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March 28, 2024, 09:19:56 PM

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Cancelling Sky subscription

Started by Pinball, September 17, 2021, 11:07:08 PM

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Pinball

Despite negotiating a reduction in the monthly payment over the phone, I think I'm nevertheless going to cancel my Sky subscription, as it's still high IMO.

I was worried about the 'new contract' they verbally mention for you to get the 'deal'. Does this mean I'm stuck with it now for 18 months or whatever? What if I just cancel my direct debit? Anyone had experience with this?

I got a Sky Q box a couple of years ago but it's a poorly made small plastic box, gets very hot (PSU inside the poorly ventilated non-conductive plastic box- what could possibly go wrong?), and I'm on my 4th box as the internal HD fries (naturally they don't use SSD).

Glebe

I'm cancelling my Sky subscription.. for and hour.

Cold Meat Platter

tell them you're a ticking timebomb.


touchingcloth

I think if you've agreed a continuation of services over the phone, whether or not you're able to cancel will depend on the specifics of your previous contract and the terms that Sky offers, either in general or for your package specifically.

Brand new contracts are always subject to a legal minimum cooling off period of 14 days where you can cancel without penalty, but the same doesn't necessarily apply when contracts are renewed, though some suppliers do offer similar or equivalent cooling off periods.

Call them and ask. I absolutely wouldn't recommend cancelling a Direct Debit and trying to ignore them and hoping it all goes away. Sky have much less to lose than you do, and will almost certainly start the debt collection wheels rolling automatically.

Rev+

You've sort of answered your own question.  You're not tied to a contract because they've not given you the terms of any contract you'd be tied to.  Verbal can be disputed, you need wet ink.

Cancel the DD ant tell them to pick their shit up if they want it.  They probably won't, so give it six month and sling it in a skip.


touchingcloth

Quote from: Rev+ on September 18, 2021, 12:46:44 AM
You've sort of answered your own question.  You're not tied to a contract because they've not given you the terms of any contract you'd be tied to.  Verbal can be disputed, you need wet ink.

Cancel the DD ant tell them to pick their shit up if they want it.  They probably won't, so give it six month and sling it in a skip.

You very much don't need wet ink. They'll have recordings, and once any dispute has been passed over to a debt collection firm it's pointless to try fighting it unless your pockets are very deep and you want to prove a point.

That might not be true, but it's a possibility to be prepared for.

BJBMK2

I used to work at Sky, doing this exact thing.

I can confirm that the bastards are more then happy to send debt collectors round, in regards to missed payments in contract periods. I didn't see it TOO often, but it does happen.

Sadly, I have no insider tips or tactics for how to get better/cheaper deals. They were introducing Sky Q as I left, and everything is probably so different now. It doesn't shock me to see the prices getting higher and higher, which you'd think, considering the marketplace for On Demand content now is so competitive, that wouldn't be the case. Who's gonna pay £50-60 a month or whatever the non contract price is, for a shitty, underpowered Sky Q box, when you get Netflix, Prime, etc, for peanuts.

Beagle 2

Yeah, you'll be tied down to a contract unless you specifically ask for a more expensive rolling contract (as I've just done). I want to get rid, I don't even understand what we're paying for at this stage. Even their on demand shows have five minutes of adverts on them before they start. Paying to watch adverts on much worse stuff than cheaper Netflix and council telly. Vot is point.

Malcy

You'll incur termination fees if you're still in a contract and there's no way of getting round that. Best thing you can do is look at what deals are online and quote them on the phone as without mentioning the deals that you find online you can't be offered them by ringing up.

You can move your Netflix over as well, depending on what your sub is, at a big saving. Black Friday on its way though. Grab yourself an absolute bargain then. Take a sim, even if you won't use it, ask about absolutely everything, broadband etc and watch the cost drop.

Pinball

I'll give Sky a ring, but as far as I'm concerned it's a done deal, as I've cancelled my DD now. I was paying £101 per month, reduced to £80-90 at various points including recently (hence my concern about the 'new contract'), but always creeping back up to three figures like boiling frogs.

A grand a year is crazy IMO. Sky Box Office ruined the Sky Movies subscription offering years ago (3+ year old B-movie shite mostly), and most regular channels are on Freesat/Freeview. Which leaves sports. For £80+ per month. Not a hard decision, really.

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: BJBMK2 on September 18, 2021, 02:26:22 AM
I used to work at Sky, doing this exact thing.

I can confirm that the bastards are more then happy to send debt collectors round, in regards to missed payments in contract periods. I didn't see it TOO often, but it does happen.

Sadly, I have no insider tips or tactics for how to get better/cheaper deals. They were introducing Sky Q as I left, and everything is probably so different now. It doesn't shock me to see the prices getting higher and higher, which you'd think, considering the marketplace for On Demand content now is so competitive, that wouldn't be the case. Who's gonna pay £50-60 a month or whatever the non contract price is, for a shitty, underpowered Sky Q box, when you get Netflix, Prime, etc, for peanuts.

I was involved in getting some vod content on Sky, through their horrid CableLabs system. The guys that we spoke to on their end just did vod/streaming and said that it's quite daft, they can do Sky Q entirely over ip, but only provide that as an option if you're in a listed building and they can't fit a dish. For some reason they didn't want them stepping on the toes of the satellite or budget Now TV divisions. Apparently in Germany there's more cable broadband so they do offer premium iptv over there.

Pinball

I phoned Sky and cancelled- it is done. No termination fee as I was within the cooling off period for the 'deal', then it takes 31 days before the Sky services end. I have to post back the Sky Q boxes etc.

At £1,100-1,200 per year for all the services (movies, sports etc), Sky just isn't competitive vs streamers, at basically ten times the cost. Then add their greed with Sky Box Office for movies and similar for sports, denying subscribers the good stuff, making them pay again, and you're left with a second-rate very expensive subscription model. I haven't watched Sky movies for years, which are generally 3+ year old B movies.

Finally, the Sky Q box is a small, plastic, over-heating box containing a spinning HD (not SSD) that keeps freezing the picture and frying the HD. Very poor cheaply made box, that you don't even own.

So anyway, after being with Sky for many years I have now left. They priced themselves out of my market, though it was a lot more than just the cost TBH.

Going forward, Humax do a lovely Freesat box with 2TB HD, record series links etc, that can accept the 2 LNBs that Sky Q uses (i.e. the mix of horizontal and vertical orientation etc), so it will be a seamless transition :-)

stevek89

Did the same thing myself recently. Get the Humax freesat recorder box, record two channels at a time etc. Works better than sky Q in my experience. You've made the right decision and a couple of months subscription savings will pay for the new box!

JaDanketies

Quote from: Rev+ on September 18, 2021, 12:46:44 AMCancel the DD ant tell them to pick their shit up if they want it.  They probably won't, so give it six month and sling it in a skip.

please take it down to the tip and dispose of it according to WEEE regulations. Slaves went to a lot of effort to mine the rare earth metals in that Sky box.

Quote from: stevek89 on September 19, 2021, 12:36:21 PM
Did the same thing myself recently. Get the Humax freesat recorder box, record two channels at a time etc. Works better than sky Q in my experience. You've made the right decision and a couple of months subscription savings will pay for the new box!

What Humax box is that? I thought Humax had lost the contract to supply recorders for Freesat? (according to the guy who fitted our Freesat dish, anyway)

mjwilson

I cancelled my Now TV because they started sticking adverts into the middle of everything,  the bastards.

Mr_Simnock

I cancelled my Sky lot (tv, phone and internet) a few years ago, as has been mentioned what the fuck do you actually get for a grand a year. I don't miss it for a second. In-laws have all done the same a while back and my family doesn't have it either.

seepage

Keep meaning to cancel my BT TV box and save £10 a month as I don't record anything anymore but I'm scared they'll cock it up and cancel my broadband as well.

stevek89

Quote from: David Pielingtonburygrot on September 19, 2021, 01:13:51 PM
What Humax box is that? I thought Humax had lost the contract to supply recorders for Freesat? (according to the guy who fitted our Freesat dish, anyway)
Sorry didn't realise that. Turns out you're right, apparently they're not manufacturing them any more. My friend sold me his spare one. Can't vouch for the new ones I'm afraid as I've never tried them but imagine they're similar and at £200, still a big saving on Sky-high subscriptions

Cloud

We haven't had Sky for a few years now.  We kept doing the "phone up and threaten to cancel until they make the price half reasonable" thing for a few years until retentions called our bluff and said "no it's okay, your contract will come to an end on the 30th of this month, give us a call before then if you change your mind."

Never did, got a Humax box and switched to Freesat. Zero regrets, it has everything we wanted already.

Quote from: stevek89 on September 19, 2021, 03:08:57 PM
Sorry didn't realise that. Turns out you're right, apparently they're not manufacturing them any more. My friend sold me his spare one. Can't vouch for the new ones I'm afraid as I've never tried them but imagine they're similar and at £200, still a big saving on Sky-high subscriptions

Ah, ok, thanks.

Ham Bap

I kept getting 50% deals off Sky every 12 months. They didnt bother reverting me back to normal price last time and kept me at 50% off permanently.
Think its at around £44 a month at the minute for everything apart from Sky Movies. Its Sky+ not Sky Q.

I only really watch football, documentaries and a few other channels. Wouldnt be overly arsed if I had to cancel the whole thing.

Im paying a fortune for BT broadband/BT Sports at the minute though. Im patiently waiting on my current deal ending this coming December to try and get a deal on that. Ive never got a deal on broadband before.
Has anyone else??

I need to have a look at Moneysaving expert forums to see what they offer, if anything.

willy crossit

Quote from: JaDanketies on September 19, 2021, 12:51:56 PM
please take it down to the tip and dispose of it according to WEEE regulations. Slaves went to a lot of effort to mine the rare earth metals in that Sky box.

did you go down a big slide in the middle of posting this

Malcy

Quote from: Ham Bap on September 19, 2021, 07:06:53 PM
I kept getting 50% deals off Sky every 12 months. They didnt bother reverting me back to normal price last time and kept me at 50% off permanently.
Think its at around £44 a month at the minute for everything apart from Sky Movies. Its Sky+ not Sky Q.

I only really watch football, documentaries and a few other channels. Wouldnt be overly arsed if I had to cancel the whole thing.

Im paying a fortune for BT broadband/BT Sports at the minute though. Im patiently waiting on my current deal ending this coming December to try and get a deal on that. Ive never got a deal on broadband before.
Has anyone else??

I need to have a look at Moneysaving expert forums to see what they offer, if anything.

If you're on something like Sky Entertainment or Sky+ you'll be recontracted to Sky Signature/Sky Q as the other packages are something they don't offer anymore. Take a SIM even if it you won't use it, same for the Ultimate TV add on if you use Netflix, and watch the price drop. Add BT Sport while your at it. Always add and see what the discount is.

greencalx

I was dreading calling Sky to cancel my mum's subscription after she passed away, having heard stories about the insistence of their sales pitch. It was quickly and quietly cancelled, and we might even have got a refund. So that's how to do it I guess - fake your own death.

JaDanketies

Quote from: greencalx on September 19, 2021, 07:30:55 PM
I was dreading calling Sky to cancel my mum's subscription after she passed away, having heard stories about the insistence of their sales pitch. It was quickly and quietly cancelled, and we might even have got a refund. So that's how to do it I guess - fake your own death.

That's good cos I'm using his Sky+ and I even got a post-mortem upgrade

Pinball

Quote from: stevek89 on September 19, 2021, 03:08:57 PM
Sorry didn't realise that. Turns out you're right, apparently they're not manufacturing them any more. My friend sold me his spare one. Can't vouch for the new ones I'm afraid as I've never tried them but imagine they're similar and at £200, still a big saving on Sky-high subscriptions
I did a lot of research and ended up buying the 'Humax HDR-1100S 2TB Freesat with Freetime HD TV Recorder' last September (I've been planning the Sky termination for a while!). Humax seems to be better than most and this box got great reviews, and I've found it to be better than Sky Q, as has been stated. However, it's not available new now apparently, and Freesat's new recommended box hasn't had great reviews. Might be worth trying to get this Humax if it's still available anywhere... It seems they are not making satellite receivers like they used to.

https://www.smartaerials.co.uk/blog/humax-no-longer-manufacturing-freesat-boxes
"... of all the manufacturers that were producing Freesat equipment including Bush, Grundig, Manhattan among others the Humax range was always a cut above the rest. During my trainee years at a previous company when Freesat was first released initially we installed the Metronic Freesat boxes, there was about 10 receivers that went out and of the 10, 9 were returned faulty. From there on Humax was chosen as the only brand that would be installed as it was the most preffered model by our customers and by far gave us the least problems. Humax were a little bit more expensive than the other manufacturers but were by far the most reliable which is why I was happy to recommend them".

stevek89

Quote from: Pinball on September 19, 2021, 07:50:59 PM
I did a lot of research and ended up buying the 'Humax HDR-1100S 2TB Freesat with Freetime HD TV Recorder' last September (I've been planning the Sky termination for a while!). Humax seems to be better than most and this box got great reviews, and I've found it to be better than Sky Q, as has been stated. However, it's not available new now apparently, and Freesat's new recommended box hasn't had great reviews. Might be worth trying to get this Humax if it's still available anywhere... It seems they are not making satellite receivers like they used to.

https://www.smartaerials.co.uk/blog/humax-no-longer-manufacturing-freesat-boxes
"... of all the manufacturers that were producing Freesat equipment including Bush, Grundig, Manhattan among others the Humax range was always a cut above the rest. During my trainee years at a previous company when Freesat was first released initially we installed the Metronic Freesat boxes, there was about 10 receivers that went out and of the 10, 9 were returned faulty. From there on Humax was chosen as the only brand that would be installed as it was the most preffered model by our customers and by far gave us the least problems. Humax were a little bit more expensive than the other manufacturers but were by far the most reliable which is why I was happy to recommend them".
Yeah seems a real shame. I had a crappy Bush one I think it was a few years back, returned it within the week and got the Humax, worth paying the extra money for. Shame if the new ones have gone downhill, such a great bit of kit and anything that stops Murdoch raking it in is good in my books

poo

HELLO MR SKY I LIKE CANCEL SUBCONTINENT
WHY'S willer?