topic Re: Leaving and Re-joining in Sky Q

Leaving and Re-joining

LauraLJ79 — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:51:19 GMT

Hi there

Having spoken with the cancellations team earlier today regarding a better deal now we're out of contract, the best they could do was reduce the bill by £9 (!!!) despite the exact same package being available to new customers for £83.50 (around half of what I'm paying now).

Two separate people assured me I could cancel my subscription and my husband could join as a new customer (same address) to take advantage of the better deal.

This is IMPOSSIBLE to do online - does anyone know how to action this without staying on the phone for a year and a day with a fairly unhelpful helpdesk?

Thanks in advance,

Laura

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Jones_The_Cat — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:58:26 GMT

@LauraLJ79 wrote:
Hi there
Having spoken with the cancellations team earlier today regarding a better deal now we're out of contract, the best they could do was reduce the bill by £9 (!!!) despite the exact same package being available to new customers for £83.50 (around half of what I'm paying now).
Two separate people assured me I could cancel my subscription and my husband could join as a new customer (same address) to take advantage of the better deal.
This is IMPOSSIBLE to do online - does anyone know how to action this without staying on the phone for a year and a day with a fairly unhelpful helpdesk?
Thanks in advance,
Laura

You can cancel your services via the Messaging system at the bottom of this page:

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/cancel-sky-tv

Click on the 'No I still need help' button to access the messaging link.

You may need to wait until the cancellation is confirmed before signing up to a new deal in your husband's name. You will probably have to go through the process of returning your current Q equipment and having a new box installed. It's never quite as easy as just switching over customer names.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Daniel0210 — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 11:46:01 GMT

@LauraLJ79

I'm not convinced that will work. Sky will clock that the surname is the same as that of the cancelling account holder and not class your husband as a new customer. If that was possible everyone would try to do it. Incidentally a lot of people currently renewing will think a £9 reduction in the price is good in the current climate.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Jones_The_Cat — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 11:58:37 GMT

@LauraLJ79

If it doesn't work then it's always worth going ahead with the cancellation. This lets Sky know that you are serious about leaving unless you get a better deal.

When you are in the 31 day notice period of cancellation they will often get in touch with you with much better offers to re-subscribe. A quick glance at AV Forums shows that in recent days customers have been offered Signature, Sports & Cinema in HD for £52pm by negotiating like this.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

MightyQuinn — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:46:26 GMT

Hi @LauraLJ79 I don't know if the rules have changed, but it used to be that a household must have left for at least 12 months before being treated as a new customer.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Daniel0210 — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:51:55 GMT

@MightyQuinn wrote:

Hi @LauraLJ79 I don't know if the rules have changed, but it used to be that a household must have left for at least 12 months before being treated as a new customer.

@LauraLJ79 @MightyQuinn

It's recently changed to 18 months.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

LauraLJ79 — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 13:43:04 GMT

That's what I thought, but I checked with two separate employees over the phone who confirmed that it'd be possible.

I'll give them a call later on and will provide an update on how it goes!

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

LauraLJ79 — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 13:45:56 GMT

Good to know, thank you!

I have cancelled and am now in a 31 day period so I'll wait and see if they can improve their initial price reduction. It just seems crackers that a new customer will get the exact package for around half the price compared to someone who's been a customer for over 10 years.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Daniel0210 — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 13:49:10 GMT

@LauraLJ79

You would have benefited from a similar deal 10 years ago. Comcast seem to want to attract new customers whilst sometimes losing current ones. If you're moving elsewhere, when that discounted deal ends you'll probably find yourself in the same boat.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Jones_The_Cat — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:41:43 GMT

@LauraLJ79 wrote:
Good to know, thank you!
I have cancelled and am now in a 31 day period so I'll wait and see if they can improve their initial price reduction. It just seems crackers that a new customer will get the exact package for around half the price compared to someone who's been a customer for over 10 years.

Good luck!

I don't know if it still works or not but when I cancelled Q a few years ago I was able to negotiate a new discounted deal via this chat link which I think puts you in touch with the retentions team who have access to better deals than the standard customer services agents:

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/comeback?DCMP=dmc-sky.com-ec-Winback-dm1

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Soroush — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 11:34:03 GMT

did you get a better deal?

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Jess2609 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 12:03:38 GMT

I was advised by a sky engineer, as my package is due to end in 40 days, that if you are to leave and re join after 3 months you'll be considered a new customer.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

SKY1992bf — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 12:06:43 GMT

@Jess2609 wrote:
I was advised by a sky engineer, as my package is due to end in 40 days, that if you are to leave and re join after 3 months you'll be considered a new customer.

@Jess2609 The engineer was 100% lying I'm afraid

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Daniel0210 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 12:20:23 GMT

You were misinformed @Jess2609 It is 18 months.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

TimmyBGood — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 13:58:53 GMT

@Jess2609

You might well be be contacted with offers to rejoin after leaving, but that's not the same as being eligible for new customer rates.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Jess2609 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 15:59:30 GMT

Oh dear. Never mind, I will just see what they can offer, and what happens with the movies etc that you purchase when you leave? Surely you own some sort of copyright over them?

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

PandJ2020 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:38:29 GMT

@Jess2609 wrote:
...and what happens with the movies etc that you purchase when you leave? Surely you own some sort of copyright over them?

You never 'purchase' the movies nor can have the copyright.

However, you do retain a licence to play them. https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-store-top-help (You just need a compatible device for the Sky Store App)

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Jess2609 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:39:48 GMT

Then what happens when you leave? I've spent a ridiculous amount on purchasing movies, so would I just lose them all?

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

PandJ2020 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:41:55 GMT

@Jess2609 wrote:
Then what happens when you leave? I've spent a ridiculous amount on purchasing movies, so would I just lose them all?

Did you look at the link? You can continue to watch using the Sky Store App.

Re: Leaving and Re-joining

Jess2609 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:47:25 GMT

Yes I did, but I was unsure about how long your account will remain open for, for you to carry on using on sky store. Or is that a separate account all together?