Cancelling my Sky Contract

in TV MoneySaving
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14wrence14wrence Forumite
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I was wondering if anyone has any advice for cancelling a Sky Contract.

Almost 17 months ago I joined sky after seeing a good deal available.  I only actually wanted, Broadband, Freeview, and Netflix, but this package gave me Sky Q too and worked out cheaper than Virgin.  I spoke to a salespeople and was told fibre broadband via Sky was not available in my area, but that normal broadband should be fine for my purposes.  However it never was fit for purpose so when the price was hiked later in the year, I used the opportunity of a price hike to release myself from the deal.  The representative on the phone call at the time said that the price hike was associated to broadband only though so I could only leave the broadband side and they made me stay in contract for TV until the contract ended (Next month).

Yesterday I tried to cancel the TV deal that had in my eyes finally ended only to discover that I was now in contract until March 2022!  It seems an in box “Add-on” of the kid’s TV in September 2020 had bound me into a new contract, I had no idea about this at all I thought I could add the kids TV and remove as I wanted to, however I had somehow unwittingly and unknown until today signed up to Sky Signature.  Yes, they sent me an email to confirm this, which they say I had read, but I do not remember opening and certainly did not read it fully.

Only after looking back through emails today, I found and read said email and it is ambiguous at best - at the top it states, “Your Add-on is confirmed” and that it was £6 per month, a £2 discount and so now £4 per month was the predominant text , I clearly at the time didn't notice ay of the further small print.

I was then informed by Sky yesterday that my situation is to get even worse – as they are removing the original offers from 17 months ago original deal.  I am therefore now paying for Sky TV basic package and sperate Virgin Broadband, much more than if I had a top, sports and movies TV package.

The best they offered so far is for me to sign up for another 18 month contract with new offers, for TV I don't even use or need.

Can anyone help with this, do I have any grounds at all?

it has come at a very bad time for my family after the pandemic, and I really can not afford it at all.

Replies

  • They are known to be underhand in this sort of thing. There is an offer to sign up for free Discovery plus for 12 months but i darn’t click activate as i would have to agree to the terms and conditions which are invariably be in Sky’s favor. 
    Maybe a letter to the chief exec?
  • JJ_EganJJ_Egan Forumite
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    Confused .
    You have both SKY TV  and separate  broadband from Virgin .
    Dont want tv you can pay the remaining  months off .
    How long is your VM contract for ?? cheaper to pay that off ??
  • pbartlettpbartlett Forumite
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    complain to sky and then ofcom that sky signed you upnto a 'signature' contract without your agreement.
  • southsidergssouthsidergs Forumite
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    pbartlett said:
    complain to sky and then ofcom that sky signed you upnto a 'signature' contract without your agreement.
    Seriously? Not reading terms & conditions is a completely different thing from not agreeing, why can people not just take reeponsibility for their own actions these days?
  • iniltousiniltous Forumite
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    Although it’s being wise after the event, but if the ‘add on’ was £6/month, and they discounted it to £4/month, I would be thinking what’s the ‘quid pro quo’, it may have not been made explicit but they don’t knock money off for no reason, a new minimum term is usually the ‘cost’ of any discount 
  • 14wrence14wrence Forumite
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    JJ_Egan said:
    Confused .
    You have both SKY TV  and separate  broadband from Virgin .
    Dont want tv you can pay the remaining  months off .
    How long is your VM contract for ?? cheaper to pay that off ??
    Yes Had to Get Virgin for Broadband as Sky was not fibre and didnt work well.  
  • 14wrence14wrence Forumite
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    pbartlett said:
    complain to sky and then ofcom that sky signed you upnto a 'signature' contract without your agreement.
    Seriously? Not reading terms & conditions is a completely different thing from not agreeing, why can people not just take reeponsibility for their own actions these days?
    I am having to take responsibility.  even though I blame underhand / not transparent marketing.  Of course also me not having your wise intellect.  Thanks for the useful comments.
  • 14wrence14wrence Forumite
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    pbartlett said:
    complain to sky and then ofcom that sky signed you upnto a 'signature' contract without your agreement.
    pbartlett said:
    complain to sky and then ofcom that sky signed you upnto a 'signature' contract without your agreement.
    Hi Pbartlett, I am going down this road.  thanks for the advice.
  • 14wrence14wrence Forumite
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    iniltous said:
    Although it’s being wise after the event, but if the ‘add on’ was £6/month, and they discounted it to £4/month, I would be thinking what’s the ‘quid pro quo’, it may have not been made explicit but they don’t knock money off for no reason, a new minimum term is usually the ‘cost’ of any discount 
    Yes I didn't think anything of it at the time.  Just thought they were trying to sell the add on.  they are always trying to sell on add-ons for movies, sports etc at discounted rates.  However now I know what it means I would urge others to check the small print.
  • southsidergssouthsidergs Forumite
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    Undehand/non transparent? Everything is there for you to read when doing it yourself. In effect you want to complain to them that you never read the terms when ordering, I'd be interested to know why you think that's something to complain about
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