topic Re: Refused for upgrade in Sky Mobile

Refused for upgrade

Jo2411 — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:49:55 GMT

My husband was today refused an upgrade on a handset. It said he failed background checks - we have never defaulted on anything or had any credit refused ever. We have five phones in our household covered and were just upgrading our daughters. We have been with sky for mobiles and TV for many years and have no issues re credit history. I am completely shocked as we phoned two days ago to upgrade and the girl negotiated a new data plan for us but couldn't take the deposit for the phone so told us to do it online. So now stuck wondering what to do as we are all with Sky and love the fact we can bank unused data and send to duaghters when they have run out. Has anyone else had this issue? Also my phone is due an upgrade so worried we will have the same situation when we go to upgrade for me.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Daniel0210 — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:59:43 GMT

@Jo2411

Edit- your other post has been removed to prevent duplication of replies.

Presumably your husband is the account holder as he failed the credit checks.

For a sim deal it’s just a soft credit check, for a device there’s also an enhanced check. See this link for Skys guidance ~
https://www.sky.com/help/articles/credit-checks-sky-mobile

Be aware that if you keep trying to order the device this could further impact your credit score. If you contact Sky they would be able to confirm that’s the reason your order was cancelled but not why you failed the credit check in the first place as they are not allowed to view your credit record. You would have to sign up to a credit reference agency like Experian or Equifax, which would give you access to your credit record.

Also perhaps check that Sky have the correct spelling of your/his name.

Any upfront payment he has made should be refunded after about 14 days but recent posts suggest it’s taking a bit longer in which case he would need to contact Sky to chase it up.

This link may also prove useful
https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-credit-builder

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jo2411 — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:08:01 GMT

Yes he is the account holder. I am aware of the checks that are made and his credit file is absolutely fine. Just cannot believe that this has happened and now we are faced with 5 devices which may not be able to be upgraded when there is nothing at all on his credit file. Knowing my husband he will want to leave them now. They get almost £200 a month from us between TV, broadband and mobile contracts.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Daniel0210 — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:11:19 GMT

@Jo2411

Has the family changed address since the last credit purchase?

Re: Refused for upgrade

Holdeenio — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:32:41 GMT

Hi Jo. Look through other posts on the forum with this exact topic.

i have an active complaint open with Sky for the same issue. Been with them for 5 years, perfect history with them AND EXTERNALLY.

I work in finance and have a thorough understanding of credit report (professionally). There is no reason for them to decline to offer me mobile phone upgrades... yet here we are.

my complaint has been open for over a month and no response yet. I have given them permission to "manually review my file" but still no update.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jo2411 — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 16:08:14 GMT

We contacted them again and they ordered the phone over the phone - husband got the contract sent he signed and about fifteen minutes later got a message to say it had been cancelled again! We raised a complaint over the phone and then three days later get a message saying complaint has been closed - no info or anything! We are utterly done and hubby is now insisting on leaving as soon as each existing mobile and tv contract ends.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Daniel0210 — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 16:11:07 GMT

@Jo2411

Repeating the order won't be helping the credit score. The credit checks are based on multiple factors.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jo2411 — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 16:25:02 GMT

Hi Daniel I am perfectly aware of this we have not tried to order again. Please be aware I have a finance background and on that last occasion sky assured us on the phone that the upgrade could be done - as I stated the credit agreement was even signed. I think there is something wrong with their system. Also Equifax and Experian have updated and there is no sign of several hard searches being done so again something not quite right with their system.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Sarah452 — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 18:37:16 GMT

Apparently you can't have 5 items from sky on the same check as I was informed this when I had 2 mobiles tablet and watch and wanted something else but they wouldn't allow it that might've been the reason for rejection

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jo2411 — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 19:24:27 GMT

We have three phones under contract just now and this was one which had run out of contract so upgrading. Renewed my other daughters in April when we would have had four under contract so I don't see the issue now if it was ok before? And if that was the reason then why don't they just tell you why it's been rejected? Would save a lot of hassle and stress. But also now beyond frustrated that our complaint was closed without any discussion or feedback after three days.

Re: Refused for upgrade

AndyB46 — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:41:34 GMT

Your scenario is exactly the same as mine. I've been with Sky for many years, Sky mobile for 5 years, and have always had at least 3 contracts running at the same time. The phone my son uses is now ready for upgrade. I tried to upgrade online and was refused. Called them today, was told it was probably a glitch so was passed through to someone to arrange over the phone. I got to the end of that process and was then again told I'd failed the credit check.

I've never missed a payment in my life, I've been with Sky for 16 years and have just renewed my Sky tv for another 2 years (on Xmas Eve) My Experian and Equifax scores and both very good as of today, so no issues there.
I'm very annoyed with this, it's been my family mobile provider for 5 years and now, all of a sudden, it seems like I can no longer use their mobile services going forward.
I am considering getting rid of my other Sky products due to this. It may be petty, but if I'm not a safe enough bet for my mobile phone contracts, I'm surely not safe enough to have any other products.
Seems like a Sky VIP diamond member with a perfect payment history and a healthy credit score from the two companies Sky mobile use, is no longer good enough!

Re: Refused for upgrade

Daniel0210 — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:49:33 GMT

@AndyB46
Also perhaps check that Sky have the correct spelling of your name.

Re: Refused for upgrade

AndyB46 — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:59:04 GMT

They have the correct details. I originally went through the app, so was signed in with the same details as the last 16 years. When I called them, as I'm sure you're aware, I needed to verify my identity before Sky would proceed through the stages. I got through to the final part of the process before being informed I had been refused, so identity verification wasn't the issue.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jo2411 — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 18:33:54 GMT

Thanks for this Andy. I do believe it's a glitch as we are exactly the same and I have seen some other posts which are similar. We have three current mobile contracts and our tv contract. We had 5 contracts at one point along with our tv. My husband is the same as you he is done with them now and will not be renewing all contracts as they expire.
Added to that my father in law is now having issues with them as a tv customer.
Customer service is atrocious as you get passed from one person to another having to explain your situation several times.

Re: Refused for upgrade

AndyB46 — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 20:04:19 GMT

It's maybe worth calling through to the cancellation department. That's usually when you get someone who is more equipped to deal with the issues. They usually try to do all they can to retain your custom.
That may be my next step if, in the next couple of days, I don't receive the call back I requested earlier. However, that may not be much help either, as I'm sure the guy I spoke to earlier said Sky mobile didn't have anything to do with Sky when it came to credit agreements 🤷🏻‍♂️

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jo2411 — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 22:56:35 GMT

Good luck with the call back - we were told the same then got an email saying the complaint would be dealt with within so many weeks then a couple of days later an email saying our complaint has been closed. We honestly were so stressed out we couldn't bring ourselves to phone them again but have raised another complaint online. It becomes difficult to spend so mic htime on the phone when you are both working full time.
hubby now has to contact them re his elderly dads tv issues so don't think he can cope with both just now. lol

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jaydee83 — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 18:40:33 GMT

I am so happy I found this forum. The exact same thing has happened to me. I have TV and 3 mobiles with Sky. I have tried to upgrade my phone which I paid off last year and it's been refused. I panicked and checked Experian and my credit score is excellent. I have never missed a payment in anything and so I have found this very upsetting.

We are with Sky for the data sharing and so I really don't know what to do.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jo2411 — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 19:36:51 GMT

It is so upsetting. We are no further forward however my hubby was onto them re his dads TV contract - his dad left for virgin and sky are still taking payment from him. Anyway he spoke to someone who could actually make sense and he said it's to do with fraud checks and it's causing all sorts of bother with customers like us. But we still have no response to our complaint re our original complaint being closed with no action or information. We will be leaving but like you we used the data Sharon as it's really useful when you've teenagers who use loads of data.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Holdeenio — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:31:55 GMT

Sorry to hear you have yet another experience of the same unexplained and unrectified error. Early January I wrote to Sky by old school letter, to inform them it's been months and I've had no response to my complaint. I directed them to this thread in their forum which shows at least a few examples of the same error.

i like their mobile proposition including data sharing, but if its not working for me, I'll be taking my business elsewhere.

Re: Refused for upgrade

Jaydee83 — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:37:09 GMT

Thank you for your replies.

I have started looking at other mobile providers. I will give it a few months and apply again for a new phone with Sky. If still unsuccessful , I will pay my sons contract off and move else where.