Poor Customer Care from Sky TV (Sky Digital)

Member Name: Roy Bryce

Product:	Sky Digital
Date:	09/07/07 (481 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good Installation and TV Rception

Disadvantages: Sky's heavy handed treatment of customers

BEWARE OF SKY TV SPECIAL OFFERS In 2006, I telephoned Sky to get Freesat and was persuaded by the operator to pay £10 per month for 12 months, so that I would pay £120 instead of an immediate payment of £150. She also said I could choose two additional programme packages, in the hope I would remain a Sky subscriber. I told the operator quite clearly that I wanted Freesat and did not want to be a subscriber and that I wanted only the one year contract so my total outlay would be only £120.

If you are offered a package like this, but want only Freesat, write immediately to Sky and state that you wish only the one year contract and arrange for your direct debit with the bank to expire at the end of the contract. Sky will not accept you entered into a verbal contract and if you do not cancel as indicated, they thrive on inertia, upping your direct debit payments to (currently) £15 per month. Letters I have written to their so called customer care department have not received individual, considerate replies and Sky immediately threatened with debt collectors and court action even for a "debt" of £30 I have also been pestered from callers from their “collections department” and have had very unpleasant telephone conversations with them.

My experience is that Sky does not not take care of its customers and unlike with other industries, there seems to be no-one else who will. I wish I had gone to Freeview and had never become a customer of Sky. My problem is that Freeview reception is not good in my area. Sky’s virtual monopoly of satellite tv in non-cable rural areas will I hope, one day end, so that consumers will have more choice, and Sky more competition.

Summary: Confirm all telephone conversations with Sky in writing and keep copies