If he's renting and the dish, switch and wires are all in place, then what's so hard about installing a different receiver?
Why would you pay someone to unpack a box and plug in a few wires.
When you rearrange your living room, should I be calling Bev for a tech to unplug and reconnect my receiver, c'mon, this is friggin' ridiculous.
Sure an extra line for the PVR upgrade, that's it.
Sounds like a money grab to me.