Cancelling Sky TV

pamdo

Hi. I’d been paying for Sky for my Mum using her address but my name. I had just renegotiated a reduced contract 2 months before she passed away. Because the contract is in my name they are insisting that I pay basically the remainder of the 13 months of the contract. The house will be sold shortly and I live in France so can’t have Sky TV. Seems to make no difference. Is there anything I can do? I offered to send a death certificate and proof of my residency in France but the agent said he could not waive the fee. 

Woodstok2000

Were you speaking to their bereavement team? They are generally much more helpful and have more leeway to waive fees so maybe try and get through to them if you can. 

Suzycoll

pamdo said:

Hi. I’d been paying for Sky for my Mum using her address but my name. I had just renegotiated a reduced contract 2 months before she passed away. Because the contract is in my name they are insisting that I pay basically the remainder of the 13 months of the contract. The house will be sold shortly and I live in France so can’t have Sky TV. Seems to make no difference. Is there anything I can do? I offered to send a death certificate and proof of my residency in France but the agent said he could not waive the fee. 

Hi
First of all I am sorry for your loss 

My sister passed away in November & I spoke to the bereavement team online chat.
They were amazing & sorted everything out & even waived the small amount owing.

I can't advise on your particular situation but I would try them first 

Good luck 🤞 

oldernonethewiser

I dealt with the bereavement team at Sky some years ago and they were pretty good. 

The issue, from their point of view in your case, is that the account holder is not deceased.

Might have to jump through a few hoops but hope you get something sorted. 

MyRealNameToo

An associate who wanted out of their contract reported themselves as dead (online). After the initial online form and a condolence email nothing else ever came of it. Account closed, service stopped, no request for death certificates etc. Can't say if he was in a minimum period contract or just requiring the normal 31 days notice but he wasnt asked to pay the next bill etc. 

Having told them the real situation its unlikely the trick would work unless its all done with straight through processing etc. 

Your issues is the account holder, the one with the contract, is you and you appear to be very much alive at this point and so in principle need to fulfil your contractual obligations

la531983

Ignoring the death, which is actually irrelevant here because the OP is the account holder, the OP is breaking the contract by moving to an area out of service so will need to settle the contract.

Fin.

Boohoo

pamdo said:

Hi. I’d been paying for Sky for my Mum using her address but my name. I had just renegotiated a reduced contract 2 months before she passed away. Because the contract is in my name they are insisting that I pay basically the remainder of the 13 months of the contract. The house will be sold shortly and I live in France so can’t have Sky TV. Seems to make no difference. Is there anything I can do? I offered to send a death certificate and proof of my residency in France but the agent said he could not waive the fee. 

As you are the account you are liable for the contract.

Sky shouldn't budge on this and you still need to pay for the rest of the contract.

All you can do is call them up again and see if they can reduce what package you have with them so you pay less.

You then can wait until the house is sold and see if they can do a deal to pay off the remaining contract.

Not sure what equipment your mum had but Sky may want them back or you will be charged for non return of Sky equipment.

mebu60

pamdo said:

Hi. I’d been paying for Sky for my Mum using her address but my name. I had just renegotiated a reduced contract 2 months before she passed away. Because the contract is in my name they are insisting that I pay basically the remainder of the 13 months of the contract. The house will be sold shortly and I live in France so can’t have Sky TV. Seems to make no difference. Is there anything I can do? I offered to send a death certificate and proof of my residency in France but the agent said he could not waive the fee. 

If Sky's bereavement team won't act because you are the account holder and very much alive, you could use a vpn to watch some of what you will be paying for. 

Neil_Jones

pamdo said:

Hi. I’d been paying for Sky for my Mum using her address but my name. I had just renegotiated a reduced contract 2 months before she passed away. Because the contract is in my name they are insisting that I pay basically the remainder of the 13 months of the contract. The house will be sold shortly and I live in France so can’t have Sky TV. Seems to make no difference. Is there anything I can do? I offered to send a death certificate and proof of my residency in France but the agent said he could not waive the fee. 

Unfortunately the issue here was caused by putting the account in your name in the first place.  If you'd put it in your mum's name (and then if you really wanted to pay for it you could just do a standing order into her account or something), so when the eventuality of her passing did come to pass you could use the bereavement route.

But as its in your name and you're not deceased, what seemed an easy solution at the time now reveals the problem with that approach.

I suggest you either pay it off and chalk it up to experience, or let it run (use the Sky Go app via VPN or similar) and then cancel in 13 months time.

Boohoo

Neil_Jones said:

pamdo said:

Hi. I’d been paying for Sky for my Mum using her address but my name. I had just renegotiated a reduced contract 2 months before she passed away. Because the contract is in my name they are insisting that I pay basically the remainder of the 13 months of the contract. The house will be sold shortly and I live in France so can’t have Sky TV. Seems to make no difference. Is there anything I can do? I offered to send a death certificate and proof of my residency in France but the agent said he could not waive the fee. 

Unfortunately the issue here was caused by putting the account in your name in the first place.  If you'd put it in your mum's name (and then if you really wanted to pay for it you could just do a standing order into her account or something), so when the eventuality of her passing did come to pass you could use the bereavement route.

But as its in your name and you're not deceased, what seemed an easy solution at the time now reveals the problem with that approach.

I suggest you either pay it off and chalk it up to experience, or let it run (use the Sky Go app via VPN or similar) and then cancel in 13 months time.

There maybe an issue if OP has Sky Q as neighbour of mine had her next neighbour had scaffolding all around the house as they where having new roof and extension built and that neighbour couldn't get a signal due to scaffolding and they used on demand and catch up but after a month nothing.

Contacted Sky and explained and was told that the box has to get a sat signal for Sky go and catch up to work if not the system detects an error and it stops working.

The other issue for OP is when the contract finishes and if Sky want the Q box back how will Sky send a return carton to them if they don't live at the address and if they don't sent it with in a certain time they will charge them over £100 for non return.

pamdo

Thanks for all your advice. Looks like I will have to pay up either way.