Our new Sky Haggling guide - please share your feedback

[Deleted User]

Wortle wrote: »

Hi. I am not bothered about the phone number. Never used it. However what on earth are termination costs, also I was looking at the Post Office deal and they say we need a new line anyway and will charge £20 so had factored that in, and assume that is the restart cost you mention?. Thanks for replying.

Cancelling BB/LR can end up in Open Reach terminating the line which will then require starting up again, sometimes at a cost to the consumer.

Why do the PO think you need a new line? Not that £20 is deal breaking.

Wortle

Hi, so there wont be "termination costs" per se. I was concerned that there might be some small print. No idea about the PO deal havent progressed anything yet, just put that into their system and it came up as that in the quote, I didnt progress it any further.. Thanks for the heads up tho as I hadnt considered that. Probably best to web chat sky after half term when I can think!

nickc84

Called today, previously had 75% off and was paying £6 per month.

Now agreed to pay £13 a month for Entertainment plus HD for 18 months. Also had to pay £10 admin fee, they wouldn't budge at all. The admin fee is what I feel most aggrieved by but nevermind

Slaphead

Trying to get a similar thing done on Sky and not getting very far.

robb84

Really easy 2nd year in a row haggle with sky

Last year reduced standard BB to £13 a month inc line rental

Today they tried to renew for standard BB £0 and Line Rental £18.99 p/m

Bit of haggling using topcahsback Talk Talk Fibre £19.95 p/m and £75 back which over 18 months was £359 - the £75 making £284 over 18 months making it £15.77.

Offered Fibre for £6.01 a month for 18 months line rental for 12 months at £8.99 then £18,99 for the remaining 6, free fibre activation (£50)

Total saving £421.98

mgns

Wortle wrote: »

Hi, so there wont be "termination costs" per se. I was concerned that there might be some small print. No idea about the PO deal havent progressed anything yet, just put that into their system and it came up as that in the quote, I didnt progress it any further.. Thanks for the heads up tho as I hadnt considered that. Probably best to web chat sky after half term when I can think!

I'm a bit unsure by your comments whether your other half only informed Sky that you were willing to leave or if you actually gave a full blown notice to cancel. If it was an actual notice to cancel then I would echo Colin_Maybe's comment that you need to halt the cancellation process as soon as possible – it is not worth the potential hassle for the reasons previously listed.

In my experience, this year, the Sky Call Centre didn't really care whether I was willing to switch providers or go further and cancel altogether. The offers were pretty small discounts.

However, the online chat team were far more responsive and I was able to renew the following on a 12 month contract:

Sky Talk Line Rental - £8.99 p/m (Offer is £10 Discount off £18.99 Line Rental)

Sky BB Unlimited (Non Fibre) - £0 p/m (Offer is Free BB)

Be careful and make sure to clarify in any chat that there aren't any hidden charges such as the £2.50 monthly 'Supplement for not having Sky TV' or the one-off £10 Admin fee.

It may take a few different online chat attempts and some polite negotiation though, to get what you want.

Again, I would strongly recommend halting the cancellation notice - at least Sky should make you another offer when you phone them.

editor1

ALWAYS CHECK BEST POSSIBLE DEALs BEFORE HAGGLING!

Seems I've shot myself in the foot a little with regards getting best possible deal out of Sky when complaining about price rises at end of Contract cycle - interesting to get feedback as have 14 Day Cooling Off period.

Long and the short of it, I have Sky Broadband 17Mb Unlimited, Line Rental and Anytime Calls, following price increase during last Contract cycle in March this year had initiated Cancelling contract as well as a few other games, managed to get the above contract for £16.99 a month, although had tried to get that down below the £12 mark based on an outdated Anytime Call offer they'd offered someone, many succeed, I failed, but £16.99 for a decent service mean't i could not really complain as was playing games with them in all honesty.

Now, the deal negotiated in march was coming to an end in January and my payments increased by £10.00, which was not desired - had previously looked at Now TV Offer and thought they were offering about £17 a month for same service I had with Sky - transpires it actually £14.63 a month with cashBack applied.

So, silly me gets onto Sky chat with the 17 quid figure stuck in my head. Anyhow, first they offered me a deal for £20.50 a month knowing i was using MSE for best rates guide - stated this was unacceptable as could change to Now TV for 17 quid a month and would do so - they then came back with the original deal I'd struck in march, namely £16.99 a month, which I accepted, whilst noting this was a new deal and hence had a 14 day cooling off period from today.

Now, and given good service from Sky sine I've been with them, am i daft to try and get the Bill down further knowing I don't really want to move to Now TV and don't really wish to have to deal with Cashback offers that on many occasions don't pay out - never happened to me previously, but there's a first for everything.

So, there you go, I'm on £16.99 a month inclusive of BB, Line Rental and Anytime Calls and paying a lower price than 12 months ago, which will continue for another 12 months?

Actually, i'm quite happy with this, but always keen to get other Posters opinion when it comes to cutting costs.

Del55

So tried my first haggle with sky via online text chat.

I am currently on an old variety package and I've just been too lazy to do anything about it until now: variety bundle, hd pack and sky sports F1 - paying £46.50 a month

Had a bash and this is the best they offered which I know is ridiculous

- Entertainment £20
- box sets £5
- HD £5
- kids £5
Total £35 pm and then cinema for an extra £10 for £45 on an 18 month contract so I said no way.

What do you think my best move next should be? Try phoning or just go straight to cancelling?

editor1

@Del55,

it depends if you are still in an actual Contract, or free of a contract, if free of a Contract or in final few weeks of contract your next move is simple, notify Sky of your intent to leave them, its at this stage having given 'real' notice that the Retentions team gets involved and these are the folks who can make decent offers - also know exactly what you want and the cheapest cost an alternative provider will supply them for.

Del55

editor1 wrote: »

@Del55,

it depends if you are still in an actual Contract, or free of a contract, if free of a Contract or in final few weeks of contract your next move is simple, notify Sky of your intent to leave them, its at this stage having given 'real' notice that the Retentions team gets involved and these are the folks who can make decent offers - also know exactly what you want and the cheapest cost an alternative provider will supply them for.

Thanks for the advice @editor1, I've been out of contract for ages. I actually got forwarded to the retention team but it's still not great
- entertainment - £20
- kids £5
- hd £5
dropping box sets - total £30 + free sky q upgrade. I was thinking that I should get at least sky cinema included for £30 pm, or be paying less if cinema is not included. Any opinions?