Info for anyone on Sky Talk 12 month initial term - price increases!

Ferrety_2

Hi,

Two months ago I took out a Sky Talk and broadband 12 month contract and go the phoneline in my house connected with them as well (worked out cheapest because they were cheap on this).

Then yesterday I got the letter saying there would be a £1 increase to line rental, so I phoned up today to protest.

First I was told I hadn't been sent a letter. I insisted I had it it in front of me and told them who it was from etc etc. The man still insisted I hadn't had a letter, so I asked him to send me a letter or email to confirm my price would NOT be changing. He went off to find a line manager. Came back telling me actually, there IS a price increase, but there's nothing I can do about it because I'm in the minimum term.

Not so, I told him. Your terms and conditions say: "Unless the price increase is required for legal or regulatory reasons, you can also end the Contract during your Minimum Term if we increase our prices and you reasonably consider this to be to your material disadvantage. If you wish to end this Contract in these circumstances, then you need to give us at least 7 days notice within one calendar month of us telling you about the change"

Immediately he changed his mind and agreed to cancel the lot, internet and talk, in two weeks time.

So basically, Sky reconnected my phone line for a tenner, gave me two months of service, then rather than just not applying the price increase (£10 for the rest of the minimum term) they've let me cancel. I also had £50 quidco cashback when I signed up, which is why Sky worked out the cheapest by a smidge.

Is this too good to be true? Are they about to whack me with some massive charge? I did check the final bill was, indeed for the next two weeks' service...

So anyway, if you're in the minimum term, don't be fobbed off - you have a right to cancel.

Heinz

Ferrety wrote: »

Is this too good to be true? Are they about to whack me with some massive charge? I did check the final bill was, indeed for the next two weeks' service.

Possibly.

You have not yet had your line taken over by another provider so you don't know how 'difficult' Sky are going to make that.

Ferrety_2

Well I had a good old look through the T&Cs and couldn't see anything they might slam me for. I have to send back all the broadband bits and bobs - which is fine.

What surprised me was that they cancelled the BB too - I was expecting them to say, "Ok you have the right to cancel the line rental/talk, but have to keep broadband which now costs £?! a month..."

adad555

Tried cancelling today. Spent 1 hour on the phone explaining that I had the right to cancel in the T&Cs. First they told me it was only £1 so why was I cancelling. Then they had to find a copy for themselves and said that it wasn't of material disadvantage which I tried to argue was a personal thing. They finally rang back and said only the line rental could be cancelled not the broadband and the broadband would either get cancelled and I would have to pay the termination fee or I could transfer it to another provider and would have to pay £5 extra.

Absolute nightmare service, no one seemed to have a clue. You're lucky you managed to cancel!! I guess there's not much more I can do...

Ferrety_2

They do seem to be an absoulte shower of idiots. I asked if there would be any more fees etc and was told no, so I'll be furious if they try to hit me with a cancellation fee now.

I've taken out the £120/year line rental with BT, but I'm holding fire on internet for now to wait and see what Sky do - I don't want to get tied into a contract with someone else then be charged some huge fee by Sky for the pleasure of not having internet anymore!

In fairness, the Sky internet has been good and if offered me any sort of deal I wouldn't have cancelled. Hopefully, if things get very awkward I can simply keep Sky broadband with my BT line and pay max £15/month - they reconnected my line which would have cost loads with other companies so it's six of one and half a dozen of the other to me really.

If they do come back at me with pay huge termination fee or take out a new broadband contract, I have noticed on the Sky website a broadband and calls package for £10 a month which you don't appear to need Sky's own line rental for - perhaps worth angling for?

macman

The Sky non-LLU product (Sky Connect) is pretty dire, so not really a good idea.

bexyboo1312

i have tried to cancel mine today but they also said i would have to keep the tele/broadband and because i would no longer have a phone line the multiroom subscription would change to 2 full price separate boxes!!

macman

You don't need a Sky phone line to get the Multiroom callbacks. Any BT network line will do the job-but they must both be connected to an active line.

NittyGritty

have any of you managed to cancel sky talk due to the recent £1 increase in line rental?