topic Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later. in Archive

Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 19:34:05 GMT

I rang to cancel Sky a couple of days ago, informing their cancellation team I'm switching to Virgin.... fairly simple, right?

What I didn't expect was to be bombarded with SKY offers for the next 35 minutes (not exaggerating, the guy just straight up ignored me to read his sales script) I literally had to yell at him at the end, because he was wasting time AND being extremely rude. Probably the worst outsourced call centres experience I've ever had. It was like a Fonejacker sketch.

The conversation soon went quiet and he confirmed SKY would be cancelled without ever mentioning a cut off point (which is clearly stated on sky's site as 14 days minimum to give Virgin time.)

The next day, my wifi had completely stopped.

I immediately rang Sky again to delay the cancellation (you know the 14 days clearly advertised on your website.)

"Yeah, this is 100% Skys fault... we should have given you 14 days notice. Now you're without internet for the next fortnight. Nothing we can do. How about signing up to another 18 contract with us? Should only take 7 days to get you back online."

I'm completely blank.

I work a business from home and I've had to spend over £40 on sim cards just to get 3g internet. I've another 12 days to go without, so that cost is only going to up due to Skys self-admmited incompetence.

I've not even factored in the amount of business sales I've lost over the past couple of days, due to being on a horrifically slow 3g mobile hotspot instead of wifi.

My question to sky is, will future outgoing payments be stopped after this? I don't intend giving you a penny now. I refuse to even pay my latest bill. Not only has this been extremely frustrating, you've made my business suffer and made me pay money on mobile data.

If I'm charged anything, I shall have to take further action. Don't be falsely claiming cancellation is a mandatory 14 days and leaving people screwed over the next day.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

caesarome — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 19:45:39 GMT

@mrreed wrote:

My question to sky is, will future outgoing payments be stopped after this?

We are customers here but can answer this for you. If your broadband has been cancelled then from this point you should no longer be billed for Sky Broadband and that if you have any outstanding credit in your account you can phone them a request that it be paid back to you

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:05:37 GMT

Thanks. I'll being a close eye on outgoing payments.

Would still love to hear back from a Sky team member why I was cancelled within a day?

"A minimum of 14 days' notice (cancellation period) is required to cancel your Sky Broadband services. "

...anyone?

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

GD1 — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:09:15 GMT

@mrreed wrote:
Thanks. I'll being a close eye on outgoing payments.

Would still love to hear back from a Sky team member why I was cancelled within a day?

"A minimum of 14 days' notice (cancellation period) is required to cancel your Sky Broadband services. "

...anyone?

Sky don't respond directl to forum posts.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

daveNOS — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:23:24 GMT

Something seems a little off here, Openreach wouldn't disconnect a service that quickly due to Ofcom rules, and frankly they arent that efficient even if the Ofcom rules where not in place.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:26:23 GMT

Ah, a bit like they don't pay attention to their customers over the phone.

Anyone needs a Virgin referall just lemme know. Hear you can cancel after 14 days notice.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

daveNOS — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:35:34 GMT

@mrreed it has nothing to do with the agent not listening to you, they will always try to retain customers and upsell, its how they are trained, the issue is that frontline staff have no mechanism to just cut off your service, i dint think they can even manually restrict a broadband service.

If they can manually restrict a service then it can be restored within a few hours, but given what you have said was relayed to you about it taking 7 days that suggests a full disconnect by Openreach and that wouldn't happen in less that 10 working days.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:36:19 GMT

Literally rang them 2nd November. Sky cancelled very next day.

The cancellation team didn't once mention a cut off period. I wouldnt have shot myself in the foot like that.

I have a business that relies on internet, I wouldn't openly agree to go without internet for 14 days. I'm in a bad situation till Virgin arrive now.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:43:55 GMT

If "something sounds fishy" and that is the working process, why havent sky simply reconnected me on the 3rd?

I was referred to 4 departments and all said the same thing. Your cancellations official, your only solutio now n is to sign up to a new contract that will take 7-14 days?

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

Davelufc12 — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 21:26:44 GMT

Sounds to me like you got your wires crossed my friend. It's clearly known that once you cancel sky that YOUR INTERNET IS CANCELLED. I don't think that sky have a case to answer for to be honest with you, it's your own responsibility to read the t&c's a bit closer. A lesson for the future perhaps! No hard feelings, I hope your business doesn't suffer my friend

Regards,

Loyal sky customer of 19 years

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 21:48:13 GMT

"A minimum of 14 days' notice (cancellation period) is required to cancel your Sky Broadband services. "

The large print giveth and the small print taketh away.

Cheers Sky!

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

Davelufc12 — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 22:40:38 GMT

Yes but you cancelled. It says nothing about keeping your internet connection online after you have made the decision to cancel the contract. The connection and contract are separate issues my friend.

It's tough, but you should have considered this before acting impulsively.

Regards,

Loyal sky customer of 19 years

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 23:21:18 GMT

Yes. That doesn't seem massively misleading on Skys part at all. Having this stated on their main cancellation page. I'll see what Ofcom think.

I was naive enough to believe if I told a cancellation team (please don't cancel I need to feed my kids tonight) they would assist me with an official cancellation date to make the transistion as smoothly as possible. Pah! Blatant lie.

I recieved no explanation/T&Cs whatsover. The line went to hold. "Please fill in my services questionnaire" then an email the next day saying it was cancelled?

How is any of that defendable to treat a customers thats been with them since the mid-90s?

I'll write to Ofcom when I get my much faster broadband.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

Mark39 — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 23:22:07 GMT

@mrreed wrote:

"A minimum of 14 days' notice (cancellation period) is required to cancel your Sky Broadband services. "

So far as I'm aware any service you have with Sky should remain active throughout the notice period. You're charged as normal right up to point your service ends at the expiry of the notice period.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 23:29:51 GMT

Exactly! Sounds common sense right?

You should read your Sky T&Cs before offering any opinion though 😐

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

GD1 — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 01:20:34 GMT

@mrreed You can write to Ofcom but they won't pick up your complaint as they do not deal with complaints. The correct way to complain is to do it directly with Sky. https://www.sky.com/help/articles/how-to-make-a-complaint

You then must give Sky 56 days to resolve your complaint before you can go to the Ombudsman(Not Ofcom).

If you are going to include external agancies you need to know who you should go to otherwise your wasting not only your time both other peoples.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 01:53:27 GMT

Thanks for the help!

I understand why Sky let a third-rate call centre tackle cancellations just to upsell... but what if I'd eventually changed my mind?

My faith in Sky diminished the moment they cut my internet off 24 without acknowledgement, without the possibility to go back.

Not really sold on that contract vs connection argument. It's splattered all over their website they'd arrange a sensible cut off period if going to another provider, which I was flat out never offered. I'm not Derren Brown, l prefer taking the 14 day cancellation period at face value.

Even the 'decent' call staff the next day we're on my side, they were limited to what they could do though.

I'll see what purpose a complaints serves. Do I need to give 14 days notice, before hitting the send button?

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

Mark39 — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 08:25:24 GMT

@mrreed wrote:

Exactly! Sounds common sense right?

You should read your Sky T&Cs before offering any opinion though 😐

I don't have Sky broadband. Since Sky can't physically disconnect your service, it looks like Openreach have pressed the button early. Only Openreach can reconnect the line and that typically takes 7 to 14 days. Unfortunate, and while I have no doubt Sky will apologise, I suspect there's no regulatory issue providing Sky don't charge you beyond the date your service ended.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

mrreed — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 09:02:29 GMT

I'll see what response I get from the complaints form.

Owning a business myself stating clear single sentences like this with terms such as 'mandatory' in them, then offering the complete opposite service would immediately get me into huge trouble.

Pretty much misleading your customers 101.

Re: Switching to Virgin. Sky cut me off 1 day later.

Mark39 — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 09:37:10 GMT

@mrreed wrote:

I'll see what response I get from the complaints form.

Owning a business myself stating clear single sentences like this with terms such as 'mandatory' in them, then offering the complete opposite service would immediately get me into huge trouble.

Pretty much misleading your customers 101.

I'm sure you'll include that in your complaint. You're talking only to other customers here, not directly to Sky.