was sent to you by Verizon Fios and this typically includes things like a modem and router. It also includes a network extender or extender if you had those as part of your plan.
Note: You should get a confirmation letter from Verizon detailing what you need to return based specifically on your services, which might include remotes, power cords, adapters, or other items.
Verizon Fios gives you 30 days from the day your service is disconnected to return all equipment. This means that Verizon has to receive all of your equipment before that 30-day mark.
Using your My Verizon account you can track the equipment returned as well as any final bills from Verizon and you can confirm that they received all of your equipment within the time frame.
Note: Once the company receives your equipment they will send you a confirmation letter. If they don’t receive it on time, trouble begins.
So what happens if it doesn’t get there on time? Verizon will charge you for each and every piece that doesn’t arrive and it will be labeled an unreturned equipment fee.
The fees they charge are based on each piece of equipment. For the internet users, the equipment fees are as follows:
If you ship your equipment but you forget something, they will charge you for whichever item was missing under the same unreturned equipment charge.
If you send all of your items but Verizon Fios decides that they are not in good condition, they will charge you the same fee for each item that is considered damaged under a damage fee.
If you initiate your return and you send it with confirmation, Verizon Fios can still claim that it was lost in the mail in which case they might charge you a fee for it being lost.
If you combine Verizon FiOS Internet with cable television, you could face hundreds or even over a thousand dollars in fees for unreturned television equipment as well.
When you are ready to close your account or change your plan, you need to do so through your account online. You will receive shipping instructions, and usually you get to choose which option you prefer after which Verizon FiOS will give you a prepaid label for your package.
If you are sending by mail they encourage use of UPS. However, you can use other mail delivery companies too. Regardless of which one you use, make sure you use a shipping option with delivery confirmation and tracking. The delivery confirmation is integral in proving your package arrived and was never lost.
If you drop it off in person to a Verizon FiOS location, get a receipt for the return. This will prove that it was in the hands of the company, in good condition, by their deadline.
Make sure that you take lots of pictures before you send the equipment back whether you are sending it through the mail or delivering it in person. You want to document the condition of each part of your equipment before you send it back just in case Verizon FiOS tries to say that it was damaged.
Even if you do everything right, there are still times, more frequently than not, that companies will conveniently lose your equipment and then try to charge you for it. If this has happened to you, reach out to us using the form below. We help customers just like you take on big companies who are trying to take advantage – and we get results.
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