Sky Cancellation

UCD Gal

I've decided to cancel my Sky account as we barely use it with Netflix and most of the channels we watch are FTA.

I went through their contact options, choosing cancel, then chose email and sent them an email giving my 31 days notice. Mentioned there was a payment due this week which would have me paid up until March 20th so I want it to end then.

I got an email back stating I had to call their call center as I was in ROI.

I emailed them back telling them I don't have a landline and my mobile is currently not working so I could not ring them and again mentioned giving my notice.

I got another email back two days later saying I had to call the call center as I was in ROI. They obviously didn't even read the email I sent them and just copied and pasted a reply.

I emailed them back again telling them I don't appreciate my emails not being read and as I stated I don't have a way to contact them at present but have given more than 30 days notice. I'm left with no other choice but to cancel the DD.

So I cancelled the DD. It's been three days since the last email and I haven't heard a thing.

Is this enough from my end? I would have thought written notice was sufficient. Surely if there is an option to email in relation to cancellation this is a valid form of notice? I'd imagine not every one in the country has a phone.

Also even if I did have a phone to use I'd be reluctant to call their 0818 number and they don't have a landline alternative so it would cost me to give notice. I've been stuck on the phone for 30 minutes plus before and also cut off. :mad:

foggy_lad

No it is not enough, their terms and conditions for the Republic of Ireland clearly state that to cancel your subscription you must ring their call centre. You should be transferred to the cancellations department quickly and they should accept your request and cancel there and then, or they will often inform people that it is better to ring and cancel a few days before their next payment date to get the value from the final payment.

You can use a payphone with a prepaid call card to ring or write to them afaik this is also acceptable for cancellations

UCD Gal

foggy_lad wrote: »

No it is not enough, their terms and conditions for the Republic of Ireland clearly state that to cancel your subscription you must ring their call centre. You should be transferred to the cancellations department quickly and they should accept your request and cancel there and then, or they will often inform people that it is better to ring and cancel a few days before their next payment date to get the value from the final payment.

You can use a payphone with a prepaid call card to ring or write to them afaik this is also acceptable for cancellations

Where do they clearly state that? I can't seem to find it anywhere.

On their site it says:

Remove a package or cancel your subscription

If you'd like to remove a package from your account or to cancel your entire Sky subscription, contact our customer service advisors and they'll be able to help you right away.

You can get in touch in one of three ways:

Telephone: Calls are free for Sky Talk customers.

Live chat: Start a live chat session with an advisor.

Email: Sign in with your Sky iD and password, and then send us a message.

That is on the Irish Sky site.

Time

foggy_lad wrote: »

No it is not enough, their terms and conditions for the Republic of Ireland clearly state that to cancel your subscription you must ring their call centre. You should be transferred to the cancellations department quickly and they should accept your request and cancel there and then, or they will often inform people that it is better to ring and cancel a few days before their next payment date to get the value from the final payment.

You can use a payphone with a prepaid call card to ring or write to them afaik this is also acceptable for cancellations

Sky couldn't possibly insist that everyone cancel by phone. What if a person has a disability such as deafness? I think it's clear that the OP has made more than enough of an effort to cancel in line with the T&C's. The only reason they want the OP to call is so they can attempt to renew the contract with a new offer.

d@rk l0rd

You do not have to ring them to cancel. You can also cancel in writing or by email, giving 31 days notice.

UCD Gal

d@rk l0rd wrote: »

You do not have to ring them to cancel. You can also cancel in writing or by email, giving 31 days notice.

Well I have emailed them twice, both times giving more than 31 days notice so in my opinion I've satisfied their T&Cs.

On both occasions I made it clear that the current payment pays me up to March 20th and that is when I want the service to end.

I've cancelled the DD. Should I contact the bank to tell them not to let any new DDs be set up or would they not allow that anyway?

The only reason they want the OP to call is so they can attempt to renew the contract with a new offer.

That's exactly why they want people to call I'd imagine. They shouldn't be able to try force you to call for the big sell though.

d@rk l0rd

Mightn't be any harm to write to their head office and remind them that you emailed them. They will ring you to find out why you want to cancel and to try to get you to change your mind. Yes, I would cancel the direct debit though you may have to pay the next month's charge if it's within the 31 days (of sending the email) and they may refund you then any part of the next month's subscription that you've paid after they cut you off, so maybe hold off cancelling it until the 31 days have elapsed.

UCD Gal

d@rk l0rd wrote: »

Mightn't be any harm to write to their head office and remind them that you emailed them. They will ring you to find out why you want to cancel and to try to get you to change your mind. Yes, I would cancel the direct debit though you may have to pay the next month's charge if it's within the 31 days (of sending the email) and they may refund you then any part of the next month's subscription that you've paid after they cut you off, so maybe hold off cancelling it until the 31 days have elapsed.

Well I sent them the email on February 13th, in the email I stated there was a payment due on February 21st which has me paid up until 20th March so I requested in the email for me to be cut off after this day, so I gave more than 31 days notice. I allowed the payment to be taken on 21st and then cancelled the DD on my online banking.

I presume that's correct and the notice I gave is ok?

d@rk l0rd

That all sounds fine to me. If they've taken payment on the 21st Feb and they're cutting you off on the 20th March then I would go ahead and cancel the direct debit. As far as I know they will write to you and you will probably receive a phone call from them too.

UCD Gal

d@rk l0rd wrote: »

That all sounds fine to me. If they've taken payment on the 21st Feb and they're cutting you off on the 20th March then I would go ahead and cancel the direct debit. As far as I know they will write to you and you will probably receive a phone call from them too.

Well they're meant to be cutting me off on 20th March. I've yet to receive a reply from them after telling them for the third time I have no way to phone them and also telling them for the fourth time I want to cancel.

d@rk l0rd

You'll probably receive a letter in the post rather than an email and it can take a while for post to come from the UK. I'd cancel the direct debit, keep copies of all the emails you sent them in the unlikely event they make an issue out of it. And write a letter to their head office too, just a few lines saying that you've emailed them (give email address you emailed and dates) 4 times and heard nothing back and wish to confirm that you are cancelling, that you have given more than the required 31 days notice, that your last payment was taken on the 21st Feb and that you want the cancellation to take effect on the 20th March.

sparksfly

Dont waste your time trying to contact them if they make it difficult. Cancel your DD and they will contact you. Then tell them to cancel the contract.

hedgehog21

Are you leaving the contract early? As you may be subject to paying penalties.

UCD Gal

hedgehog21 wrote: »

Are you leaving the contract early? As you may be subject to paying penalties.

No I signed up over 2 years ago and it was a 12 month contract so I'm out of contract and only obliged to give 31 days notice to leave.

I think I will just send a letter to their head office insisting I've given my notice and make them aware the DD is cancelled and I've informed the bank not to allow any more be set up so to cancel my service on the requested date.

loopymum

UCD Gal wrote: »

No I signed up over 2 years ago and it was a 12 month contract so I'm out of contract and only obliged to give 31 days notice to leave.

I think I will just send a letter to their head office insisting I've given my notice and make them aware the DD is cancelled and I've informed the bank not to allow any more be set up so to cancel my service on the requested date.

I tried canceling by email last year but they insisted I ring but they didn't email that back for 2 flipping weeks

snaps

There's actually a cancel sky tv section in the contact us section, which includes the email option. I can only see the email option or expensive call center option. Ive just used the email option, but the catch 22 I see is that you have no proof of emailing them a request.

lala88

wow another person who magically cant ring Sky....

snaps

lala88 wrote: »

wow another person who magically cant ring Sky....

what good is ringing them and you have no proof that you cancelled. I know a few people that rang to cancel sky, only not to be disconnected and have payments taken out of bank. Sky make money out of each phone call, why give them more money?

lala88

snaps wrote: »

what good is ringing them and you have no proof that you cancelled. I know a few people that rang to cancel sky, only not to be disconnected and have payments taken out of bank. Sky make money out of each phone call, why give them more money?

What i mean is the other day someone was trying to do the same and claimed there phone couldn't ring Sky almost like magic

wmpdd3

I rang the other day to cancel, I recorded the call. I told them I was doing it, just for my records. No issue.

Took a hell of a while to get through, though.

I rang 020 7126 7020.

Just say you called the irish number but ended up there ans refuse to call back, get them to transfer you to ROI.

Phoning the UK is cheaper from my mobile than the 0818 number.

Various sites have detailed how hard it is to cancel with SKY, you have to be very stern but pleasant of course.

Dr.Funke

lala88 wrote: »

What i mean is the other day someone was trying to do the same and claimed there phone couldn't ring Sky almost like magic

<SNIP> Watch your language please

lala88

Dr.Funke wrote: »

<SNIP> Language

oh look its the man with the magic phone himself....

snaps

so after writing to sky, emailing sky, ringing once, ive just had to spend the last 35 minutes with them again to cancel. They just don't take NO for an answer. Told them that Direct debits will be cancelled as from next month. The guy i was speaking to was doing everything to keep me, but I said I was moving abroad (Which i am), so there was no point offering me all these deals to stay.

LowKeyReturn

Folks 0818 numbers are known as universal access non-geographic numbers. Almost all of the mobile operators take these out of your free minutes first, or if you have free landline numbers, such as at the week ends, it will be free to call.

It's also free from almost every landline in the evening and even if it isn't call charges are around 6 cent a minute in the evenings/weekends. I realise not everyone is comfortable on the phone, or comfortable asserting themselves and therefore prefer to e-mail but I just thought I'd clear up the call costs myth.

It's exactly the same number to cancel as it is to sign up, so it's not as if you're being charged €1 a minute to cancel.

loopymum

LowKeyReturn wrote: »

Folks 0818 numbers are known as universal access non-geographic numbers. Almost all of the mobile operators take these out of your free minutes first, or if you have free landline numbers, such as at the week ends, it will be free to call.

It's also free from almost every landline in the evening and even if it isn't call charges are around 6 cent a minute in the evenings/weekends. I realise not everyone is comfortable on the phone, or comfortable asserting themselves and therefore prefer to e-mail but I just thought I'd clear up the call costs myth.

It's exactly the same number to cancel as it is to sign up, so it's not as if you're being charged €1 a minute to cancel.

I'm sorry to say but you are dreaming there and giving a lot of misinformation.:(

Emobiles tariff is here for example and it's 15c per minute, I have all mobile calls and landline mins and 0818 is not included.

From eircom lines it's over 5c per minute during the day also

snaps

I'm with Vodafone home. Daytime and evening calls included, but 0818 numbers like to Ryan air/sky certainly are not free or included in those inclusive calls.
Also you pay a setup fee with these numbers too, think its 9c per call.
The only network its free on is sky themselves.

Soundman

O2 charge 18.18c per minute ex VAT for 0818 calls. Don't seem to be included in your plan's minutes either.

foggy_lad

LowKeyReturn wrote: »

Folks 0818 numbers are known as universal access non-geographic numbers. Almost all of the mobile operators take these out of your free minutes first, no, they don't. Most mobile operators charge the same as calls to landlines and calls do not come out of inclusive minutes.

or if you have free landline numbers, such as at the week ends, it will be free to call.again incorrect. I have free saturday calls to all Irish Landlines and mobiles on Meteor but these non-geographic numbers are not included

It's also free from almost every landline in the evening No it's not.

and even if it isn't call charges are around 6 cent a minute in the evenings/weekends.
I realise not everyone is comfortable on the phone, or comfortable asserting themselves and therefore prefer to e-mail but I just thought I'd clear up the call costs myth.

It's exactly the same number to cancel as it is to sign up, so it's not as if you're being charged €1 a minute to cancel.

It takes a lot less time to sign up with less being bounced from department to department so the call costs less.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

wmpdd3

Tesco charge 20c per minute for these numbers according to the last call I made.

LowKeyReturn

All the operators I've listed show 0818 numbers as part of their plans. I'd query it with your operator if these are showing on your bill. Fair enough if people's practical experience is different to what is published on the mobile operators websites.