Aledged debt from SKY TV, help or advice needed

richardfenn

Dear MSE, about five years ago we switched from Sky to NTL. We gave them there 30 notice that we were leaving. About a year later they started sending letters saying we still owed them £42.50 for the final months payment. My wife spoke to them numerous times stating that we had given them 30 days notice and as such owed them nothing. Eventually they agreed that we did in fact owe them nothing.

2 years later and we started receiving letters stating that we still owed them 42.50. Once again my wife went through the whole process of contacting them and after further investigation they again agreed that we didn't owe them anything.

Well here we are again two years further down the line and AGAIN we are receiving phone calls and letters from 1st Credit (on behalf of Sky) stating that we owe them 42.50. My wife spoke to a nice lady at Sky on the same day the first letter came and after a lot of searching they agreed that we had contacted them about this years ago and in fact didn't owe anything.

Today another letter has arrived and my wife blew her stack! She calmed down and once again rang Sky and eventually got through to David (Customer Services Manager). This gentlemen was thoroughly rude and ignorant and has stated that Sky have no records whatsover of us contacting them even though three days ago (when the first letter came) we were told they did have records of us contacting them. We know they have records because they first lady who spoke to my wife said she would have to contact her line manager because she didnt have any access to details over two years old and her line manager would have to use a password to access those details. They then phoned back and agreed we had contacted them before about this and the matter would be sorted.

David has said that we owe them the money and we better pay it, final, end of, full stop etc etc.

We have no proof that we contacted them five years ago or a year after that or two years after that. All correspondence was thrown out last year when we had a big spring clean. After all as far as we were aware it had all been sorted out so there was no reason for keeping any of the details and letters.

What can we do to stop this continual harrassment and distress they are now causing?

Thankyou in advance for your help or advice.

GeorgeUK

I would make an official complaint to SKY.

State that you have been chased for this nonexistant debt a number of times and if it happens again you will have no option but to report them to the ICO for processing incorrect data about you.

There is part of a template letter somewhere that removes their permission to process your data - i would add that too (i think it's section 10 of the Data Protection Act)

Tell them that you would like written confirmation that the debt is not owed, confirmation that your details will be removed from their databases and an apology as you have had this hastle for 5 years even though you adhered to their cancellation requirements.

richardfenn

Hi George, thanks for your quick reply. We will try what you suggested and see what happens. Thanks again, Richard.

richardfenn

Hi George,

just a quick update. I have sent letters to both Sky and 1st Credit as suggested. I also emailed B Sky B CEO Jeremy Darroch. This is the reply I have had:

Dear Mrs Fenn
Thank you for your e-mail addressed to Jeremy Darroch regarding the balance on your Sky account. I have been asked to respond on his behalf.

I was sorry to learn that you have experienced difficulties when cancelling your account.

On checking our records, may I advise that the amount of £42.50 was due for the final month's payment on the account. However, I have cleared the balance as a gesture of goodwill. The agency will be updated automatically within the next 48 hours.

We want all our customers to get the best service possible and I am sorry that you feel let down on this occasion.

Should you require further assistance with regard to this matter please contact me and I will be happy to help.

Kind regards
Beverlie Bethune
Executive Support Team
Customer Assurance
BSkyB-Customer Operations


:T:T:T


Once again thankyou for your help. We are both just glad everything is now sorted.


Yours,
Richard & Samantha Fenn:beer:

DGJsaver

Looks like you got away with the £42.50 in the end then :D

richardfenn

Hi DGJsaver, we didn't get away with anything. We didn't owe them what they claimed because we had already paid up to the date we left.

Tell you what is funny though, when the wife went to post the letters to them the lady behind the counter at the post office said 'are you having trouble with sky?' my wife explained what was going on and she replied 'yeah i've been having the same trouble for the past seven years'.

I'll have to give her Jeremy Darrochs email address

dancingfairy

Make sure you keep the letter - and do report them if they start up again.
df

GeorgeUK

Great news Richard

As dancingfairy says though, make sure you keep a copy of this one.
Just incase.