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Fed up with poor reception on my Freeview box, I looked into other means of receiving digital television, and discovered SKY offered a package called Freesat. For a one-off payment, of around £150-180 at the time, a dish and box would be installed and I could enjoy a clear picture of the free to air channels. I hadn't the slightest interest in any of the subscription packages on offer, so this sounded ideal. I phoned the order line, and was amazed by the efficiency with which my call was answered by a human being.
However, then the sales pitch started. There was a special promotion at the time whereby I could have a six-month free trial of six mixes, for a reduced price from the standard Freesat package at around £115, and if I didn't want it to continue it would just stop after six months. Knowing this is never how it works, I emphasised that I was not interested in subscribing monthly,nor in the six mixes, and sought reassurance that this was not the usual deal where the customer has to remember to cancel otherwise the bills start arriving. I was categorically assured that I would be contacted for confirmation before the trial period was up. So thinking I had nothing to lose, and a considerable cash saving to make, I reluctantly agreed.
The one-off payment was debited from my Credit Card, and the Sky engineers turned up exactly as promised and efficiently installed the Freesat equipment. A short time later a typical welcome type letter came from Sky with some vague bumph saying something about a subscription. I duly phoned them up (now the more usual press button 1 etc. etc.) and re-iterated that I hadn't applied for any subscription package but Freesat, and was once again reassured that I would be contacted in time to confirm whether or not I wanted to subscribe to the six mixes after the trial period.
Six months later, I'm paying my credit card bill online and notice "Sky subscription £21". Right away I e-mailed their customer relations department to complain that I hadn't been contacted, and didn't want the subscription. A week later, with no response, I followed this up with a letter, and also wrote to my Credit Card provider, explaining the situation and asking them to cancel further debits. About ten days later, I received a letter from Sky, saying that they could not refund the first payment as I hadn't notified them in time, however, they would now cancel the subscription. My card provider also telephoned me around the same time and told me another £21 had just been debited. The said they would refund this one while they investigated.
Now, about a month later, I have just received two further demands for payment saying I am in breach of contract etc etc. It now looks to me as if what I was originally supplied with was an entirely different package from that which I specifically asked for. I couldn't have made my wishes any clearer, the woman I spoke to was Scottish like myself, not English or Indian, so there cannot possibly have been any misunderstanding of my accent. A one-off payment was initially debited, suggesting it was Freesat and not a free-for-the-first-six-months-subscription package. I have had a letter acknowledging my cancellation from one person, and yet I am still receiving threatening letters from somebody else.
The impression I now have of SKY as an organisation, is one which either encourages or condones their telephone sales staff to not only be sparse with the small print, but to blatantly lie in the face of direct questions, and sign people up for deals which they do not want. In other words, con artists. Either that or hugely inefficient with communication problems, or both. I have replied to the threatening letters with copies of all my previous correspondence, and now await the outcome.
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Totally understand you point, but always read the T&C'S first, I have signed up for numerous free trials for various products and services, and have never been stung simply because I familiarise myself with the small print. If you do this then there is no reason to rely on 'someone' reminding you to cancel. free trials are legal and can be beneficial as long as you know what your getting yourself into.
We were offered, no contract for 6 months, 2 package deal for bargain price of £12.+ per month, without broadband, without telephone - as we didn't want to pay for these as we have contracts with other suppliers.
We then informed the caller that we no longer had a Sky+ box, as we sold it on after cancelling contract and she offered us a new Sky+ HD box for bargain price of £49. She informed us this would be delivered within 2 days. She further informed us that we needed to complete a credit card transaction for new box and as she experienced computer difficulties would recall us within couple of hours. She bid us farewell and welcomed us back to Sky.
A week later, after having received no recall, no Box delivery, we found out that Sky had taken the first instalment from our bank account. It was twice the amount agreed.
After many lengthy calls, being passed from pillar to post, being cut off twice, I was informed that we had been charged for the Sky+HD pack on top of what we agreed at £12+ per month. This was all happening without us even having any box, signal, service.
We are also now trying to recover the monies from Sky. They are very deceitful in their practices, and would recommend everyone keeps well away from them.
I understand I am not the first person to experience this kind of fraud and deceit and clearly the
Fraud Office and Trading Standards certainly need alerting.
Sky charge you £49 for a box and some vouchers to spend in Marks and Spencers and you all think it is wonderful.
Now read the small print
1. You get charged either £30 or £60 connection fee.
2. You pay £678 per year to watch HD Channels
3. You have to pay out for a TV capable of recveiving HD Channels.
Not good when your all being ripped off by the UK Government!
£800 per year to drink water
£1400 per year to your Councils
Subsidising Mr. Fred Goodwins Pension and contributing funds to MPs to do their homes up.
Paying out £888 per month in HP Charges to drive a 4x4 that does 12 miles to a gallon and paying out £2088 in fuel costs over a distance of 20 miles per day for a year.
Getting double glazed windows for £3300 and paying back £8600 ( I saw this on a TV Advert in very small print)
You need to look at all of this as this is why your all in debt.
Welcome to Rip off Britain where the Government walk all over you.
Take care my children
sickofsky
Not so.
I rang their premium rate number and an advisor kept me on for some time and then said she had re-set the signal and I should get freesat on my sy box. Not likely. Weeks later i still haven't got it and they then had the nerve to tell me that I could pay £179 for it (in one e.mail) and 329 in another. So I have thrown the box away and get my freesat on the TV as before Sky. I would not join Sky again if they paid me. Watch out