Sky Debt Collectors

TheRunner21

Hi,

I've had a Scottish debt collector contacting me the last month over an incorrect final bill from Sky and I was wondering do I have to engage with them? Breakdown of events below.

-October 2020 I gave Sky my 30 days notice to cancel my services. Given final bill amount on phone and received email confirmation after the call with cancellation date.

-November 2020 I receive my next Sky bill and am being charged for a full month, instead of the 7 days between my billing date and cancellation date. I contact Sky a number of times by phone and Facebook Messenger enquiring about this and was told it will sort itself out before the direct debit goes out. It didn't so I cancelled my direct debit.

-December 2020/January 2021 I contact Sky a few more times and never got a new corrected bill.

-February 2021 I submit a formal complaint through Sky's site. In the option for contact preference I select email. I miss a call from them one afternoon while working and email back with times I'm available to take a call or to email me instead. Don't hear back from them

-April 2021 Debt collection agency start contacting me by phone and email with a different amount to the amount Sky billed me incorrectly. Block the calls but still receive daily emails.

-May 2021 Send another formal complaint to Sky basically asking for a correct final bill so I can pay but they replied saying only the debt collector can change the bill now as it's with them.

Is this correct? It's Sky that messed up, I don't see why I have to deal with the debt collector, and I wouldn't have thought they'd have access to Sky's system to change a customers bills.

I'm fed up with this now and just want to pay Sky the €20-odd I owe them (as I always did) and I've done more than enough to try rectify this while Sky haven't done a thing.

Thanks

L1011

Tell the debt collector there is a dispute as to the final bill and refuse to talk to them afterwards. They will eventually throw the debt back to Sky when it starts costing them money (time).

Don't answer their calls, don't read their emails and log any contact with Sky about the actual final charge.

SEPT 23 1989

Anything less than a grand put it in the bin

Bass Reeves

Friend had a similar problem. They kept ringing and he kept explaining the issue. They were ringing to a landline number. They rang this day Nd his wife answered the phone. Said they had separated and he had moved out. That ended it.

standardg60

Debt collection agencies buy these delinquent accounts from service providers as a package for a pittance and then try to bully payment of some invented amount from vulnerable people. Just ignore them, they'll soon write you off.

Darc19

standardg60 wrote: »

Debt collection agencies buy these delinquent accounts from service providers as a package for a pittance and then try to bully payment of some invented amount from vulnerable people. Just ignore them, they'll soon write you off.

That is so incorrect. Sky (and others) contract this out for an annual fee. they work on behalf of sky and will have parameters in which to work in.


It is always sky that will get whatever agreement you get to, but in many cases its best to deal directly with the company especially when its a active disagreement.


So much stuff is farmed out that you find that in most cases you are simply talking to someone on a different desk in the same building - or in one case I had, it was the same person who dealt with 2 insurance companies - one to cancel a commercial policy and one to start a new policy and to get a NCB transferred. All done for both companies by OSG in Dublin 4 - we had a laugh about it.

EverythingGood

I dont know why people cancel DD's - pay the bill, as sometimes bill cycles run during the cancellation process, then once the service is cancelled, its actually easy to get a refund for over payment.

Bass Reeves

EverythingGood wrote: »

I dont know why people cancel DD's - pay the bill, as sometimes bill cycles run during the cancellation process, then once the service is cancelled, its actually easy to get a refund for over payment.

Have you ever tried to get a refund from a utility especially television or phone providers

mondeoman72

EverythingGood wrote: »

I dont know why people cancel DD's - pay the bill, as sometimes bill cycles run during the cancellation process, then once the service is cancelled, its actually easy to get a refund for over payment.

What a load of rubbish.
I have just switched from Bord Gais to Energia. Due to being on level pay, I have a credit balance of a couple of hundred quid. There is no way on earth I am allowing that, so AIB is recalling the last 4 debits. It is easier to get a final bill of 40 euro than try and reclaim a refund of 250 euro.

nadroir

mondeoman72 wrote: »

What a load of rubbish.
I have just switched from Bord l to Energia. Due to being on level pay, I have a credit balance of a couple of hundred quid. There is no way on earth I am allowing that, so AIB is recalling the last 4 debits. It is easier to get a final bill of 40 euro than try and reclaim a refund of 250 euro.

I F(；^ω^）
N. No

Indestructable

A Scottish debt collector? I wouldn't engage with them out of principle, they're not even in the EU. What authority would they have here at all.

Indestructable

Indestructable wrote: »

A Scottish debt collector? I wouldn't engage with them out of principle, they're not even in the EU. What authority would they have here at all.

The same as they would if they were in the EU presumably.

mondeoman72

mondeoman72 wrote: »

What a load of rubbish.
I have just switched from Bord Gais to Energia. Due to being on level pay, I have a credit balance of a couple of hundred quid. There is no way on earth I am allowing that, so AIB is recalling the last 4 debits. It is easier to get a final bill of 40 euro than try and reclaim a refund of 250 euro.

I'm the EXACT SAME as you......just switched from BG to energia this week. I have a credit balance of around €100. I genuinely have no idea/ cannot figure out how they were billing me on level-pay??? My consumption seemed to be less than same months in 2019 & 2020 but bill were only going up. Though I was submitting meter readings ever 2months the bills were going crazy. Spent 40minutes on the phone to a nice lady on Tuesday........ 40minutes & I've still NO IDEA how they were coming up with their figures. Found them v frustrating to deal with..... glad to be finished with them. Even if the €100 is gone 'into the wind' I don't care....... energia have a VERY LOW bar to reach

That's how Sky work, a month after they take the final direct debit, they pay back the correction automatically. It's the same with every cancellation with them.

PalLimerick

Don't engage with them. If you do want to sort it contact Sky directly. Don't engage with any debt collector. You have no contract with them.

mondeoman72

Ken Mc Carthy wrote: »

I'm the EXACT SAME as you......just switched from BG to energia this week. I have a credit balance of around €100. I genuinely have no idea/ cannot figure out how they were billing me on level-pay??? My consumption seemed to be less than same months in 2019 & 2020 but bill were only going up. Though I was submitting meter readings ever 2months the bills were going crazy. Spent 40minutes on the phone to a nice lady on Tuesday........ 40minutes & I've still NO IDEA how they were coming up with their figures. Found them v frustrating to deal with..... glad to be finished with them. Even if the €100 is gone 'into the wind' I don't care....... energia have a VERY LOW bar to reach

Have to say, I like level pay, but like everything else, keep an eye on it. My discounts finished and my DD doubled. Rang them, no lee-way, Ok, bye!

silver2020

PalLimerick wrote: »

Don't engage with them. If you do want to sort it contact Sky directly. Don't engage with any debt collector. You have no contract with them.

you'll find that its in the terms and conditions that you agree to.

I can never see why people are so against dealing with a collection agency as they can usually sort things out a hell of a lot quicker than the staff in a contracted out call centre.

FishOnABike

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Have you ever tried to get a refund from a utility especially television or phone providers

I'm still receiving monthly bills for € -16 from a phone company for over a year now. Yes minus sixteen euro. I was overcharged by €16 in my final bill when I cancelled the service but somehow it totally escapes them to be able to pay €16 into the account they had been taking money out of by direct debit for a few years before that. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for any refunds.

L1011

If its Eir, you need to request the refund which will be paid quite quickly.

Bass Reeves

silver2020 wrote: »

you'll find that its in the terms and conditions that you agree to.

I can never see why people are so against dealing with a collection agency as they can usually sort things out a hell of a lot quicker than the staff in a contracted out call centre.

SKY used to run a scam. If you wanted to cancel you account or needed changes to it you had to dial an 0818 number. It cost 10-20c/ minute. If you got through you had to maybe get transferred through 2-3 departments. They be trying to pawn you off with a new deal or an upgraded box that would cost you more money.

They still persisted in trying to charge you for a box by telly you that you owned the box, then we if you cancelled they would want the box back. You could not deal with anything to do with contract cancellation or reducing service online or by email. It got easier for many people to just cancel the standing order

The J Stands for Jay

L1011 wrote: »

If its Eir, you need to request the refund which will be paid quite quickly.

No, I rejected the final direct debit with sir and managed to get the corrected final bill paid quite easily.

L1011

McGaggs wrote: »

No, I rejected the final direct debit with sir and managed to get the corrected final bill paid quite easily.

I was replying to the person who has been receiving a bill for -€12 for months from a former telecoms provider.

Greyfox

FishOnABike wrote: »

I was overcharged by €16 in my final bill when I cancelled the service but somehow it totally escapes them to be able to pay €16 into the account they had been taking money out of by direct debit for a few years before that. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for any refunds.

Its quite simple really, companies like Eir would prefer to keep the money which is what happens with loads of people who dont bother requesting a cheque.

Gooser14

mondeoman72 wrote:

What a load of rubbish. I have just switched from Bord Gais to Energia. Due to being on level pay, I have a credit balance of a couple of hundred quid. There is no way on earth I am allowing that, so AIB is recalling the last 4 debits. It is easier to get a final bill of 40 euro than try and reclaim a refund of 250 euro.

Obviously you haven't been monitoring your BG bills & payments. All you have to do is call BG & ask them to refund the excess amount to your bank account.

Dempo1

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Anything less than a grand put it in the bin

Personally, I'd make a paper plane out of it and see if it reaches Scotland.

Ten Pin

Its quite simple really, companies like Eir would prefer to keep the money which is what happens with loads of people who dont bother requesting a cheque.

Comreg made a ruling about similar practices by VM....

Virgin Media Ireland to refund over 100,000 customers after telecoms watchdog ruling
...
Virgin was continuing to charge customers after services were cancelled. It then failed to refund customers.

It has affected 265,000 Virgin Media broadband and television customers over the six-year period.

Virgin has until March 31 to repay the 107,000 outstanding customers that have not had a credit applied or which have left the service. The average customer refund will be €33.
...
Comreg also said the practice of retaining the credits goes against sections of the Communications Regulation Act 2002

https://m.independent.ie/business/technology/virgin-media-ireland-to-refund-over-100000-customers-after-telecoms-watchdog-ruling-39874983.html

mondeoman72

Gooser14 wrote: »

Obviously you haven't been monitoring your BG bills & payments. All you have to do is call BG & ask them to refund the excess amount to your bank account.

No, on the contrary, I spotted it straight away. I rang them asking how my discount was only 2 euro this month and they told me it only applied for a couple of days and then expired. I asked to be put back onto discount, bill to be amended and any hello credits available.
Answer was discounts ok, but the rest a big fat no. So went online, shopped around and found better deals. I'm not waiting around for them to credit me back, so charged back the last 2 months DD's. Now when they correct the bills, I will have a liability of about 40 quid. I will pay that straight away. The alternative is apply for a credit refund and hope they do it in a reasonable time frame. Obviously, not a great solution, so chargeback easier and less hassle.

Gooser14

mondeoman72 wrote:

No, on the contrary, I spotted it straight away. I rang them asking how my discount was only 2 euro this month and they told me it only applied for a couple of days and then expired. I asked to be put back onto discount, bill to be amended and any hello credits available. Answer was discounts ok, but the rest a big fat no. So went online, shopped around and found better deals. I'm not waiting around for them to credit me back, so charged back the last 2 months DD's. Now when they correct the bills, I will have a liability of about 40 quid. I will pay that straight away. The alternative is apply for a credit refund and hope they do it in a reasonable time frame. Obviously, not a great solution, so chargeback easier and less hassle.

Do you mind telling me how long you were with BG before the stopped your discount. The reason I ask is that I'm out of contract with Iberdrola tomorrow & was thinking of switching to BG as they are currently the cheapest for me. I was with BG previously & found them OK.

mondeoman72

Been with them a few years now. After discounts expired, signed up in wifes name and triggered the discounts and hello money. This year cannot do that. The current bill has discounts for only 2 days and they would not change it, so moved the lot to energia.

Gooser14

mondeoman72 wrote:

Been with them a few years now. After discounts expired, signed up in wifes name and triggered the discounts and hello money. This year cannot do that. The current bill has discounts for only 2 days and they would not change it, so moved the lot to energia.

Thanks for that. It is fairly standard that one has to move supplier as soon as the contract expires else they will charge the full unit rate from the expiry date. As I said earlier I am currently with Iberdrola on 32.5% discount but they would only offer me 26% discount on their standard unit price of 21.82c day rate & 11.17c night rate (ex VAT) if I stayed with them. Their standing charge would be Eur 219.33 pa.

Gooser14

Gooser14 wrote: »

Thanks for that. It is fairly standard that one has to move supplier as soon as the contract expires else they will charge the full unit rate from the expiry date. As I said earlier I am currently with Iberdrola on 32.5% discount but they would only offer me 26% discount on their standard unit price of 21.82c day rate & 11.17c night rate (ex VAT) if I stayed with them. Their standing charge would be Eur 219.33 pa.

Like I posted earlier......I just this week changed from BG to Energia.......I had taken my eye off the ball & was getting hammered these last few months ......... it'll never happen again.....in future the plan is to change providers EVERY 366 days

mondeoman72

Ken Mc Carthy wrote: »

Like I posted earlier......I just this week changed from BG to Energia.......I had taken my eye off the ball & was getting hammered these last few months ......... it'll never happen again.....in future the plan is to change providers EVERY 366 days

Dont need to do that exactly. You sign up this year, then next year, if the price is right, your wifes name goes on it, then if possible, and the price is right, your name the following year, etc etc etc.

TheRunner21

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I told Sky I wouldn't be dealing with the debt collectors and if they sent me the corrected final bill I would pay ASAP.

I got an email back a few days later stating that they looked into the account and sorted it out and waived the charge because of the inconvenience, after previously being told only the debt collector can amend the account now. So it obviously depends on who you get, and I appreciate it being sorted.

The debt collectors are still emailing daily so I'll have to chase that up with them to check with Sky.

Glad it's finally sorted now though. Have spent hours on this over €20-odd.

ClosedAccountFuzzy

If they keep emailing, despite the issue being resolved, just report them as spam to your email provider.