Cancelling Sky hassle

MummyMoo

Thank you to everyone who replied, it means a lot to me to get other's insight into this area which I know nothing about but -as someone did say- it's an area that we are going to have to get used to going forward.

I didn't even think of how it could be used to cancel subscriptions of other people to cause trouble (really?! are some people THAT sad?!) so i'll mention that to her as she probably hasn't thought of that either.

I'm going to explain to my Grandma that this is exactly what the PoA document is for, and that she needs to prepare to do more of the same thing as time goes on. My Grandma has always been the head of the family but traditional in the sense that everything is in my Grandads name, so I'm guessing there will be a lot of things that will need attention. Vascular dementia cuts the blood supply off to the brain and can cause sudden death, so maybe by getting her accounts into order now (i.e. In her name) it will lessen the pressure when he does pass.

Thank you all again xXx

DCFC79

Yes I would definitely get the accounts in order now, start the ball rolling.

takman

Sicard wrote: »

I have had similar experiences with these scoundrels. They have a reputation of making it as difficult as possible to cancel. Of course they'll be those who may pop in and say 'I cancelled with no problem' but they're probably connected to the company in some way.

The best way is to send a letter by registered post with you grandma's signature. If you cancel dd they'll put her on the bad credit blacklist.

I've rang up and said i was my father to cancel a sky account and I didn't find it difficult at all. Yes you do get several offers of price reductions and I made some counter offers which then didnt accept so I then cancelled the account. So there was nothing difficult about it and I'm definitely not connected to the company in any way, I don't even have sky TV in my own house.

Sicard

I am well and truely admonished. However Sky must have been forced to clean up their act because up to quite recently they were notorious for making it very difficult to cancel as I found out when I tried to cancel before leaving for Africa. Forty minutes on the phone to an argumentitive female customer service operator and although I was very polite in the end I said just cancel please and put down the phone. Upon my return 6 months later and no it hadn't been cancelled. So I took the matter up with trading standards who intervened and I got it cancelled and a huge apology from the customer service manageress.

This makes quite good reading too:
Sky under investigation for not letting customers cancel

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/household-bills/11787459/Sky-under-investigation-for-not-letting-customers-cancel.html

[Deleted User]

Sicard wrote: »

Sky under investigation for not letting customers cancel

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/household-bills/11787459/Sky-under-investigation-for-not-letting-customers-cancel.html

That link is almost two years old.

Sky no longer deliberately put obstacles in the way of those who wish to cancel.

The point of this thread is that the person attempting to cancel is not the actual account holder.

I don't work for Sky.

Al_Ross

Are you really sure you actually need to cancel.That means a cease on your line ,you would loose your number and be without service for several weeks.There is also normally a large fee for this.

Normally you just need to contact your new supplier and they handle everthing,very little disruption sevices may be off for about 1 hour and you can usually keep your same phone number.

DoaM

What you're describing is correct for landline, phone and broadband services ... but may not apply for TV services - these would need to be specifically cancelled with Sky.

vikingaero

I can confirm that as an ex-Sky subscriber they make it difficult to cancel. I told the guy to cancel and put the phone down exasperated. Guess what? Not cancelled. When I called again I asked to speak to a supervisor/manager who were "all busy". Still had an agent refusing to cancel until I had listened to him. In the end I cancelled my direct debit which left an outstanding balance of about £30 as I hadn't given a months notice.

This has left a default on my credit file. Bothered? No. I have no mortgage, a few cards with zero balances and no need for finance etc. No card issuer has lowered my limits, no problem getting a mobile contract and no problem getting a lease car at the best rate.

[Deleted User]

vikingaero wrote: »

In the end I cancelled my direct debit which left an outstanding balance of about £30 as I hadn't given a months notice.

This has left a default on my credit file. Bothered? No.

A very unwise course of action which can ultimately hardly be described as money saving.

You should expect debt collectors and a trashed credit rating.

Sicard

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

That link is almost two years old.

Sky no longer deliberately put obstacles in the way of those who wish to cancel.

The point of this thread is that the person attempting to cancel is not the actual account holder.

I don't work for Sky.

Well done for spotting the blindingly obvious. Yes the link is 2 years old and as I pointed out, which your rose-tinted specs missed, was up until recently they treated their cancelling clients like scum. Now, Sky have been in operation for say 27 years, knock 2 years off of that and we come up with 25 years of them mistreating their cancelling customers. In fact it was so bad that The Telegraph conducted an investigation, amoungst others.

Your glasses also missed my point they must have cleaned up their act.

And no, I don't work for Sky.