Sky Talk account cancelled by Sky without notification - £800 BT bill received!

sarah_elton

This is on behalf of a friend at work who doesn't know what to do about Sky.

She's from New Zealand and had Sky TV plus Sky Talk, which gave unlimited free calls to new Zealand. Several months back, she moved house. She confirmed with Sky on the phone that the exact same service would transfer to the new address.

In the new house she's sharing with a group of New Zealanders so of course they've been making loads of calls home. A while ago she gets her quarterly bill from BT and it's around £800. :eek: Sky didn't include the Sky Talk when she moved, despite her confirming it repeatedly on the phone. She didn't get any new paperwork from Sky after moving.

Not having the money to pay BT, the phone's since been cut off which she knows will have damaged her credit score. We know it's not BTs fault - it's Sky's, and she's been back and forth with Sky trying to get them to reimburse the money. They've told her that she can only contact them via email, so it's slowing everything right down.

What might go against her is that since moving her Sky direct debit has been £3 or £4 less because Sky Talk wasn't included, but she didn't notice. She's arguing that because she never had anything in writing saying the contract had changed or been terminated, and because they said it was definitely set up on the phone, they're still liable.

Any views? What are the odds of getting Sky to cough up? Is it worth writing and threatening small claims?

Regarding credit score, I know it will already have been dented by the phone being cut off. Will it continue to decline the longer the debt is outstanding? (Obviously we know that BT should be paid - it's not their fault at all, it's Sky's).

jamesb1239

sarah_elton wrote: »

This is on behalf of a friend at work who doesn't know what to do about Sky.

She's from New Zealand and had Sky TV plus Sky Talk, which gave unlimited free calls to new Zealand. Several months back, she moved house. She confirmed with Sky on the phone that the exact same service would transfer to the new address.

In the new house she's sharing with a group of New Zealanders so of course they've been making loads of calls home. A while ago she gets her quarterly bill from BT and it's around £800. :eek: Sky didn't include the Sky Talk when she moved, despite her confirming it repeatedly on the phone. She didn't get any new paperwork from Sky after moving.

Not having the money to pay BT, the phone's since been cut off which she knows will have damaged her credit score. We know it's not BTs fault - it's Sky's, and she's been back and forth with Sky trying to get them to reimburse the money. They've told her that she can only contact them via email, so it's slowing everything right down.

What might go against her is that since moving her Sky direct debit has been £3 or £4 less because Sky Talk wasn't included, but she didn't notice. She's arguing that because she never had anything in writing saying the contract had changed or been terminated, and because they said it was definitely set up on the phone, they're still liable.

Any views? What are the odds of getting Sky to cough up? Is it worth writing and threatening small claims?

Regarding credit score, I know it will already have been dented by the phone being cut off. Will it continue to decline the longer the debt is outstanding? (Obviously we know that BT should be paid - it's not their fault at all, it's Sky's).

Hi,
At some point Sky should have told your friend to call back and reactivate the Sky Talk once they had moved and their new phone line had been installed. If that wasnt advised then yes she will have a case as all calls to Sky should be recorded

jinkssick

Write a letter to the head office of sky or the most senior official you can. State the case as this should be sufficient to at least get a satisfactory reply.

PedroH

Try Sky's PR department and threaten to take it to the press.