Problem with sky - advice please

edster71

Several months ago now, we went on to Sky - moving from BT for
broadband AND phone.

This was a cost cutting exercise, and i think I'm right in saying that once the dust had settled, our bill for all three would have been £66 a month - including the £6 extra for free 01 and 02 calls through the day etc.

Last Saturday...

To our dismay...

We got a bill .. FROM BT !!!! £85.00 (thereabouts)

On making enquires I discovered that the line had not been swapped to SKY as a result of some !!!! up.......

I tried ringing up, and airing my complaint by phone, but having first asked to speak to a line manager, was advised I needed to write in to the
customer relations people ....

This I did. Explaining that as we were not aware of the problem, we has not had the opportunity to allow for this added bill in our monthly budget (I lost my job last June, so things are very tight).

I also said that I did not see why we should suffer a financial loss due to their mistake -
this added bill has made life very difficult... and we may incur a bank charge if we now
can't cover all our direct debits etc.

SKY have rung today...

And, after a discussion, have sent me the following e-mail, which states clearly what they
are willing to do by way of making amends.

(note: they are only willing to credit our SKY account - which is not really any help as our
BT bill/direct debit is now due to come out next Wednesday... we not be able to raise the
money to cover it)

---

Dear *********
Customer Account Number: *****************

Further to our phone conversation today, I am sending this email as discussed.
Firstly, I would like to apologise again for the problems you, and your Mother, have experienced. At Sky we aim to provide a high level of customer service and I can only say I am sorry that your experience does not appear to reflect this.

I can confirm I agreed to the following requests you asked for in your letter dated 16 May 2011.
67.39 GBP credit for BT call charges to be applied to above account and be deducted from next billing.
04.00 GBP credit for postal costs to be applied to above account and be deducted from next billing.
1/2 Price Sky Talk Line Rental for 6 Months Offer.
Cancellation of Sky services if required without penalties.
Credit to be applied for BT call costs on next BT bill.
I will contact you on your mobile, 07792582605, on Monday 23 May 2011 after 12:00 PM again as agreed.
If you require any further assistance please respond to my email or contact our Customer Services Team on 08442 414 141 where one of our advisors will be happy to help.

I would like to take this opportunity to advise that you can view your bills, obtain or change personal information, upgrade your viewing subscription, make payments as well as other useful services by registering with MySky as follows:

1. Go to https://www.sky.com/mysky
2. Click Sign Up on the left hand side.
3. Complete the required information.

You may be contacted to complete a Customer Satisfaction Survey based on how I have dealt with your enquiry today. These surveys are not based on your previous enquiries or services with Sky or advisors, only on my assistance to you. It would be appreciated if you could take the time to complete the survey should you be contacted by email, letter or automated telephone call.

Thanks
********************
Sky Help Centre
http://www.sky.com

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I've asked if, if we decide, we can axe our dealings with SKY altogether - as we're not at all happy.

I might be inclined to stay put, if they'd credit our account to meet the shortfall for our BT bill, and
the other BT bill which we will now face (with the delay in going over to SKY now being 1st June ish)

With what they've offered above, we're better off to the tune of about £15 I think... which does not
seem a lot, allowing for the fact I've been on the phone a few times, each time for a LONG time!!!


Can any one give me any sensible input on this, especially legally speaking ...

As we signed up to all 3 services as part of a wider cost-cutting plan, I would like to
be able to get shut of the lot if need be, but I think they may dig their heels in about the
SKY+ box and our subs for our TV, as we're supposedly tied in for 12 months for that...............
(the SKY box links to a phone line anyway????!!!)


Why is it in life nowadays, whoever you deal with ... mobile phone companies, Tv companies, BT ...
you always seem to have to endure complications with the beggars! It drives me mad sometimes...
Especially when they have automated telephone gubbins!!

Thanks for any help forthcoming!! :-)


PS: they've said that they won't give us the full £85 as some of it related to part of the phone
deal we have with BT - a thingy for free evening and weekend calls .... apparently we need to cancel
this independently of cancelling the line itself ???????????????

edster71

PPS: sorry the above message is sooooooo long :-)