Sky won't release blocked landline..

mcguinnr

I wonder if someone has experienced this. I've just moved into a rented property, but the previous tenant has left an outstanding debt on their Sky account. Sky have blocked the line (all numbers called on the landline go through to Sky customer services, with an automated message demanding payment).

Sky have told me that they will only unblock the line for me if I both pay the outstanding debt AND take out a Sky broadband/talk package! Surely this can't be right - I can understand them wanting a debt settled but insisting on releasing the line being contingent on taking out a Sky product sounds like blackmail..

Anybody been faced with anything like this?

DoaM

Contact Ofcom?

mcguinnr

As a last resort I might have to! I'm trying to query it again, this time with Sky Live chat to see if I get a different response and the advisor I was speaking to earlier has this wrong..

Owain_Moneysaver

Ignore the Sky landline.

Get a new line installed from another provider - if you look around you can find ones that don't charge a connection/new line fee.

And

all numbers called on the landline go through to Sky customer services, with an automated message demanding payment

sounds like a flagrant breach of data protection law, disclosing that a customer hasn't paid their bill to all and sundry who phone up.

AndyPK

Just sign up with someone else!

mcguinnr

I want to sign up to NOW TV broadband/talk, Andy but they said I need to get Sky's block lifted first (even though it's a Sky service, which makes this all more than a bit ridiculous!)

I'm going to try and contact each of them again, to make sure I get the same responses before deciding what to do next.

pmduk

Check this thread.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4698403/sky-blocking-change-of-provider-due-to-arrears-can-they-do-this

Blackpool_Saver

Can't be right that, so you could move to new property and not be able to have a landline because someone else hadn't paid????

iniltous

You could ( if you wanted ) just use a company other that Sky/Now TV, but if you really want to use them , then they hold all the cards , because they don't have to provide service to you if they don't want to, and if they make a condition of providing service, clearing someone else's debt , then although it patently unfair , what can you do...TBH why would you want to use a company that asks you to do this ?
I wonder if they suspect that you are in fact the 'old' account holder , and that you are trying con them into providing service again . even if it's not true , if may be difficult to get them to budge if they think that.

mcguinnr

Thanks, everyone. The Ofcom general conditions should work in my favour, I guess - particularly as I'm not the debtor here? I've offered to send the lease agreement to Sky but they don't want to know - the previous tenant also left a debt with the electricity supplier, but an emailed .pdf of the lease had me up and running with a new account in minutes.

NOW TV broadband is by far the best value for my needs at the moment, and this nonsense is frustrating to say the least. I'll post again if I make any progress..

micky2phones

Hi, i thought Now Tv was Sky.

Also when i left Sky for Now Tv there was an overlap and when on the phone to them (sky) giving my name and d.o.b they mixed the two accounts up, had to get them to back track give account number first.