Sky direct debit Issue

[holidayqueen]

Hi In October 2020 I cancelled my sky subscription. It took me a long time on the phone to get it done. My direct debit was €73 monthly. This week I was going back over my bank account searching for another payment. I notice that a payment of €773 was taken out of my account. Now I know that this was 2 years ago and I did not notice it at the time but is there anything I can do now to get it back. I was not in any contract. I was not told of a payment of that size at the time.
Is it too late to do anything about it now

 

[jpd]

€ 773 or € 73?

When cancelling Sky, you have to give a month's notice and your sub is taken a month in advance

Without dates of when you cancelled and the notice period started and when the paymewnt(s) were take, it is difficult to give any meaningful advice

 

[Pinoy adventure]

They also bill for any equipment not returned too them.

 

[ClubMan]

Why don't you just call them and ask them about it?

 

[holidayqueen]

773 was taken so I’m thinking that they took 10 extra payments . I did not know they charge for anything not returned and my box was very old.
Yes I have been trying to contact them and get some information on it.

 

[Early Riser]

They also bill for any equipment not returned too them.

I think this only applies to Sky Q equipment?

 

[JD2021]

If the €773 was taken over 10 months , it sounds like the DD wasn't cancelled, if you gave notice and were out of contract, the DD should have ceased , bar maybe a final month. If you retained proof of the cancellation, perhaps an email confirmation, I'm sure they'll be reasonable.

Can't comment on wether you would be obliged to return equipment but that would be a separate matter. Alternatively if you were actually still in contract and cancelled 10 months early , Sky would continue to take DD or a lump sum. Giving notice to cancel if fine if out of contract.

Just a humble guess mind you on what I think has happened.

 

[ClubMan]

Alternatively if you were actually still in contract and cancelled 10 months early , Sky would continue to take DD or a lump sum. Giving notice to cancel if fine if out of contract.

I was not in any contract.

 

[JD2021]

Not quite , regardless if you were out of contract , the contract rolls over until such time you cancel it, much the same as a mobile phone contract, providers don't just cut your number off if your contract was up.

I'm simply saying if you gave notice and were out of contract fine but if still in contract an early termination fee would apply albeit providers normally take that as a lump sum.

If you have proof you gave notice and were out of contract, chase it up.

 

[ClubMan]

Not quite , regardless if you were out of contract , the contract rolls over until such time you cancel it, much the same as a mobile phone contract, providers don't just cut your number off if your contract was up.

I presume that they mean that they were no longer in a contract minimum period. While within such a period, usually 12 months, cancellation will generally involve an early termination charge. Outside the minimum period, normally 30 days notice is sufficient to cancel without penalty.

I think that the only way that the original poster will get clarity about the €773 charge is to query it with Sky.

 

[holidayqueen]

Yes It was taken in a lump sum and I did cancel over the phone and gave my months notice so I will follow it up but they are very difficult to make contact with

 

[ClubMan]

but they are very difficult to make contact with

Same with almost all service providers in my experience this year, unfortunately. Virgin Media being on of the worst.

 

[JD2021]

Yes It was taken in a lump sum and I did cancel over the phone and gave my months notice so I will follow it up but they are very difficult to make contact with

I believe the fact it was taken in a lump sum they took an early termination fee. I'm not doubting you were out of contract but this is what Sky has done.

Again, as long as you can prove & confirm

A. When you first signed up or Entered/Extended into a new contract.

B. Date you requested cancellation (assuming you were in fact out of contract)

Email Sky with the facts, including the money taken & Date it was taken & go from there. Also have your old account number, likely on old bills.

I would also put your bank on Notice.

I don't know who regulates Sky in Ireland, others may know but also lodge a complaint with them.

Sky took an early termination fee, that I'm not in doubt of, why is going to be the question & if done in error, getting it refunded, the challenge.

Finally if they are on Twitter, I've found other companies react to complaints quicker on there, stick to the facts.

Good luck.

 

[Early Riser]

When you first signed up or Entered/Extended into a new contract.

Occasionally someone may not realise they are entering an extended contract, eg, if contacting Sky to look for a discount or deal. These are almost always offered on the basis of a new 12 month contract (even if the offer or discount is not for 12 months).

Sky Chat may be a quicker way to contact them than the phone. But I do not know how effective it may be for an issue like this. (https://www.sky.com/help/articles/contacting-sky)

Probably best to contact SKY first and establish what it is about, and if they can offer a solution, before complaining to a Regulator.

 

[JD2021]

Occasionally someone may not realise they are entering an extended contract, eg, if contacting Sky to look for a discount or deal. These are almost always offered on the basis of a new 12 month contract (even if the offer or discount is not for 12 months).

Sky Chat may be a quicker way to contact them than the phone. But I do not know how effective it may be for an issue like this. (https://www.sky.com/help/articles/contacting-sky)

Probably best to contact SKY first and establish what it is about, and if they can offer a solution, before complaining to a Regulator.

Completely agree and I suspect this is what has happened here. I saw it alot in the mobile phone business were folks took a discount but got locked into 12 month contract after initial contract ended. On moving or cancelliing, they get a surprise.

Hope I'm wrong but this has all the hallmarks of an early termination fee, hence the lump sum debited.

 

[Leo]

Occasionally someone may not realise they are entering an extended contract, eg, if contacting Sky to look for a discount or deal. These are almost always offered on the basis of a new 12 month contract (even if the offer or discount is not for 12 months).

Agreed, most service providers now will look to get you to agree verbally to a contract extension if you contact them for any reason, and some don't make it all that clear in the language used.

 

[ClubMan]

Agreed, most service providers now will look to get you to agree verbally to a contract extension if you contact them for any reason

"For any reason" is very misleading.
"If you make a change to the service package" would be more accurate.

and some don't make it all that clear in the language used.

My experience, with many different service providers, is that they always make it clear if a new fixed term contract is going to start and that there's a cooling off period.

 

[Leo]

"For any reason" is very misleading.
"If you make a change to the service package" would be more accurate.

No, I have been on the phone with a service provider on more than one occasion regarding service faults when I was asked questions like 'I see you are on plan X, are you happy to continue with that service?' The agents confirmed that agreeing would have seen me committed to a 12 month contract.