Sky existing customers treated poorly
Sky seriously need a wake up call when it comes to their attitude to existing customers. As a customer of Skyfor 20 plus years, I have had on occasion dealings with some customer services representatives who have been ignorant, hugely arrogant and rude. It is well known that Sky dazzle and promise the earth when they lure customers to join, and upon doing so they find themselves cast out and relegated to the "unimportant, spend no time/skill/product on them, aren't they irritating, they are just cash points" group. Even after 20 years, I am not allowed to qualify for any of their special TV, broadband and telephone packages. All this I have all taken on the chin, but now Sky has managed to surpass even its own record for appalling treatment of existing customers.
Unwilling (and unable) to pay by Direct Debit due to economic uncertainties, I opted just over a year ago to pay by invoice instead and agreed to incur the administration fee of £3.91 extra per month. This Friday morning I paid my monthly fee (albeit 10 days after the due date).
On Friday evening, I turned on my television to find that my channels were blocked. WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, (no letter, email, phone call etc) Sky has suspended my viewing as it wants another month fees in advance because I do not pay by direct debit (not so much will not as can not).
So basically Sky has taken my money this month for a service it is refusing to provide me until I either pay up again or go on direct debit. They will also not refund my month's service fee. They tell me that they are perfectly entitled to do this because this is all in their terms of business. As I am currently on benefits I am unable to find another months fee and it would be financially incompetent of me to set up a direct debit, perhaps even fraudulent or worse.
This is all legal, because they tell me it is in the terms and conditions which I signed when I joined. Sky have made it impossible for me to ever be given the service for which I have paid. They have not even apologised for the lack of warning. In today's climate of economic stress, at the start of the summer holidays, how can a corporate entity behave so very, very shockingly and treat its customers with such utter contempt?
By: madlyabsolute
Comments from visitors
Nancy,
Double check that you have a 'direct debit' and not a 'standing order'. They are different things and may determine their entitlement to take the money. If it is a direct debit then you have to cancel it through your bank AND inform Sky that you have done so. They cannot then continue to take payments without your authorisation. However, there is nothing to stop them applying to your bank for a payment. It is then down to your bank to refuse the transaction. You should check that it is cancelled at your bank and if so it is then your bank that is wrong for paying it. If, on the other hand, your payments are on a standing order, you cannot cancel it. It would have to be Sky that cancel it and they can continue to take the money until they do so. Your bank would be acting correctly to honour these payments and it is totally down to Sky to refund any wrongly paid bills.
The problem with some of these companies (BT, Talk Talk, Sky) and others of a similar size is that their departments are not very good at communicating with each other (although they never seem to have a problem when it comes to increasing your commitment to them!).
Double check that you have a 'direct debit' and not a 'standing order'. They are different things and may determine their entitlement to take the money. If it is a direct debit then you have to cancel it through your bank AND inform Sky that you have done so. They cannot then continue to take payments without your authorisation. However, there is nothing to stop them applying to your bank for a payment. It is then down to your bank to refuse the transaction. You should check that it is cancelled at your bank and if so it is then your bank that is wrong for paying it. If, on the other hand, your payments are on a standing order, you cannot cancel it. It would have to be Sky that cancel it and they can continue to take the money until they do so. Your bank would be acting correctly to honour these payments and it is totally down to Sky to refund any wrongly paid bills.
The problem with some of these companies (BT, Talk Talk, Sky) and others of a similar size is that their departments are not very good at communicating with each other (although they never seem to have a problem when it comes to increasing your commitment to them!).
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My problem is with SKY TV, can anyone tell me if it is legal for sky to reinstate a direcet debit once I have canceled it. Because they have done it to me four times and they have taken money from my bank that I had alredy piad them. I am at breaking point. This has been going on for 3 months now! HELP please someone.
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I have just completed a survey on Sky from them on how I found their customer service line. I found it first class I had a problem, they listened and sorted it promptly with great customer care. I have a been a customer for a few years and can not fault them so far.
My thoughts on not being sure about affording Sky for the future are that simply if i cant afford it there is always freeview or cancel your sky subscription and just get the free channels (freeview) or if they offer you a cheap rate period then HAPPY DAYS.
My thoughts on not being sure about affording Sky for the future are that simply if i cant afford it there is always freeview or cancel your sky subscription and just get the free channels (freeview) or if they offer you a cheap rate period then HAPPY DAYS.
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The post in question was deleted - thank you Kenny!
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Whether you care or not, I'll chip in and applaud your post. Also sick seeing lazy and illiterate posting in text speak and lack of grammar/punctuation/sentence construction.
Can't see the post in question - perhaps it's already been removed - but have seen enough to know.
Good for you.
Can't see the post in question - perhaps it's already been removed - but have seen enough to know.
Good for you.
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In fact I'll go a step further. The sites rules don't allow postings in 'text speak'. So illiterate postings such as yours, full of idiot abbreviations like 'r' for 'are', 'i' for 'I', and with no punctuation or capitalisation should be deleted. I am asking Kenny to do so.
You may hate me all you like for this. See if I care!
You may hate me all you like for this. See if I care!
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sky is xxxx : People like you should not be allowed access to the internet. There should be an enforced literacy test before access is granted. You should go back to school, if you ever went, and learn how to write.
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I have been i sky customer for nearly 10 years now I just recently changed from the old sky setup box too the new sky plus since then i have had nothing only problems relating to that the box does no only work properly. When I approached sky to get the problem rectafied no-one seemed to want to help I have since made neverending telephone calls from a mobile to them with no help what so ever not to add the cost of phoneing from a mobile. if anyone can help me solve the problem please let me know many thanks.
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Remember: Believe in Better.
Leave Sky and prove that saying to be true!
Leave Sky and prove that saying to be true!
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James Murdoch is rich enough to give us free CMT in Bonnie Scotland, when Sky first came onstream Country Music Television was free like MTV and such like to get everyone hooked, several years later it was cancelled in the UK apparently as there were not enough subscribers, well having almost £1.3 billion in the bank I'm sure he could let us have it free once again.
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I recently upgraded my package to include "Sports One" so I could watch the Ruby Trinations Wales V England games on Sky Sports One - I specifically made this clear to the agent!
However, now, the following week, game two was changed to Sky Sports Three! I was advised I would now need to upgrade to the whole sports package to watch this game. I believe this is at least sharp practice and borders on fraudulent behavier! I will now consider whether I need Sky at all!
I complained to no avail!
However, now, the following week, game two was changed to Sky Sports Three! I was advised I would now need to upgrade to the whole sports package to watch this game. I believe this is at least sharp practice and borders on fraudulent behavier! I will now consider whether I need Sky at all!
I complained to no avail!
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Why is it that if you are a new customer to Sky you get a better cost package. I have been with Sky for at least 5 years and have a basic package and I noticed recently that for new customer you can get HD box (FREE) broadband and line rental for approx £22, so I thought to myself I could get my broadband and calls through Sky and get a free HD box included in my package, no such luck as if you are an existing customer you have to pay for your HD box plus you then have to pay to get it installed, So what Sky is saying to existing customer is that we do not give a dam about you and the fact you pay your bills on time and have stayed loyal. So I may now have to see if Virgin can offer me a better deal for being a new customer!
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Sky tv. Like any other Big Company are a law unto themselves and have no consideration for their customers except to coin in their account. The halfwits who eventually try to sort out problems are still only interested in making more revenue for Sky. Last October 2010. I had cause to call out their engineers as my HD box stopped functioning. Two new HD boxes and two new viewing cards plus three more visits from engineers and numerous phone calls it still was not fixed. So after six weeks without HD I decided enough was enough. I told them I did not want it. My son has a sky plus box also on my account which he wished to keep with a sports package. I duly informed the accounts dept to cancel my existing d/d of £65 per month.
and issue a new d/d for the sky+box and the sports package. cost £ 40.75 per month. They said ok. Well surprise surprise, its now May 2011 and their still taking £65 from my account. On speaking to them again, after waiting 15mins to be put through, I was told that I am paying for HD. So you see, they don't listen to customers because they are profit orientated.This is fraudulent and tantamounts to stealing from ones bank account. Ordinary thieves would be charged with stealing, but not so SKY. Oh, and by the way, I cancelled my D/D and they promptly stopped service to the Sky+ box. I shall now endeavour to retrieve the £100 odds they have stolen from me. Name, Address, Sky account number supplied.
and issue a new d/d for the sky+box and the sports package. cost £ 40.75 per month. They said ok. Well surprise surprise, its now May 2011 and their still taking £65 from my account. On speaking to them again, after waiting 15mins to be put through, I was told that I am paying for HD. So you see, they don't listen to customers because they are profit orientated.This is fraudulent and tantamounts to stealing from ones bank account. Ordinary thieves would be charged with stealing, but not so SKY. Oh, and by the way, I cancelled my D/D and they promptly stopped service to the Sky+ box. I shall now endeavour to retrieve the £100 odds they have stolen from me. Name, Address, Sky account number supplied.
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Sky is only interested in getting new subscribers - existing subscribers (even though customers for years!! Do not count! ) We have subscribed to Sky World since its inception. Recently like a number of families like ours, jobs have been lost through no fault of our own, to find they (SKY) are only interested in pleasing new customers - never mind the the years of loyality!! Just as well that Sky are not involved in the elections in May or we might experience real people power and turn on to a new service provider!!
Take note Sky!!
Take note Sky!!
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Angry in Glasgow - 13-Apr-11 12:01
Sky are utterly pathetic. Their customer service is just shocking and they should be taken down.
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I cancelled my sky subscription jan 2010,even before the date it was meant to be cut off they terminated the package 14 days early ,now concidering I paid money up front I didnt think they could do this.so I cancelled my direct debit the following day,8 months later in pops a bill for 22.18p from sky.i said no wayhave alook at it again please,they did and sent out a new bill for 00.00 on a post office giro payment slip, a few weeks later got another letter saying I had not paid the bill they sent me,i said how can I pay 00.00 and be charged £4.00 for paying nothing,the guy then said send the giro slip back to them ,i said dont think so.now it gets worse ,i ws sent a letter from wescott debt collection agencies ,i explained to wescott and sent them photo copies of the letters and giro slip from sky,guess what wescott told me no case to answer I owed sky nothing and they would be returning the so called debt to them,successs ,no it gets worse,march 30th 2011 ,letter come thru my door from expert debt collection agency demanding £22.18p. I phoned them explained that wescott had already examined the said paper work ,no problem she said just send us the proof that you owe sky nothing and we will take it from there,i said I might take action against sky for cutting me off early ,she says hardly worth the effort, I said but going from one collection agency to another in the hope I will be bullied into paying is ok for a big named company,but no for the wee man..any one any ideas where I go from here should the next debt agency want to pursue me thru court.
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I had my sky subscription suspended in dec, I reconnected in 15th jan....On the 15 Feb I had a bill for double the amount of my package deal which is £44.50. I phoned sky to find out why I was billed £88 and they said that that my March bill would be less, however this wasnt the case. I had another bill on the 15th march for £46, I phoned up and the guy is telling me that its correct....and my nxt bill is due on the 15 april.....
Can some1 please help me because im a bit confused on the payments, as I think sky has over charged me for a mnth of viewing.....
Can some1 please help me because im a bit confused on the payments, as I think sky has over charged me for a mnth of viewing.....
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I paid for the sky service I have through debit card and they took it out direct debit aswell ,so I phoned and was told they would credit my account .After about 30 mins of telling this guy I wanted a refund, I phoned my bank which they told me they could'nt do anything but sky could and should credit my bank account .Back on the phone to sky and was told within the fist 10 secs that they had set up the refund to my bank account ,so I left it at that .One week went past and another 4 calls all to diffrent telephinists each time saying yes the money will be put back in ,then my bill arrived throough the post saying that I was due £5 as they had credited my sky account . After about an hour of calming down and poping the veins back into my head I thought thats it why pay a bunch of complete idiots to screw me, watch the same programs over and over even my 2 yr old is repeatng all the kids shows he watches he has seen them so many times. I have started watching channels I would never normaly watch as the ones I have been watchin are repeated that mucn so I think free sat or freview might not have the channels but hey its free
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at scumbuster. get a life numpty,people like you make me vomit.lets all hope that bad things happen to you that you learn a lesson and subsequently stop judging other people the way you do
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antiscumbuster - 14-Feb-11 16:29
my digita box is now 11 years old and trying to get another one to replace it is like trying to get blood from a stone, unless I pay £60.CONSIDERING I HAVE BEEN WITH SKY FOROVER 20YEARS, AND ALSO TAKE LINE RENTAL AND TELEPHONE PLUS BROAD FROM THEM, the least they could do is reward my loyalty by providing me with free new box,
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