SKY no dish, no signal so how do we cancel contract?

macman

OP's Mum was originally on a contract with Sky at the old house (if I understand correctly). So Sky offered a free home move service? But if they're unable to supply a service at the new address, is Mum not liable for the remainder of any minimum term still left to run at the time she moved?
Presumably Sky, just like VM, do not guarantee a service at every UK address.

[Deleted User]

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

I am asking on behalf of my mum. She recently moved house (2 months ago) and signed up to a new contract with Sky for her BroadBand, Phone and TV. However the area she is in does not allow her a signal for the TV!

macman wrote: »

OP's Mum was originally on a contract with Sky at the old house (if I understand correctly). So Sky offered a free home move service? But if they're unable to supply a service at the new address, is Mum not liable for the remainder of any minimum term still left to run at the time she moved?

Okay, if the OP's mother was already with Sky and simply moved to a new residence then a free home move service should not have started a new minimum term contract.This is obviously crucial information missing from the opening post.

Again, a telephone call to Sky Customer Service should be able to thrash all this out in about two minutes. Of course, if Sky are providing telephone and broadband then this won't be so easily cancelled as the non-existent television service.

Crisp_£_note

Thanks for all the help so far.

Greatful thanks Moneyineptitude for clarifying my OP to those who missed the points!

duchy wrote: »

Ignoring the hijack and replying to the OP.



Why you'd ask the Ariel man rather than just ask Sky bemuses me

Nobody asked the ariel man I dont live with or near my Mum anymore either and as she is not technicaly minded (to her this is something technical that my father would have dealt with in the past) and he was presumably being very patient and trying to be helpful to an OAP.

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

My thoughts too, especially as the "aerial man" has completely confused the issue.

OP just needs to ring Sky Customer Services and explain that no service has ever been received (and cannot be).

I dont consider hes confused anyone hes just tried to help.

macman wrote: »

OP's Mum was originally on a contract with Sky at the old house (if I understand correctly). So Sky offered a free home move service? But if they're unable to supply a service at the new address, is Mum not liable for the remainder of any minimum term still left to run at the time she moved?
QUOTE]

My mum moved out of her old address over 2 years ago and therefore cancelled and payed any old outstanding contracts. Since then she has lived between family whilst battling berevement and searching for a new house (my Dad died almost 4 years ago now). So it wasnt a simple home move but a new contract.

She signed up for Telephone and BroadBand and as she couldnt get much from standard Freeview but still had her old Sky Boxes she decided to try and get Sky or at least FreeSat as this was simpler to keep all 3 services on 1 bill but without the satelite dish she cant get either on her TV and any 'normal' reception is poor (she bought several brand new Flatscreens with Freeview enabled and they hardly receive even the basic 5 channels connection is fine but viewing is limited although nothing wrong with picture quality or sound etc so its not the TV and other houses in the area / street can obviously get TV without a dish).

Appreciative thanks for all the help so far. I will have to write to Sky on her behalf I think as she gets so confused and frustrated and I dont live close enough to just pop in and sort it out for her to be there for security checks etc. Wish there was a way she can add me to account as authorised to talk to / deal with the account as one can at a Dr Surgerey would make things slightly easier (my brother lives about an hour away from her but hes little help with stuff like this doesnt give her or it tiany patience!)

Ainat

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

Thanks for all the help so far.

Greatful thanks Moneyineptitude for clarifying my OP to those who missed the points!

macman wrote: »

OP's Mum was originally on a contract with Sky at the old house (if I understand correctly). So Sky offered a free home move service? But if they're unable to supply a service at the new address, is Mum not liable for the remainder of any minimum term still left to run at the time she moved?
QUOTE]

My mum moved out of her old address over 2 years ago and therefore cancelled and payed any old outstanding contracts. Since then she has lived between family whilst battling berevement and searching for a new house (my Dad died almost 4 years ago now). So it wasnt a simple home move but a new contract.

She signed up for Telephone and BroadBand and as she couldnt get much from standard Freeview but still had her old Sky Boxes she decided to try and get Sky or at least FreeSat as this was simpler to keep all 3 services on 1 bill but without the satelite dish she cant get either on her TV and any 'normal' reception is poor (she bought several brand new Flatscreens with Freeview enabled and they hardly receive even the basic 5 channels connection is fine but viewing is limited although nothing wrong with picture quality or sound etc so its not the TV and other houses in the area / street can obviously get TV without a dish).

Appreciative thanks for all the help so far. I will have to write to Sky on her behalf I think as she gets so confused and frustrated and I dont live close enough to just pop in and sort it out for her to be there for security checks etc. Wish there was a way she can add me to account as authorised to talk to / deal with the account as one can at a Dr Surgerey would make things slightly easier (my brother lives about an hour away from her but hes little help with stuff like this doesnt give her or it tiany patience!)

Quickest thing I can help you with - You can speak to Sky on your mothers behalf. In order to do that she needs to set up a password with them. To set a password call customer services, she will need to pass the ID check (normally full name, DOB, etc.) and then she can request to set a password - she chooses, can be anything. Once that password is set, next time you need to call tell the advisor that it's your mums account, but you have the password, and they will be able to discuss most aspects of the account with you. There are still certain things the advisor isn't allowed to discuss, but most things can be discussed with you if you have that password.

Secondly - if it's a new account set up at the address (i.e. not a simple home move), she shouldn't be charged for the t.v. until the t.v. service goes active. The initial install should have been free of charge. When getting an independent installer out Sky can recommend installers in the local area, but these installers are able to set their own installation costs.

I would set this password up asap, so you can speak to the advisors. That way you can call them without your mother needing to be in the same house to pass the security checks. I would check to see if the viewing cards have been activated. Advisors can see this on their screens. If the VC have been activated, as far as Sky are concerned the channels are being received, thus chargeable. Unless you tell them otherwise, they will assume all is okay. Though the cards shouldn't have been activated if there's no dish.

The quicker you can sort this, the better. I'm guessing you (or someone) has spoken to Sky about this account - therefore there should be info on the account on the system. Each time a member of staff goes into an account it leaves their ID code on the account, and each member of staff should leave a brief, simple note to state what they have done in the account - therefore evidence you have the issue. For a new account you are also within your rights to cancel within the first 30 days. If you do just leave it for too long though it looks a bit weird. I mean, if you called up in a few months time say, they would (understandably) question what took so long to get in touch.

Of course, if there is no issue with the phone line and that is working fine, expect to be in contract with that for the 12 months. If the t.v. isn't working (and you've even had that independent installation guy out - you have tried the options) you shouldn't be stuck in a contract for a service you can't receive.

Hope some of that is helpful...

[Deleted User]

Crisp_£_note wrote: »

I will have to write to Sky on her behalf

Just ring them up, it will be far quicker and any queries can be dealt with there and then.

Colin_London

I hope Sky will let her out of the landline / broadband contract - if it has been sold as part of a package including TV then surely they cannot force her to maintain a less cost efficient phone and broadband only service because they can't provide the TV.

This would be a problem if she wanted an additional TV service via Youview and Talk Talk or BT Infinity as they require the phone and broadband service to be transferred in order to get the additional (non-Freeview) subscription channels.

Twisted_Cherry

I experienced a similar situation some years back. Took out Sky TV but could not get a signal because of trees. Only of course I was not aware of this until the Sky installer came out. He even said that there was no point in putting the Sky Dish on a poll as the trees were so high. I called Sky explained this and the contract was cancelled.

Moneymaker

The Sky contract allows 30 days to cancel. Write a letter of cancellation to Sky; get mum to sign it; be sure to list all relevant information (but don't ramble and don't ask questions). Post letter by Recorded Delivery to the Livingston address. Keep a copy with the proof of posting.

Cancellations
Sky Subscriber Services Ltd
PO Box 43
Livingston
West Lothian
EH54 7DD

prowla

Sky didn't complete the installation, so they can't validly charge for the service.

It's just a matter of getting them to realise this.

The 30-day cancellation route seems like good advice to me.

penrhyn

A week has passed, has the OP tried to talk to Sky?
I find a quick tweet to the SkyhelpTeam usually points me in the right direction.