Stealing or not.....?

[pepipop]

I have a TV package with SKY, unfortunately due to my older provider stopping digital TV last year and that was what they offered, at a discount for a year. I find the fees, by SKY, ridiculous but the billionaire owner has the market sown up.

Anyhow, I decided to rent a movie that I’d wanted to see, for months. The price was displayed on the screen, I accepted it and the movie went to the viewing section. Watched it, and then realised after checking my bill, a week or so later, I had not been charged for it, so there is a software fault on their part, as the movie downloaded for me to watch - and they have my account details to take the fee - but it has not been taken.

I do not wish to tell SKY that the charge was not taken from my account - as they’ll no doubt think I was a sandwich short of a picnic.

So, is this ‘stealing’? SKY also delete the movie from the viewing section, after several days, so it is not a purchase per se. If it was a goods item from a store that I had left without paying for, I would return and pay for the goods - however this is something I’m not really wont to do - especially as I think SKY’s a complete rip-off in the first place and the fault completely lies with their system, as I was/am prepared to pay the price and had assumed that was the case - i.e. the money had been taken.

 

[anon67074017]

I do not think that it is stealing. Stealing has to be done with malicious intent. It is not your fault that they didn’t charge you.

 

[JosephHope]

I do not know if cable theft is considered stealing, when we moved to our new home, we found by plugging a cable into the TV that it has some free cable channels, I’ve been struggling with the idea since, is it theft or should we be grateful that God provided us a free service. One friend of mine said that it is not.

 

[1ke]

I would not be so quick to conclude you won’t be charged, I know with our service when we watch a movie it is usually a month before it is on the bill. Don’t know why there is such a delay, but it seems to consistently be a month later that it’s on the bill. So watch your bill.

 

[pepipop]

I would not be so quick to conclude you won’t be charged, I know with our service when we watch a movie it is usually a month before it is on the bill. Don’t know why there is such a delay, but it seems to consistently be a month later that it’s on the bill. So watch your bill.

There is a section, when accessing your bill online, that states outstanding charges/subscriptions in relation to rentals, etc… and this is showing empty, so I do believe their system is not working.

I admit to watching 2 more rentals, :blushing: just to ‘see’ if the charges came up but no they didn’t. Movies, I admit, I would not have bothered renting, as I’m not that big a movie fan, at all, it was more a case of seeing if I could and then my conscience started wondering.

Needless to say, I would pay for all 3 - ~ £10, but no charges are coming up and hence the thread.

 

[Geist]

The fact you ordered/requested the movie suggests (to me) an obligation to pay for it.

If you receive a free trial of a magazine or other good in the mail you didn’t ask for or are handed a free sample while shopping there is no expectation of payment so it is OK not to pay.

In your case, I’d at least e-mail them and offer payment. If they say not to worry about it, you’re back under not being obligated to pay so enjoy the free movies and a clean conscience.

 

[pepipop]

The fact you ordered/requested the movie suggests (to me) an obligation to pay for it.

If you receive a free trial of a magazine or other good in the mail you didn’t ask for or are handed a free sample while shopping there is no expectation of payment so it is OK not to pay.

In your case, I’d at least e-mail them and offer payment. If they say not to worry about it, you’re back under not being obligated to pay so enjoy the free movies and a clean conscience.

Quite true, that’s one side of the coin.

However, in my defense, I have made my account details available to them so that they may take the payment anytime they wish - I did not hold back payment on the goods.

Needless to say, this is a glitch in their system. There’s a side of me knows most of this ‘income’ they generate contributes to their billions in ‘profit’ each year (i.e. no-one will be turfed out on the street, so to speak, or lose their jobs) - but that does not deal with the ‘moral’ issue.

 

[robertmidwest]

I would not be so quick to conclude you won’t be charged, I know with our service when we watch a movie it is usually a month before it is on the bill. Don’t know why there is such a delay, but it seems to consistently be a month later that it’s on the bill. So watch your bill.

I agree. Don’t be surprised when bills start showing up. The billing periods on utilities, especially TV, almost never make sense.

You didn’t rent the movie with the intent of stealing so I wouldn’t worry about that. Don’t keep thinking though that the charges won’t show up. Let know next month what happens.

 

[Geist]

Needless to say, this is a glitch in their system. There’s a side of me knows most of this ‘income’ they generate contributes to their billions in ‘profit’ each year (i.e. no-one will be turfed out on the street, so to speak, or lose their jobs) - but that does not deal with the ‘moral’ issue.

No, but they contracted with and paid the creators of the film for the right license to broadcast it to you. If they make a 1% or 100% profit should be wholly irrelevant in regards to your conscience.

Basically ask yourself this; how would you feel if it were you being asked to work for free because your boss made an error in timekeeping?

 

[FonsBonitatis]

Of course it would be a form of stealing, however minor, if you were never charged for this film, and if you never brought that up with them.

So they’ll think you’re nuts. To be viewed as being nuts in the eyes of the world is a good thing, since the world is usually dead wrong on these sorts of things.

 

[pepipop]

No, but they contracted with and paid the creators of the film for the right license to broadcast it to you. If they make a 1% or 100% profit should be wholly irrelevant in regards to your conscience.

Basically ask yourself this; how would you feel if it were you being asked to work for free because your boss made an error in timekeeping?

Different scenario, as I would tell the boss and get the money due to me back, as I would point out the error.

However, they are the ones at fault, and IF they do note the error in their system and then ask for the money they can take it at any time, as they have my bank details, on file.

I will wait to see if the charges do come up, but it does not seem likely ATM due to the page that shows ‘other outstanding charges’, which is empty.

 

[FonsBonitatis]

However, they are the ones at fault, and IF they do note the error in their system and then ask for the money they can take it at any time, as they have my bank details, on file.

If someone makes an error in your favor, and you refuse to tell them about it, you are stealing.

It’ll take ten minutes to have all of this cleared up. Just ask them when you’ll be charged for the film you rented. Frankly, no one will think any less of you, if that is seriously a concern of yours. You’re just asking them for very pertinent information in a reasonable manner.

 

[Irishmom2]

Different scenario, as I would tell the boss and get the money due to me back, as I would point out the error.

However, they are the ones at fault, and IF they do note the error in their system and then ask for the money they can take it at any time, as they have my bank details, on file.

I will wait to see if the charges do come up, but it does not seem likely ATM due to the page that shows ‘other outstanding charges’, which is empty.

I think you know it is stealing and are just trying to justify it.
People could probably give you many analogies, but you would wave them off because you want the freebies. You think you are entitled to them because you think the fees are ridiculous.

Well, you are not. It’s stealing. It doesn’t matter if it is their fault or not. You should call them and report it.

 

[pepipop]

I think you know it is stealing and are just trying to justify it.
People could probably give you many analogies, but you would wave them off because you want the freebies. You think you are entitled to them because you think the fees are ridiculous.

Well, you are not. It’s stealing. It doesn’t matter if it is their fault or not. You should call them and report it.

Not trying to justify anything. Just wanted a discussion on it - and there have been different points of view, it is not that cut and dried.

You make a lot of assumptions as to what I want or think.

 

[petra22]

You want discussion–MHO, yes if they don’t charge you it would be right to call them and square it with them. We should not consider the millions they (may) make in their business… God will judge them for their cheating/stealing and he will judge me for mine…

 

[Irishmom2]

You make a lot of assumptions as to what I want or think.

I am not making any assumptions that aren’t based on things that you yourself said. If you thought you should just pay the bill, you would have told them. And this thread would not be here.

 

[anon67074017]

I want to combat all the strictness going on here. It is not stealing. It is a mistake on the part of the company. They will think you are nuts for wanting to pay for it. I do not think that God would not even require you to pay for it. He is not an unfair tyrant. It would be unfair to have to pay for it.

 

[pepipop]

I am not making any assumptions that aren’t based on things that you yourself said. If you thought you should just pay the bill, you would have told them. And this thread would not be here.

Yes, assumptions were made.

*I think you know it is stealing and are just trying to justify it. *

Incorrect, I opened the thread as I was unsure due to the uniqueness of the situation, I am now swayed to the fact that it is.

*People could probably give you many analogies, but you would wave them off because you want the freebies. You think you are entitled to them because you think the fees are ridiculous. *

Incorrect, I expressed my opinion about SKY, which I think is a rip off, in a tongue in cheek way to support my ‘argument’ or otherwise. I do not ‘want’ freebies, as I do not particularly enjoy movies, it makes no odds, it was the principal of the matter i.e. was it stealing or not.

Well, you are not. It’s stealing. It doesn’t matter if it is their fault or not. You should call them and report it.

I most likely will email them, as another poster helpfully suggested, asking when can I expect to see the charge on my bill.

 

[pepipop]

I want to combat all the strictness going on here. It is not stealing. It is a mistake on the part of the company. They will think you are nuts for wanting to pay for it. I do not think that God would not even require you to pay for it. He is not an unfair tyrant. It would be unfair to have to pay for it.

I may bring it up, in confession - although don’t wish to waste the priest’s time. But, like yourself, the situation IMO is an unusual one.

 

[anon67074017]

I may bring it up, in confession - although don’t wish to waste the priest’s time. But, like yourself, the situation IMO is an unusual one.

You can bring it up in Confession if you want to. I am not your spiritual director.