Our new Sky Haggling guide - please share your feedback

jimmyc1163

Just cancelled my sky subscription after 3 years with them. At the end of our first 18 month contract I called them, said I wasn't happy with the price increase and was offered a few quid off each month so I was paying slightly less than before, so I signed on for another 18 months at £46 (TV base package + broadband).
This time however no such luck. I called 2 weeks ago, a few days before the end of contract, and said I wasn't happy with the price increase (now up to £53/month). I was told the only option now would be to sign on to "sky signature" and was given the big sell about how it now includes lots of things that used to be extras (mainly box sets). Box sets has never really been an interest for us, we have Netflix & Amazon so plenty to watch there, if it was something we needed I would have paid for it. But now Sky's position was it's "included" as part of the base package, but the monthly price was now £59/per month (£26 for TV, £26 for BB & £7 for HD). So basically I was being forced into paying for something I don't want. I told them I was looking at Virgin, who for £49 would give me everything I need plus a 300mbps broadband speed, compared to Sky's 35mbps. The advisor's reply was basically "yeah but it's not Sky." I told them I was going with Virgin and would call back once I'd arranged the Virgin installation. 

Called back today, got put through to cancellations, went through the whole thing again and was given the exact same offer (that I didn't want) as before. I gave them the 31 day notice and cancelled. 

It would seem that Sky once cared about keeping their customers, but now they just believe their own advertising

PZ19

jimmyc1163 said:

Just cancelled my sky subscription after 3 years with them. At the end of our first 18 month contract I called them, said I wasn't happy with the price increase and was offered a few quid off each month so I was paying slightly less than before, so I signed on for another 18 months at £46 (TV base package + broadband).
This time however no such luck. I called 2 weeks ago, a few days before the end of contract, and said I wasn't happy with the price increase (now up to £53/month). I was told the only option now would be to sign on to "sky signature" and was given the big sell about how it now includes lots of things that used to be extras (mainly box sets). Box sets has never really been an interest for us, we have Netflix & Amazon so plenty to watch there, if it was something we needed I would have paid for it. But now Sky's position was it's "included" as part of the base package, but the monthly price was now £59/per month (£26 for TV, £26 for BB & £7 for HD). So basically I was being forced into paying for something I don't want. I told them I was looking at Virgin, who for £49 would give me everything I need plus a 300mbps broadband speed, compared to Sky's 35mbps. The advisor's reply was basically "yeah but it's not Sky." I told them I was going with Virgin and would call back once I'd arranged the Virgin installation. 

Called back today, got put through to cancellations, went through the whole thing again and was given the exact same offer (that I didn't want) as before. I gave them the 31 day notice and cancelled. 

It would seem that Sky once cared about keeping their customers, but now they just believe their own advertising

Now you have cancelled is there an offer in your “mydeal” ?

DonRustone

jimmyc1163 said:

It would seem that Sky once cared about keeping their customers

Reading the last few pages and my own experience now seems to suggest that as well.
I rang up to see what they could offer and there was very little attempt to offer a deal or even give specific numbers beyond a vague £80/month for what I currently had.
Asked to cancel and got put through to Cancellations; thought this would be where all my research on deals would be put to use, but instead the guy just processed the cancellation and renewed the broadband (which was an acceptable price and actually became £2 a month cheaper because I was cancelling TV!).

To be fair I have only been paying £6/month for Sky, Netflix, UHD, Multiscreen (never used) etc etc thanks to buying a TV during Black Friday 2019, but I thought they'd at least run through what it would cost to continue.
More disappointing is that they want the Sky Box sent back once the contract has ended. I thought you at least got to keep the box and just had very limited functionality. Will be interesting to see if I get sent any offers in the next few weeks.

marco44

DonRustone said:

jimmyc1163 said:

It would seem that Sky once cared about keeping their customers

Reading the last few pages and my own experience now seems to suggest that as well.
I rang up to see what they could offer and there was very little attempt to offer a deal or even give specific numbers beyond a vague £80/month for what I currently had.
Asked to cancel and got put through to Cancellations; thought this would be where all my research on deals would be put to use, but instead the guy just processed the cancellation and renewed the broadband (which was an acceptable price and actually became £2 a month cheaper because I was cancelling TV!).

To be fair I have only been paying £6/month for Sky, Netflix, UHD, Multiscreen (never used) etc etc thanks to buying a TV during Black Friday 2019, but I thought they'd at least run through what it would cost to continue.
More disappointing is that they want the Sky Box sent back once the contract has ended. I thought you at least got to keep the box and just had very limited functionality. Will be interesting to see if I get sent any offers in the next few weeks.

Jimyc1163 When I renewed my contract they offered me a new Sky Q box. But I refused this offer because I New they would ask for the box back if I cancelled my contract. With the old box you get to keep it. 
Hopefully they will get back to you with a better offer. 

mjd2020

Looking generally at our finances to see if/where we can cut costs or at least, not have our costs increase, I looked today at our Sky account for the first time in some time. I discovered to my horror that our monthly payment of £49 for our phone/broadband/TV package was due to increase this month to £68 and then up to £91 - almost double! The word I would use for my mood when I discovered this, this morning, would be "incandescent". The account is in my partner's name so she phoned them this afternoon and told them we would be cancelling our contract immediately it ends in mid-June. They immediately offered to reduce the increase, giving us a monthly fee of £62, but my partner held her nerve (having once worked in a retentions department herself!) and we came away with our monthly price unchanged at £49 for another 18 months, with our only "loss" being that we'll now be paying for phone calls rather than having them inclusive. But I think we've probably used the landline for about 18 minutes in the 18 months we've been in the house. Pretty happy with the result and with not increasing the Murdochs' profits...

cornishgirl1

I have a similar experience, been with sky nearly 22 years, had a black Friday deal, my bill is going up £18 from £52 to £70, rang Sky the best they could do was £66, so I cancelled tv & broadband on the 5th May. I've not had any offers, is that unusual, I thought they got back to you with a good deal? I don't use my landline but have checked my emails and texts (I have sky mobile).

jimmyc1163

So an update for you all. After cancelling Sky on the 7th I waited for an offer to come through my account. It didn't. However on the evening of the 11th May I had a call from Sky asking for feedback on why I'd cancelled. I explained mainly due to cost and the representative was much more useful than the previous two, he seemed to have access to much better offers than those I'd been previously offered. One thing he did ask was "if I'd seen any offers advertised" which prompted me to check Sky's website and sure enough on the deals page of the public site (not logged in to my account) there was an offer for Sky Signature + Superfast Broadband + Netflix for £43. I mentioned the offer to him and sure enough my bill was instantly reduced. After a bit more haggling I now have Sky Signature + Superfast BB + Netflix Ultimate + UHD & HD for £48/per month, and they're sending me an updated UHD Sky Q box for a £25 admin fee, although they've put a £25 credit on my next bill, so essentially free. So much more than what I had before for £1 less than what I'd been previously offered. Needless to say I cancelled my cancellation and now saying with Sky for another 18 months, thanks to MSE's haggling tips!

paul2louise

we have been with sky for around 15 years. Our 18m contract had expired last month but my OH pays it and hadnt notced the increase initially.  We were paying £69 /month for sports, family and entertainment. No BB or phone, just a tv package. Anyway i called last night to asked what deals they could do.They guy said he could reduce to £55 but i held out and said no cancel it. So now we are playing the waiting game. I have sky plus and dont want sky Q so not sure what deals they can offer. TBH might be worth leaving them and having a deal with another TV provider like netflix BT or NOW tv for a change. OH says sky sports not as good now. 

PZ19

paul2louise said:

we have been with sky for around 15 years. Our 18m contract had expired last month but my OH pays it and hadnt notced the increase initially.  We were paying £69 /month for sports, family and entertainment. No BB or phone, just a tv package. Anyway i called last night to asked what deals they could do.They guy said he could reduce to £55 but i held out and said no cancel it. So now we are playing the waiting game. I have sky plus and dont want sky Q so not sure what deals they can offer. TBH might be worth leaving them and having a deal with another TV provider like netflix BT or NOW tv for a change. OH says sky sports not as good now. 

You may get call or you may get offers on your account www.sky.com/mydeal.  Signature about £18, Sports about £14-19..so should make a big saving hopefully.  Good luck

redmalc

Just managed to get the following on a eighteen month contract for £55 per month, i was paying £79 per month
Sky Entertainment, Ultimate and Netflix,Sky Kids,Sky Sports complete, Sky Sports HD, Sky HD. Multiscreen