Abuse of DD

calgary1

I have a Fixed rate contract with Sky Tv 24 months. Recorded call and in writing. Set up 30/03/25 before April price rises. Upcoming prices rises were part of the recorded call and advisor in wales specifically said there would be no price rises for 24 months whatsoever. Got this in writing. Sky took higher price from my bank account! After several months I got refunded. This reiterated my contract terms. Told them I did not expect the same to happen this year. It has happen again! Increased my DD by 14% despite me being in a fixed rate contract and them admitting that I was charged in error last year. Did not receive any communication from them btw or I would have contacted them soon. I have been very ill and have just noticed the increased DD. I have had enough of them taking what they want from my bank account. Any advice? I need to get to the right person to sort this once and for all. It’s theft.

Woodstok2000

This is what the direct debit guarantee is for. Complain to your bank.

Ayr_Rage

Sky do not do fixed price contracts, that's the bad news.

What they offer is a fixed DISCOUNT for the period of the contract, so the underlying base price can and does rise, often in April, it is in their Ts and Cs.

Head off to the Sky customer forums for more information, you aren't the first to get caught out by this quirk.

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82119484#Comment_82119484

Since the bank can't speak to Sky on the customers behalf this advice is beyond useless. If the bank did a chargeback that put a debit on the customers account, this would either be charged again or end up in the Sky services being suspended and then Sky won't talk to the customer until the full amount owed is paid off and a new mandate setup.

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82119564#Comment_82119564

Correct, I presume that the agent made a big boo boo especially if it was in a chat which was saved. Joining in March should have pushed the April rise back a few months but if Sky refunded or credited the extra amount after a review then they (again) presumably accepted this. Unfortunately their systems are automated and it's applied the increase regardless. @calgary1 is going to have to contact them again and quote the previous conversations.

It's not theft though…

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82119604#Comment_82119604

The advice was based on how we fixed a recent similar issue with Sky. Bank refunded the amount charged in error, Sky contacted us and issue was sorted after a couple of weeks. No service interruption, no account suspension, no more issues.

calgary1

I have already contacted the bank who advise to cancel the DD and to pay the agreed amount by SO.
The thing is Sky were all over me to set up this contract ahead of imminent rises and specifically said there would be no price rises during the 2 year contract. It’s the only reason I agreed to it. I could not care less whether I have sky TV or not. When they tried to implement a rise rise last year I referred them to their own recorded call and they had to back down and refund me. The thing is I have this deal in writing too so yes someone might have made a boob but it’s their problem not mine. On this basis the same must apply to this years ‘rises’. So it is theft. Now on top of this is there some sort of ceiling on price rises? I thought it was 10%, my ‘rise’ is 14%. Oh and I received no notification of it either. How can anyone agree to anything without a ceiling in place? Win or lose this I will never agree to another Sky contract. They should be called Sly.

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82119604#Comment_82119604

Chargeback has nothing to do with DD guarantee process. Relates to a totally seperate payment method.

OP has not mentioned if they received anything from SKY in relation to increased price. Which would mean that DD guarantee would fail. As they had infirmed them of the new price. If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit the organisation will notify you (normally 10 working days) in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. 

https://www.directdebit.co.uk/direct-debit-guarantee/

Ayr_Rage

@calgary1 the only payment methods that Sky accept are DD or Continuous Card Payment.

Depending on your billing date attempts to pay manually or by STO could result in those payments not arriving on time, therefore they will not go against your current bill but sit as a credit for use against the next bill.

Cancelling a DD will cause you a lot of grief and if a payment is missed your services will be suspended and you will then be unable to contact Sky without paying the due balance AND setting up a new continuous payment method.

Have a look here

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Account-Billing/bd-p/skyvip

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82119484#Comment_82119484

This is dangerous advice. If Sky billed the customer with the new amount, in good time, its perfectly fine and the DD Guarantee shouldnt be invoked.

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82119870#Comment_82119870

Except sky didn't bill the right amount. The issue happened last year, Sky agreed it was an error and refunded the money. If its the same error, a refund is due. If thats not forthcoming the direct debit guarantee allows the consumer to get it via their bank.