Mis-sold Sky contract, where do I stand?

Paulie_G

Hi, I'm currently in dispute with Sky and would like to get some advice.

The background is that a friend of a friend works for Sky, and gave me a friends and family code entitling me to 50% discount for 12 months. Because I live in an apartment block, I had to get my package through a third party reseller called DAS Technology. After speaking to their sales guy, who confirmed that my code was valid and entitled me to 50% off, I went ahead and got the full Sky HD package. That was about 8/9 months ago...

In the second month, I noticed that I'd been charged the full amount for the first two months. A call to Sky and I was assured that my account would be credited and my bill amended. Suffice to say, it wasn't. I made several such calls over the following months and each time they had no records of my previous calls and gave me a different answer each time. Meanwhile, I was still getting charged the full amount.

I finally decided that enough was enough and cancelled my direct debit. I spoke to Sky about it and, eventually, they told me that I had to go back to DAS. Cue another dozen phone calls ending in promises of a call back... Finally, I found out that DAS had a record of my sale with the discount code, but for some reason they had not passed that over to Sky's billing department. They assured me that they would contact Sky and sort it out. Later, DAS called me back and told me that I needed to contact Sky to get it sorted out.

So, I called Sky, and they told me that, rather than be credited for the overpayments that I've made, they will start a new 12 month contract from now with 50% off. I don't think that this is acceptable, since I would never have got Sky in the first place unless I'd got that discount, and now I've paid 8 months at full whack. It's my belief, therefore, that I was mis-sold the package in the first instance. To say now that they'll start a new 12 month contract takes the Michael really, because I'm not even sure that I want Sky for another 12 months - I hardly ever watch it anyway!

I'd like to know if anyone has any advice for me. Does this situation sound reasonable to you? The failure of DAS to do what they said has resulted in me paying over the odds (I should have only paid the equivalent of 6 months full whack, but paid 8 months) and potentially ties me into a much longer contract than I wanted. I think that DAS should compensate me somehow but I'm not sure if I'm within my rights to ask for anything, or how I should go about asking.

Thank you for reading. I would welcome any and all advice that anyone could offer me.

HappyMJ

8 months is a bit late to complain about it. Once the wrong payment comes from your account you cancel the direct debit and ask the bank to refund it to you then get Sky to resolve the problem. They do things much quicker if they are not being paid.

As you hardly watch it anyway try cancelling the direct debit now and see what Sky will do.

Paulie_G

Thanks for the reply HappyMJ. I agree - 8 months is a bit late to complain about it, but I raised my concern initially in the second month. When they told me that my account would be credited and they would resolve the issue, I had no reason not to believe them. It's just taken this long to finally get some action taken!

I've already cancelled the direct debit and Sky has been cut off. They sent me a letter saying that I'd be charged an early cancellation fee. They're now saying that I have to pay the balance and start a new contract. It's not Sky who are at fault here though, it's DAS. Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Gratis

HappyMJ wrote: »

8 months is a bit late to complain about it. Once the wrong payment comes from your account you cancel the direct debit and ask the bank to refund it to you then get Sky to resolve the problem. They do things much quicker if they are not being paid.

As you hardly watch it anyway try cancelling the direct debit now and see what Sky will do.

What Sky will do is cut off the service, trash the OP's credit rating and pursue the OP through the courts for the unpaid balance of the year's contract. In full and with interest and legal costs added.

As the OP has pointed out; the OP's grievance is with DAS, not with Sky. DAS didn't pass on the discount code to Sky.

Some would consider it important not to do anything that could cause problems at work for the person who passed on the code in the first place.

A wise course of action would be to accept Sky's offer (if that still stands, after what has taken place) of a new contract for a year at half price and pay the outstanding amount before things get nasty. Sky itself did nothing wrong and a further half-price discount might not be offered by Sky in four months' time.

macman

Cancelling the DD is the worst thing you can do. You remained in contract with Sky and they will pursue the debt.