Issues with payments when leaving Sky Broadband/talk

CelticHippo

I was wondering if anyone else had had issues with payments when leaving Sky Broadband/Talk.  On the 24th May I phoned Sky to cancel my broadband/talk contract, so that the last day of service would be the 7th June.  I was told on this call that on the 18th June when my direct debit was due they would refund the money that the owed me.  I am due money back as on the 18th May, I paid for broadband/talk bill which covered me from the 18th May to 17th June so they owed me the money from the 8th to 17th June.

When I checked my bill today, it showed that on the 18th June they would be taking a payment of £25.73 to cover broadband/talk services for the 18th June to 17th July.  Then they future bills showed that on 18th July they would return this money with the money they owe me for the 8th to 17th June.  When I spoke to Sky about this they informed me that this is the way there system is set up and they could not change it so that I am refunded the money they owe me on the 18th June (as they had originally told me).  When I explained that it was not right that they are charging me for a service they are not providing me was un acceptable all they said was that I can cancel my direct debit so that they money is not taken and then phone them after this date to re-set up the direct debit so that in July they can refund me the money they already owe me.  Has anyone else experienced this?  

iniltous

TBH, if you called to simply cancel rather than migrate to another company ( so presumably you are not switching to another Openreach provider ) then it’s normally 30 days notice , so calling on the 24th May to cancel starts the ‘notice’ period, this would make around the 24th June the end of service date ( and you would be billed up to this date ) , if your billing date is the 18th of the month , I would expect on the 18th June , you would pay a full month ( even though you will only will be a customer for 6 days ) , then at some point , not necessarily the 24th July , you would be refunded the days you paid for but we’re not a customer, 25 June  to July 18th.

CelticHippo

When I called on the 24th May, it was because I had already started with a new provided and was confirming cancellation.  It was Sky who stated that the cancellation period was 14 days and when I phoned again today they confirmed that their provision of service finished on the 7th June. 

iniltous

OK, 14 days is the notice period when switching , so that makes sense ( although people are not encouraged to contact the losing provider as it can mess up the transfer ) .
If Sky have confirmed you started with the new provider on 8th June , then a refund is due 8th to 18th June , expecting it to be refunded on the 18th June seems unlikely as things like this don’t get processed that quickly , but to take another full month after you had already quit does seem stupid, and isn’t in the customer’s interest,