Sky wont let me cancel a new order

MykMallett

I have seen countless similar complaints about Sky and their broadband/router lies and nonsense so I will keep the background brief:

I ordered Sky on the 14th with the explicit promise that I would be online by the 29th. I rang today to find out when my router was coming (as it is supposed to be here a few days in advance) and was told that they they wont even start processing my broadband order until the 29th and that I wouldn't be online for at least 7-10 days following this. I basically feel that they have lied to me to get me to sign up and judging from the other forum posts from members suffering similar problems, they are a terrible company to deal with and I just want none of it.


So I asked to cancel, they told me that I couldn't cancel as the order was 'past the point of non return' and that I would have to ring back on the day of my activation and cancel then as then starts a '1 day cooling off period'.

I don't believe a word of this. Firstly its completely absurd and secondly, there are reports of people being locked into a contract once the activation date has passed.

What should I do? Anyone know of the cancellation system in place?


Thanks

intranix

You have 14 days to cool off, today is day 13 so I would just persist and if they refuse, ring up trading standards today

yrp01

Well ensure you go through to cancellations and if they refuse to cancel escalate to a manager and inform that you were missold if that fails.

jeremy.darroch@bskyb.com

Inform the Ceo and go from there

macman

Since it's BT OR who provision your phone/broadband service, not Sky, the choice of provider is largely irrelevant.
OR are a mystery wrapped in an enigma and move only at a speed that they determine-they do not answer to the retail customer.
If you cancel, you'll simply go to the back of the queue with your new provider.

MykMallett

I have rang up again and insisted on speaking to a manager and they too could not cancel the order as it was too close to the activation date and so they told me repeatedly that the cooling off period lasted for 31 days and that there was no problem me cancelling on wednesday. They then said that they would put a note on my account about it too. I wanted to record the conversation but my phone is too rubbish to let me.

I will email the ceo now regarding this and my absolute disbelief that a company can possibly continue to lie to their prospective customers. Thanks

MykMallett

macman wrote: »

Since it's BT OR who provision your phone/broadband service, not Sky, the choice of provider is largely irrelevant.
OR are a mystery wrapped in an enigma and move only at a speed that they determine-they do not answer to the retail customer.
If you cancel, you'll simply go to the back of the queue with your new provider.

My issue is them point blank lying to me. Had they been truthful with regards to when I would be online I would have taken that into consideration. As it happens them lying to me has left me having to work in a starbucks for another 2 weeks. Its possible another provider would have given me the same length of time (although I doubt it), however at least I would have known.

macman

No provider can guarantee a provision date, because it's out of their hands. If you signed up at the door or at a street stall, the agents (who are on commission only) will says whatever it takes to get you to sign up.

iniltous

Some providers do order broadband and line connection as a combined delivery, so BT/OR have the same required by date on the pstn order and the broadband order so when the line is installed, the broadband is also available, the broadband is pre connected before the installation date for the pstn service, some providers on the other hand order a line, and only when that is in and working do they issue the order for broadband, so building in an extra delay...thats nothing to do with BT/OR is the way that Telco choses to issue orders, the problem is if they suggest, or tell porkies, and say they order both services at the same time, but dont, which seems to be the case with the OP

MykMallett

macman wrote: »

No provider can guarantee a provision date, because it's out of their hands. If you signed up at the door or at a street stall, the agents (who are on commission only) will says whatever it takes to get you to sign up.

Regardless, this is not acceptable behaviour is it? Balls out lying to customers is not on and I dont want to deal with companies that do it! This blind acceptance that salesman lie to you is absolutely the reason why Sky can get away with it.

kwikbreaks

I agree with macman (as usual). Cancelling now would be a big mistake and delay the start of your service considerably - especially if Sky were slow releasing their tag which would prevent any other ISP from even starting their process.

You may get some initial satisfaction by cancelling but it will just be medium term grief waiting for your new ISP then probably long term grief if your next choice ISP turns out to be useless. Sky CS + TS may be poor but their LLU product is one of the best ADSL deals you'll get.

macman

MykMallett wrote: »

Regardless, this is not acceptable behaviour is it? Balls out lying to customers is not on and I dont want to deal with companies that do it! This blind acceptance that salesman lie to you is absolutely the reason why Sky can get away with it.

So until this happened, you were somehow under the impression that Rupert Murdoch was the reincarnation of Mother Theresa?
Sky didn't get 10m+ customers by being the most equitable company around.