Changes in Sky contract: 31 days notice soon needed to downgrade package

Mayo Exile

Got a letter from Sky this morning indicating upcoming changes in the contract. It seems from April you will have to give them 31 days notice if you wish to downgrade your package. Not sure when this will kick in exactly. The date on the flyer simply said April 2010.

Up to now you could change your package every 30 days, and it was done there and then. Not any more it seems. This could catch people out in May. Alot of people remove the Sports pack from their accounts when the Premier League football ends and then turn it back on again in August for the new season.

MisterAnarchy

Sneaky move by Sky.

dmeehan

Mayo Exile wrote: »

This could catch people out in May. Alot of people remove the Sports pack from their accounts when the Premier League football ends and then turn it back on again in August for the new season.

we'll just have to remember to ring sky to cancel sky sports on the first of may

cc

this was one of the few things I really liked sky for. Was nice to be able to turn sports, movies on and off at will.

dmeehan wrote: »

we'll just have to remember to ring sky to cancel sky sports on the first of may

already putting a reminder in my phone

enfant terrible

Thanks for the warning will cancel on 1st of May

Mayo Exile

The Premier League ends Sunday May 9th, so under these new terms you'd have to notify Sky around 8th of April to have the Sports Pack removed from your account as the season ends I'm guessing.

Upgrading your package wasn't mentioned in the letter, so I'm assuming you can add the Sports back on to your account just as the footy starts again.

BArra

would i be right in thinking you have the right to cancel sky completey with this change to terms and conditions

ie you are in middle of a 12 month contract, u dont accept this ammendment, so sky would have to cancel the lot with the customer incurring zero penaltys, including having not to pay up remainder of the contract?

gtg60

The bloody GITS! I just rang to downgrade my multiroom viewing and I was told it'll take 31 days and I haven't even received a letter about it!

As usual Sky are a law unto themselves :mad:

Mayo Exile

I'd challenge them about that! Out of the house at the moment, and I'll confirm later on if I can, but according to the letter I got, these new terms take effect 6 weeks from the date of the letter (18 February for me).

Minstrel27

BArra wrote: »

would i be right in thinking you have the right to cancel sky completey with this change to terms and conditions

ie you are in middle of a 12 month contract, u dont accept this ammendment, so sky would have to cancel the lot with the customer incurring zero penaltys, including having not to pay up remainder of the contract?

Good point. I will try cancelling closer to the time with this information.

Our man in Havana

When I cancelled the HD mix, you had to give 30 days notice. It was not downgraded straight away.

Kristopherus

My advice for anyone who is cancelling is to do it via mysky@bskyb.com. That way you will not get annoying calls from sky offering all sorts of useless deals.

Mayo Exile

Mayo Exile wrote: »

I'd challenge them about that! Out of the house at the moment, and I'll confirm later on if I can, but according to the letter I got, these new terms take effect 6 weeks from the date of the letter (18 February for me).

Had a look again at the letter. Appears to deal with specifically downgrading your TV package. No mention of multiroom etc. However the last paragraph (in bold) mentions these changes starting six weeks after receipt of letter, which would be roughly be the start of April 2010. April 2010 is also on the accompanying leaflet, which details the changes in the contract. Sections are: 2b and 2c.

2b now begins: "You can select a different service. If any change will result in a reduction of your subscription payment you must give us at least 31 days notice."

Mayo Exile

As BArra has already asked above, could you cancel Sky even within the minimum term, under sections 10 and 11 of the contract if you are not happy with these contract changes?

danois

i got the movies for the kids at xmas and keep forgetting to cancel it but am i right in thinking that you pay in advance so do they downgrade you instantly or do they leave it active for as long as you have payed for already?

I paid them last week so dont want to cancel this week if movies will go straight away but i have paid in advance for the month if you know what i mean.

Sorry if that doesnt make sense for some reason stuff that makes sense to me usually doesnt to others lol

thanks

Minstrel27

Mayo Exile wrote: »

As BArra has already asked above, could you cancel Sky even within the minimum term, under sections 10 and 11 of the contract if you are not happy with these contract changes?

I will know the answer to this either today or tomorrow.

Rick_

danois wrote: »

i got the movies for the kids at xmas and keep forgetting to cancel it but am i right in thinking that you pay in advance so do they downgrade you instantly or do they leave it active for as long as you have payed for already?

I paid them last week so dont want to cancel this week if movies will go straight away but i have paid in advance for the month if you know what i mean.

I added Sky Sports for 1 month and was told to ring on 10th Feb to cancel it. When I rang I was told my payment came out of my account on 6th Feb so I have already entered into another months subscription which is fully paid for so I would be best ringing again on the 17th to cancel to make sure the direct debit is for the right amount. I have since forgot to ring them again to cancel but don't want to as I would like to have access to the channels seeing as I have paid for a month and might as well watch them just in case something comes on I want to watch.

If you ring and ask what day you have to ring up and cancel on they should advise you on the best day so if you want to keep them for the month you have paid for you can, or if you cancel today they will be taken off and any money you have paid is refunded to you, minus the days you did have access to the channels.

MarkK

Eternal Wonderer wrote: »

When I rang I was told my payment came out of my account on 6th Feb so I have already entered into another months subscription which is fully paid for so I would be best ringing again on the 17th to cancel to make sure the direct debit is for the right amount.

I think the Sky person was spinning you a line to put you off cancelling there and then.
I doesn't really matter that it was too late to stop the direct debit for that month, you would have got a credit on your next bill refunding the overpayment.

Our man in Havana

It does seem that this 31 day rule is already in effect. At the moment it is being selectively enforced depending on the mood of the agent.

When I called them to remove the HD mix, they were adamant that you must give 31 days notice. I called on the 11th of January with my DD date on the 28th of January. My January payment included a pro rata charge for days up to the 12th of February when they eventually cut off my HD channels.

Bond-007

Bond-007 wrote: »

When I cancelled the HD mix, you had to give 30 days notice. It was not downgraded straight away.

I think thats because you pay in advance for the month as opposed to a month in arrears.


Now I wonder will they be fair like and require a months notice before switching on...subscribers to new more money for sky packages :pac:

marclt

My experience has been that if you try to cancel after a payment has been made, the sky rep will usually encourage you to stick with the package and ring back at a later date to cancel.

I've never done that. I've always demanded that the package be removed straight away. This has always resulted in a credit on the next bill.

I imagine that this new notice period is an attempt to end Sky having to credit customers accounts. Not sure why, it's not like they are actually giving the money back! It is just being accounted for in a different way.

It will of course put people off cancelling, because most people are busy and won't plan ahead for when they will or won't watch television - well I'm not anyway :rolleyes: !!!

Mayo Exile

Mayo Exile wrote: »

As BArra has already asked above, could you cancel Sky even within the minimum term, under sections 10 and 11 of the contract if you are not happy with these contract changes?

I remember back in the analogue days that if the terms and conditions and/or pricing were changed while you were still under contract, the new terms or pricing wouldn't apply to you until you were out of contract.

Mayo Exile

Downgraded my TV package today (removed Sports) without any hassle, so the contract changes haven't come into effect yet. Anyone else receive letter about this?

channelsurfer2

did anyone find out if you can cancel your contract within the 12 months due to the new changes?

miss_daisy

Minstrel27 wrote: »

I will know the answer to this either today or tomorrow.

Does anyone know if you can cancel inder such circumstances? I want to try to cancel my subscription but Im still within contract.

Cheers