Top up Tv anytime disabling recording facility!

[clarelouise]

Can anyone help me out here.
This is really really bugging me.
My husband and I bought a Top up Tv Anytime box in December 2006 for around �99
We never received the anytime service we subscribed to even after numerous phone calls.
It cost me a fortune in calls.
I decide to cancel in the end after a few months as I was paying for nothing at all.
Since Friday last week.Which is now going up for a year since I cancelled.They have disbled my record function so I cannot record the free freeview channels.
I paid for the box with the record facilty,rewind,forward wind and pause function.None now work.
I cannot believe they can do this.
I paid for that box it is mine.
I paid them for the anytime service monthly of which I never ever received.
I am now left with a box that does the same as a freeview box I can buy for around �25.
Is this illegal.
It's like buying a car from a garage and them saying with this car you can sign a contract and have your car valeted every month for a cost of �10 per week.
You say okay.
Then you later decide you no longer want this service so you go to the garage to tell them.
They then take all the wheels off your car so you can't use it.
You paid for the car so they can't take the wheels.
You're just cancelling the valet service.
Get my drift here!
Why do Top Up Tv think they can do this to people.
What do you think?
Is it illegal?
Sorry for the rant I am sooooo cross.
Can you tell!
Thanks
Clare

[Batman7070]

I sympathise with your predicament.

I would be inclined to speak to your local trading standards office and see what advice they give. It certainly seems that the anytime service is not fit for purpose.

Best of luck

[Oneeyedvic]

You need to read the terms & conditions that apply - as an example I have sky plus. Most people pay �100 for the box and you can use it to record channels in a similar way to top up tv. If I didn't continue to pay a monthly subscription to Sky, then they will withhold the features of Sky plus, even though I have purchased the original box.

[clarelouise]

Thank you for your replies.
I will try the trading standards.
If sky do this as well.I think this is ripping people off.
They really should not be allowed to do this.
I have looked on some forums about my box not recording and they have suggested taking the card out(Which wasn't in anyway).
Then do a factory reset.
It wipes all what I have recorded in the past but worth it if it records again.
I did it just now and it worked!
I can now record,pause,rewind forward wind.
Top up Tv had the nerve to send me an e-mail last night asking if I wanted to return and they would provide a free 2nd hand box.
Well you can imagine the reply I gave.
I have a box already why would I want another one.
I didn't receive the service the first time round.
My parents live a few doors away and like me they still haven't received anything on their box.
They are still paying monthly.So I know for a fact that I still can't get their service in my area.
Nutters!
Anyway thank you very much for your replies.
Much appreciated.
Clare.