Quiting Sky

[Luddite]

I just thought I'd share this on running battle I am having with Sky.

The story so far......


5 years ago my perents retired to northern cyprus. I move into there house and had everything transfered over to my name. Now 5 years down the line I want to quit Sky. I don't watch it and its all repeats anyway. But Sky didn't transfer the name on the account over so here is the email battle I am having. Its entertaining me anyway.

I wish to cancel my subscription. For the following address is .... I do not not wish to enter into talks about stay. I do not want any offers to try and keep me to stay. All I require is an email telling me that the subscription has been canceled. I am also informing you in this email that I will be canceling the direct debit to yourselfs. Any cost incurred by error or delays in canceling the will be met by Sky. If you do not agree to these terms please feel free to respond and inform me. A none response with be taken as an agreement. I will be keeping a record of this email for possible future reference.

Regards Jon


Dear Mr Rudderforth,

Thank you for your email regarding the cancellation of Sky.

Unfortunately due to data protection, we are unable to cancel this account as you are not the account holder.

The account holder must contact our Customer Service Team on 08702 40 40 40 to cancel this agreement.


Regards

Chris
Cancellation Team



Dear Chris

I am the person that pays the bill therefore by default the contract is with me and I wish to terminate the contract. You will terminate the contract and I have authorised my bank to cease payment. Do not believe that you will be able to strong arm me in this matter. If you think you'll be able prosecute the account holder please let me inform you that she is my mother and has retired to Northern Cyprus. Northern Cyprus is not recognised by any European country and therefore is beyond our laws. So the way I see it I am in a win, win scenario, You cancel which I strongly suggest or you don't and I get free Sky TV.

Jon Rudderforth


Dear Mr Rudderforth,

Further to the email below cancellation will not be processed as you are not the account holder, paying the bills does not make you the account holder. It is entirely up to yourself if you wish to cancel the direct debit but cancellation of the direct debit does not cancel the account. As previously stated the account holder must contact us on 08702 404040 to cancel the account. If this is not suitable means of communication they can also write into our Correspondence Department please find the address below.

Sky Subscribers Services Ltd
Correspondence Department
4 MacIntosh Road
Kirkton Campus
Livingston
West Lothian
EH54 7BW


Regards

Chris
Cancellation Team



Thats fine as long as I am not paying the bill. Which I will not be as of Feb 08 (your 30 days notice) I don't care what you guys do. You will not be able to pursue the matter with my mother through any legal means because she is a resident of Northern Cyprus. If you think my mother is going to ring yourself on a 087 number from Cyprus to be places in the 9 circle of hell which is your queuing system you are a fool. So we are now clear you will not get paid and unless you cancel the account as far as I am concerned that is your own faults and any loss you occur from that inaction is your own damn fault.

Good Day Sir

Mr J. Rudderforth




Chris
Cancellation Team

[Scuttler]

I'd have probably taken a more tactful approach especially seeing as they can add notes to the credit file connected to the house making it difficult for you to get credit in the future (bearing in mind it stays on file for 7 years and is hell to remove once it's on there).

Just my 2p. I do however share your amusement that they are citing data protection!

[TerryH]

Hate to say this as someone who had similar fun and games with NTL and
that's after I sent the death certificates of my parents, but Sky are right.

Makes no odds who is paying for it, if the original subscribers' name is still
there. So why on earth just get a letter from your parents saying that
they (not you) dont want it.

Look at it from Sky's point of view. You are not the name on the contract
and could be a disgruntled relative for all they know.

Get a letter.

[Paul Brookes]

Originally Posted by Scuttler

I'd have probably taken a more tactful approach especially seeing as they can add notes to the credit file connected to the house making it difficult for you to get credit in the future (bearing in mind it stays on file for 7 years and is hell to remove once it's on there).

Just my 2p. I do however share your amusement that they are citing data protection!

Surely the only way to affect somones credit rating is to take the person to court and get a CCJ? I suspect in this case, notice of cancellation and "reasonable effort" to resolve the issue has been provided by Luddite so Sky would not get any money and no CCJ would be issued by the court.

I have sent many a sarcastic/plain speaking letter to companies that have demanded money "or else..." where they have failed to be reasonable and they have yet to affect my credit rating.

Luddite. I suggest you disconnect the sky box once you DD has been cancelled so they cannot argue that you continued to use their service. After that, dig in you heals and respond to all communications in writing. They will not win.

Cheers, Paul

[Scuttler]

Originally Posted by Paul Brookes

Surely the only way to affect somones credit rating is to take the person to court and get a CCJ?

No....every time you pay a loan, credit card or agreement late you get a little number in the line against that agreement. A normal credit check would come back thus:

XYZ Services: 000000000000000000000000000

meaning you've had no late payments

any number other than a 0 indicates the number of months late. Usually they allow this to get to 2 or 3 and then you get a D which means Default.

This data all appears on your credit check for the institution that is considering you to check. If they don't like what they see then they can refuse you credit or any other service you've applied for (eg mobile phone).

A "bad" credit rating can be obtained long before any threat of court action.

[Letz]

Yup. You could just draw up a letter in your parents names and squiggle a signature (or do one of those 'signing on behalf of' annotations but that may not satisfy them) I, of course, would never do such a thing



Actually, I was intrigued by this thread as I'm looking to move and I have Sky Digital. As I understood it, all those years ago when I signed the contract, after 12 months I own the box and dish - I certainly am liable for it if it goes wrong.

What I want to know is whether I am completely within my rights to take my box and dish with me, having terminated the contract for service, so I can get Sky again at some later date in my new location. Anyone know ?

[Letz]

Originally Posted by Scuttler

No....every time you pay a loan, credit card or agreement late you get a little number in the line against that agreement. A normal credit check would come back thus:

XYZ Services: 000000000000000000000000000

meaning you've had no late payments

any number other than a 0 indicates the number of months late. Usually they allow this to get to 2 or 3 and then you get a D which means Default.

This data all appears on your credit check for the institution that is considering you to check. If they don't like what they see then they can refuse you credit or any other service you've applied for (eg mobile phone).

A "bad" credit rating can be obtained long before any threat of court action.

Is this not illegal ?

[sleaford_diver]

Sixsquid

I think you are right . I think the only thing that belongs to sky is the sky card itself

[Letz]

Originally Posted by sleaford_diver

Sixsquid

I think you are right . I think the only thing that belongs to sky is the sky card itself

Thanks So I'll just cease service within the notice period before I move then should be able to resurrect the service later

[Scuttler]

Originally Posted by Sixsquid

Is this not illegal ?

No.....you are entitled to view your credit file by writing to Experian or Equifax and sending a cheque for £2 (IIRC). They are simply sharing relevant information about your tendency to pay your bills or not. They also have a list of everytime you apply for a loan/credit card/mobile phone/sky subscription etc etc (it comes up as a search). Too many searches in a short time usually sets alarm bells ringing too. It also lists people that you've shared a house with from electoral roll information.

I'm surprised more people aren't interested in what's stored about them. I sent for mine when I had a mortgage application queried over a bancruptcy notice. Turns out someone once lived at an address I'd lived at and had been linked (incorrectly) to me. Took a couple of letters to get that removed from my file. Also my ex-wife ran some debts up after we split which were registered at her parents address but the bank refused to remove them so I had to have a note added to my file to explain the situation.