Sky price increase from 1st April

NeillB

Hi
Fairly certain I know the  answer to this one but its just to refresh my memory.  Im in an 18 month contract with Sky TV. Its TV only so, unlike an internet contract, if theres a price rise I don't have 30 days to leave and seek a better deal elsewhere? Im sure the  answer is no. All helpful replies much appreciated. 

dazzaofdagenham

Just been on a online chat with Sky about increase in charges....they say I cannot buy out my contract which should have its min term in may....is this correct ?

Neil_Jones

If you have TV only and Sky increase prices, you cannot leave, as it says in the T&Cs they can increase prices by up to 10% over the contract.  That's what you agreed to when you joined.

dazzaofdagenham

Neil_Jones said:

If you have TV only and Sky increase prices, you cannot leave, as it says in the T&Cs they can increase prices by up to 10% over the contract.  That's what you agreed to when you joined.

So I don’t have the option to pay off the contract and leave ?

[Deleted User]

Yes but wouldn’t that be cutting your nose off despite your face? 

Morally it is wrong to increase the price mid term. This will alienate customers long term. I will not be renewing ever again when my contract is up. 

The T and Cs are an !!!!!!. 

dazzaofdagenham

Deleted_User said:

Yes but wouldn’t that be cutting your nose off despite your face? 

Morally it is wrong to increase the price mid term. This will alienate customers long term. I will not be renewing ever again when my contract is up. 

The T and Cs are an !!!!!!. 

Sky say I don’t have the option to pay off my contract 

Neil_Jones

Deleted_User said:

Yes but wouldn’t that be cutting your nose off despite your face? 

Morally it is wrong to increase the price mid term. This will alienate customers long term. I will not be renewing ever again when my contract is up. 

The T and Cs are an !!!!!!. 

Well its been in the T&Cs for many years, "we may increase pricecs by up to 10%" and I don't see any evidence of an increase in the churn rate for Sky and the regulators are not fussed.  Subscriber numbers continue to rise.  Whether these people read their T&Cs is up for debate but...

Digital Pay TV is relatively closed competition wise, you've only got Sky and Virgin (most of the other channel providers are a subset of channels, but the full over the air channel range is only on Sky).  It's always been considered a luxury.  If you can afford it, good luck to you.  If you can't, well stick with Freeview.

[Deleted User]

It’s not a case of being able to afford it as such. 

It’s just a question of doing the right thing. Just because a company can do something doesn’t mean it should.  

It should not be raising prices mid term without any get out clause. 

The regulators need to get onto this loophole because Sky will keep doing this until they are stopped by the regulators.  

I don’t mind an 18 month contract if they stick to the agreed price at the time of signing the contract and maybe even if they said they WILL put the price up at said time by whatever amount then it wouldn’t be as bad as ‘we may increase price’ then you would know exactly what you’re signing up for. 

IIRC Sky contracts used to have a right to cancel clause mid contract if they raised prices by any amount. 

Neil_Jones

Sky could put a clause in the T&Cs saying you can only get their channels if you agree to to wear a big red nose, baggy trousers and giant shoes while watching them.  They can (and have) put what they like in their T&Cs, morals don't come into it to an extent.  Introductory rates and special deals are what they are, the whole idea is to maximise subscribers and minimise the churn rate.  Its obvious what they charge and what they incur in costs are far and between, otherwise they wouldn't dish discounts out like confetti at a wedding.  18 month contracts are no different to anything else you contract to in this life, the only difference being you cannot cancel early (and we may change prices) because that's what you agree to when you join up.  If you don't read it at the point of signing up that's your problem.

This is no different to the new clauses that have appeared in phone and broadband clauses, price will increase by x% + CPI or whatever.  They're just playing catch-up to what Sky cottoned onto years ago.  As I say, digital pay TV is a luxury.  It always has been.  So it operates in its own little way that would be completely detrimental if they applied in other sectors.  Energy is regulated differently as we all need it, and its why that has its own unique quirks - switching windows, price caps, etc - that you don't see outside of it.

TL;DR - simple solution, don't like it, don't sign up/recontract again.  Plenty of other solutions for the Sky channels if that's what you like.