Sky box no longer working - can they keep me in contract?

summer_solstice

I have been a sky customer for around 7 years. About 18 months ago the box started showing 'no signal' I phoned and told them I didn't want to pay for an engineer to visit and access the situation/replace parts of the dish/box set up. That the box they supplied should have been fit for purpose for 6 years, and that if they wouldn't send someone out to sort out the issue for me, then I wanted to cancel the service. They sent someone out free of charge, tv worked for about a week, had to call them again - this went on for about 4 visits from engineers until they replaced the dish and it worked again.

Last August we decided we didn't really need to be paying the subscription each month - we didn't watch all that many channels, and it was too expensive for the benefit. We phoned to cancel and the retentions department have said that they would give us the same service for £5 a month as long as we kept the service for 12 months.

Now the box is back to displaying 'no signal' I've phoned up and they've said that I need to pay £65 for an engineer to look at it. The sky service isn't worth £65 to me, so I said no, just cancel it. They offered an engineer for £30 , I said no, just cancel it - I've been a customer for 7 years, and if they could do the engineer visit for free a year ago, then they should do the same now since I'm a longstanding customer, or else cancel the service.

They have said I need to continue to pay the £5 monthly and then remember to cancel the service in August when my contract ends. Can they continue to charge me for a service that I have no way of actually using?

I get that there might be no way out of it - but thought I'd check here before conceding!

Thanks in advance
SS

Swipe

Sounds like your dish has moved or the LNB has failed.

poppasmurf_bewdley

Sky gave you a free engineers visit to keep you as a customer. Then they gave you a very good discount to keep you as a customer. This later deal involved a new 12 month contract.

Now you have a contract, they don't need to offer you any freebies to keep you as a customer.

It's swings and roundabouts. You've had two of one, and now you have one of the other.

On the whole, you seem to have been treated very well by Sky, and don't like it now you have to pay for something.

summer_solstice

Swipe - thanks, I've been researching what that means online to see if I can readjust/sort the issue myself to last until I'm free to cancel in August.

poppasmurf - your reply wasn't exactly helpful was it? I'm aware they've given me a good deal in the past - I don't actually NEED the service though - when I last rang to cancel, it was because I genuinely wanted to cancel - I was spending too much for the little benefit I got. Now I'm going to either pay £30-65 to have someone fix the service, or I'll be paying £5pcm until August for a service I'm not getting at all! Why would I seek to spend extra now on a service I was ready to cancel last August?!

poppasmurf_bewdley

summer_solstice wrote: »

Swipe - thanks, I've been researching what that means online to see if I can readjust/sort the issue myself to last until I'm free to cancel in August.

poppasmurf - your reply wasn't exactly helpful was it? I'm aware they've given me a good deal in the past - I don't actually NEED the service though - when I last rang to cancel, it was because I genuinely wanted to cancel - I was spending too much for the little benefit I got. Now I'm going to either pay £30-65 to have someone fix the service, or I'll be paying £5pcm until August for a service I'm not getting at all! Why would I seek to spend extra now on a service I was ready to cancel last August?!

Because you were succoured into a contract to gain a very cheap deal. Now it doesn't suit you, you're complaining you don't want the service. If you didn't want the service, you should have cancelled it last August. As you took the deal instead, you will have to see the contract through.

Sorry it's not what you wanted to hear. The info I gave you is and was factual, even if it wasn't helpful - to you.

suicidebob

summer_solstice wrote: »

Why would I seek to spend extra now on a service I was ready to cancel last August?!

Maybe for the same reasons you decided to extend your contract by another 12 months? To keep watching Sky.

prowla

If it's your Sky box, you can probably pick up a replacement one for little or no money.

macman

As above, they're cheap as chips on ebay, and hundreds to choose from.
The box is never leased, it's yours from day one, and like the dish and LNB, once the 12m warranty ends, any maintenance or repair costs are down to you.
Equipment failure does not void your minimum term contract, because it's your equipment, not Sky's.

Swipe

Buy a replacement LNB before the box though, they cost about £10 odd. Might be worth trying someone else's box first though to see if theirs works on your dish to rule out a faulty box.

teddysmum

If your tv broke , you would not expect to be able to be able to tell the BBC that, unless they repair/replace it ,you will not pay your licence fee. (Of course, without a tv, you wouldn't need to buy a licence, but you wouldn't expect to blame the BBC)

wiogs

teddysmum wrote: »

If your tv broke , you would not expect to be able to be able to tell the BBC that, unless they repair/replace it ,you will not pay your licence fee. (Of course, without a tv, you wouldn't need to buy a licence, but you wouldn't expect to blame the BBC)

Not necessarily the case.

You do not need a TV to be required to posses a licence. You just need to be watching TV as it is broadcast, for example via a PC.