Early termination charges for leaving Sky

Ena123

Hello, I have this peculiar situation. I have been with Sky for a few years but I decided I will give it a go with somebody else. I subscribed to a contract on the 6th January 2020 with Sky and was told I have a 31 days of cooling off period. When the new router cut me off the network twice I decided I had enough and contacted a different provider on the 31st January, therefore within the cooling off period that I want to switch. Sky knew it within a couple of hours. Then the letters and emails started to come, saying I will be charged for early termination fees. I asked via Facebook whether this is true. They said no, the cooling off period lasts 31 days. I phoned this Tuesday (11 Feb) querying whether I will pay the charges. The man looked into my account, (said he ask his manager, !!!!!!, kept me on hold for minutes while I managed to read two articles) and said I will NOT pay the charges. Another e-mail came saying I will be paying charges (Friday the 14th). I have had enough. I sent a complaint email to Sky. Now I received the response that I am liable for the charges because I did not contact them first, that they learned from a different provider (mind it was within the cooling off period). I went to check the contract T&Cs now, but the page is unavailable. I don't remember any condition to contact them first with this (and be subjected to pressure tactics to stay). From all sides I heard I don't need to contact my current provider if I want to switch. 
Who is right and who is wrong? 

JJ_Egan

Sky are right you failed to give them any chance to put things right .Also failed to inform Sky that you wished to cancel under terms and conditions .

Are Sky charging you the contract charges  12 months ??

Ena123

JJ_Egan said:

Sky are right you failed to give them any chance to put things right .Also failed to inform Sky that you wished to cancel under terms and conditions .

Are Sky charging you the contract charges  12 months ??

I did not need them to put things right. Cooling off period is for changing mind. 
The contract was for 18 months, the fee does not equal to 18 monthly charges, it is about a third of that. But still a three digit value. 

Browntoa

You are wrong , you needed to advise them you are cancelling , you failed to do so

Ena123

They learned from a different provider I was leaving them. That means cancellation in an effect. We are just playing semantics now. 

Ena123

When you switch a bank account you don't need to inform your current bank you are switching. Why is this different? 

Browntoa

You've had your answer .....

You signed a contract , you adhere and follow the terms and conditions of said contract otherwise you break that contract and pay the penalties.

If you can find anything to prove that they are wrong in the terms and conditions that they sent you in your sign up email then there is your get out clause.

Go read through the terms and conditions in your email and prove us wrong

Ena123

I haven't received the T&Cs by email. All was in my account, which is still live just the section where I could access the T&Cs is unavailable at the moment. Funny coincidence. 

Ena123

Also, there is this interesting difference in wording from their emails: Sky Talk was worded as cancellation and I won't get charged for this. Regarding the broadband the word 'cancellation' is missing, they only said they were sorry I was leaving. Broadband and Sky Talk were the same package. It all was done at once. Within the cooling off period. This differentiation and word games must stop. The customer should not be charged the early exit fees if leaving within the cooling off period, regardless of how the first provider finds out. The effect is the same. They recognised it with the Sky Talk, but worded it differently for broadband. 

Chino

Ena123 said:

I haven't received the T&Cs by email. All was in my account, which is still live just the section where I could access the T&Cs is unavailable at the moment. Funny coincidence. 

Sky's broadband Ts&Cs are here:
https://www.sky.com/shop/__PDF/Sky_Broadband_Talk_UK.pdf

If you refer to the section NOTICE OF YOUR STATUTORY RIGHT TO CANCEL IN YOUR COOLING OFF PERIOD it states:
"How to cancel: Any cancellation within this timeframe must be in accordance with this notice. You

can cancel your Sky order by:

(i) calling 03442 41 44 14;
(ii) writing to Sky Subscribers Services Limited, PO Box 43, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 7DD; or

(iii) by visiting the “Contact Us” section at sky.com and completing the online cancellation form."

Boohoo

Chino said:

Ena123 said:

I haven't received the T&Cs by email. All was in my account, which is still live just the section where I could access the T&Cs is unavailable at the moment. Funny coincidence. 

Sky's broadband Ts&Cs are here:
https://www.sky.com/shop/__PDF/Sky_Broadband_Talk_UK.pdf

If you refer to the section NOTICE OF YOUR STATUTORY RIGHT TO CANCEL IN YOUR COOLING OFF PERIOD it states:
"How to cancel: Any cancellation within this timeframe must be in accordance with this notice. You

can cancel your Sky order by:

(i) calling 03442 41 44 14;
(ii) writing to Sky Subscribers Services Limited, PO Box 43, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 7DD; or

(iii) by visiting the “Contact Us” section at sky.com and completing the online cancellation form."

Not that this will help the OP but the bit I looked at about the cooling off period is 14 days.
The OP waited 25 days before they went to a new provider.