Our apt currently gets free cable TV, but we don't pay for it. Now my husband wants to buy cable TV?

Question

My husband has been living there for 3 years and its never changed and we never received a bill. We've talked to the manager about it, and he said that no, free cable doesn't come with rent but not to worry about it. We think someone who lived there before us hooked it up illegally, or it never got turned off somehow. Now my husband has looked into it and doesn't want to get prosecuted for it, and for ethical reasons wants to buy a Cox bundle with cable TV...wouldn't that just be a way for them to find out and then get us in trouble? I understand where he's coming from but we weren't the ones to hook up the cable, and we've cleared it with our manager...What do you think?

Answer 1

Short Answer no, they won't charge it back to you

What actually occurs is when someone disconnects their service a Physical disconnect is usually ran on the house.  Now if this is not done then you will have analog signal until the company runs that Physical Disconnect.

Now i understand your ethics and morals, and if you want to be safe call them and say "Me and my husband moved in here about a week ago, we don't have cable service with you but it's still working? Is there a problem or anything?" They will thank you for letting them know, attempt to upsell you to cable service, if you declined they would roll a tech to do the disconnect.  

No you won't get in any trouble. Just call in and play like you just moved in.

Answer 2

tell your husband this... "sweetie if you pay for cable I'm going to have to charge you for the ya-ya. see I was planning on buying me a nice fur coat, or a nice pair of diamond earrings with the money we were saving. Since you are going to give it away, i  can't. So it's up to you sweetie."

Answer 3

Ignore the guilt, keep it secret...

Another way to look at it...don't give COX ammunition for their own mistake....

Whoops! You watched Cox free for over 3 years because one of our crew pulled the plug on the wrong person....and now you're going to give us all that money? Wow! Gee you're swell... That'll be $1800....

Nope...let them find their own mistake, and if they come knocking, don't let them in..

I didn't order cable, are you trying to force your way in? I'm calling the cops...

In the end, they can't enter your home without your consent....

But they can turn it off at the box.

Answer 4

Believe it or not, this is not uncommon.  Sometimes, the cable companies don't get around to unhooking people until the next time they have to get into that particular distribution box.

Just call them and play dumb.  They will probably never figure it out, or just assume you are the new tenant in that apartment . . .

I hope this helps.