Sky Query, Can anyone help please

lv1109

We have been with Sky for 4 years and had countless sky+ boxes from them because they kept going wrong. Our most recent box lasted for over a year (woo hoo) but has now gone wrong and therefore they want us to pay £65 for an engineer. I think this is out of order, having to pay so I have put in my notice to cancel the account. After this I went back through to faults dept to see if anything we could do over the phone to help with our problem (no signal on all the "freeview" channels). Basically there is nothing more they can do without an engineer call and so I have to pay my full subscription price for the months notice when I am only getting approximately 50% of the channels.

I think this seems wrong and so am not really wanting to pay the full final bill - would prefer them to reduce it by half in line with the service we are receiving but they are refusing to reduce the bill.

I want to cancel the DD but obviously not too keen on the repercussions. I want to know legally where we stand with this? Does anyone have any ideas if we are in the wrong not wanting to pay the full amount?

I asked them last night to reduce my final bill by £8 (we pay £18 per month) so roughly half but they point blank refused. This has become a matter of principle but I don't want to cancel the DD if we are wrong in doing so.

I have explained I am willing to pay half but they won't budge.

Would they pursue a final amount of less than £20?

I have asked them to send me a copy of the agreement we signed but my DD is due on 1st July so not much time.

Any opinions please

TIA

LV

sporedude

You dont have a leg to stand on, They dont need to reduce it by anything atall, If you dont want to pay the engineers fees thats your problem, Not Skys, And if you cancel the Direct Debit they'll pass you over to a Debt Collection Agency, Who will tear apart your credit rating. Its either you pay the full amount to them or debt collection, Your choice.

lv1109

ok thanks for your reply

withabix

But shouldn't your Sky+ Box possibly last for 6 years in accordance with UK law?

If Sky+ boxes have recurrent faults, that should possibly make Sky liable for this period of time since you received your first Sky+ box.

Halloway

Are you absolutely certain that your Sky+ box is at fault?

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

withabix wrote: »

But shouldn't your Sky+ Box possibly last for 6 years in accordance with UK law?

If Sky+ boxes have recurrent faults, that should possibly make Sky liable for this period of time since you received your first Sky+ box.

No it can last upto 6 years.

Sky plus boxes are renowned for failure after 12-18 months. often due to hard disk failure.

As for not getting an engineer sent out for a free. I tend to think you should be entitled to some sort of rebate as its not an old box etc

~Beanie~

My brother had exactly the same problem last week... after a lot of shouting down the phone and demanding to be put thru to disconnections, they are getting an engineer out for free tomorrow so its definately worth keeping on at them.

lv1109

Thanks for further replies. Not got much time now but will pop back later to reply in more detail.

Thanks again

LV

dacouch

If you want to jump the queue on Sky's customer services telephone number just press "Zero" on your telephone key pad ten times once you are connected to the queue. It is the code the Sky engineers use so they don't have to wait in the call queue for an hour like the Sky customers do...

lv1109

Halloway wrote: »

Are you absolutely certain that your Sky+ box is at fault?

It doesn't seem to be the actual box - they seem to think there is a problem with the LNBs on the dish. I cannot verify this so am not 100% sure. They were unconcerned as to what was at fault, just that I have to pay for the engineer visit. The box does go unresponsive quite regularly, then switches itsself off (this requires it to be switched off at plug to get it working again) so I think it could be the box and the LNBs (whatever they are lol)

LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »

No it can last upto 6 years.

Sky plus boxes are renowned for failure after 12-18 months. often due to hard disk failure.

As for not getting an engineer sent out for a free. I tend to think you should be entitled to some sort of rebate as its not an old box etc

12-18 months sounds about right! That would be about the time we had this box (to replace a faulty one, that replaced a faulty one, that replaced a faulty one, etc)

I am glad you agree regarding the money. I am not after a "freebie" (well I was after a free engineer visit but not my subscription charge). Just "like for like" - pay for what I am receiving.

~Beanie~ wrote: »

My brother had exactly the same problem last week... after a lot of shouting down the phone and demanding to be put thru to disconnections, they are getting an engineer out for free tomorrow so its definately worth keeping on at them.

I have to admit, I tried my very very best. I kept a level head thinking this would help, and tried to remain reasonable. This is very hard when banging your head against a [STRIKE]sky[/STRIKE] brick wall. They did offer the engineer visit at half price, but to be truthful it still seems unfair that I pay them for a subscription that I cannot use and to be able to use it I have to pay them more!

I have cancelled the contract and we are due to be cut off on 23rd July. I won't be changing my mind about that.

The thing that gets me is that I am paying for a service that I am not receiving - as I said before 50% service for 100% of cost. Doesn't seem fair to me.

Linas & Withabix - where do you think I stand about the 6 year rule? We have been with them since 2005 and I think this would be about our 5th or 6th box (possibly more). Is there an argument to be had here?

Thanks again all for your (more constructive) advice and comments and look forward to any further input.

LV

lv1109

Just to let anyone know who is interested. I called them again (after seeking consumer legal advice and finding out SOGA did apply). They have agreed to credit £5 (I was after £8) to my final bill. Before anyone says "A FIVER", it was principle not the amount.

Anyway I am satisfied with this and just wanted to let you know.

Thanks for previous replies.

LV