topic Re: Total rip-off? in Account & Billing

Total rip-off?

RobU1 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:05:42 GMT

Hi - does anyone else feel totally ripped off by Sky? I've been with Sky almost 25 years, then almost left in January, as the price I was paying - over £100 a month - was just too much. I stayed because I was given 'offers' that took it below that price - only to today receive an email advising of price rises of almost 10%, taking that price way up again. The email gave a number to call if I wasn't happy, where the most patronising agent just repeatedly insisted I'd agreed to price rises when taking out the new contract. I feel frustrated that Sky treats long-time customers so poorly, while tempting new customers with better deals. Shameful.

Re: Total rip-off?

caesarome — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:10:08 GMT

If you don't believe Sky gives you value for money then why not give the required notice to do just that and go elsewhere esepcially if you can find someone with a similar package to what you have, at a cheaper price ?

Re: Total rip-off?

Daniel0210 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:14:36 GMT

@RobU1

Having received the email or letter about the price increase (which happens every April) you have 30 days to cancel your broadband subscription giving the appropriate notice period. You can't do the same with a TV subscription. The price increase shouldn't come as a surprise.

Re: Total rip-off?

RobU1 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:15:29 GMT

That's what I should have done in January, instead of agreeing to what it appears from the Sky agents is a contract allowing them to increase prices by whatever they feel like.

Re: Total rip-off?

PandJ2020 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:16:40 GMT

@RobU1 wrote:
I've been with Sky almost 25 years

Then you must have been fully aware of the increase every April?

Re: Total rip-off?

RobU1 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:17:22 GMT

A 10% price rise though? Way above inflation. And so soon after agreeing to a two year contract.

Re: Total rip-off?

daveNOS — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:24:35 GMT

@RobU1 wrote:
That's what I should have done in January, instead of agreeing to what it appears from the Sky agents is a contract allowing them to increase prices by whatever they feel like.

@RobU1 That's not correct, the base price can only be inceased once per year and by a maximum of 10%. That clause has been in the contracts for many years.

Edit.

Sky's annual price rise isn't linked to inflation and its either the rate of RPI for the last year or a maximum of 10% which ever is higher.

Re: Total rip-off?

PandJ2020 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:37:40 GMT

@RobU1 wrote:
A 10% price rise though? Way above inflation. And so soon after agreeing to a two year contract.

The better your discounts the higher the net increase is. Yes, it was above inflation but allowed within the contract*.

My point was you must have seen this 24 times before so it can't be a surprise? (You know contracts are not fixed price)

*as already noted, you can leave broadband without penalty (if that helps)

Re: Total rip-off?

PandJ2020 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:47:16 GMT

Out of interest here are the last 7 years of increases (RPI in brackets):

2019 - 5.1% (1.8%)
2020 - 4.5% (1.7%)
2021 - 7.8% (0.7%)
2022 - 5.0% (5.5%)
2023 - 8.1% (9.2%)
2024 - 6.7% (4.2%)
2025 - 6.2% (3.2%)

So taking compounding into account it's gone up just over 50% whereas RPI almost 30%.

Re: Total rip-off?

RobU1 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:48:26 GMT

I've not seen it to this extent, no. This price hike is heftier than any I recall, and coming so soon after negotiating prices down feels particularly annoying. As you say , I'm totally locked into the TV. Clearly only me though that gives the prices unreasonable. So much higher than equivalent services in Europe.

Re: Total rip-off?

PandJ2020 — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 20:13:03 GMT

@RobU1 wrote:
I've not seen it to this extent, no. This price hike is heftier than any I recall, and coming so soon after negotiating prices down feels particularly annoying. As you say , I'm totally locked into the TV. Clearly only me though that gives the prices unreasonable. So much higher than equivalent services in Europe.

As per the table above there have been larger increases. (But these are gross, not net, increases)

Some have reported success at cancelling due to the signature package increase alone (which is over 10%).

...but it happens every April, so if you negotiate before April then it's coming like night follows day.

Re: Total rip-off?

BabeRuth26 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:14:54 GMT

I am a VIP customer for 16 years, what a joke. Surreptitiously Sky put the prices up and they hope you don't look at your bills. 18 month contracts rather than 12. We have to pay a TV licence (another rip off) which includeds Sky???? So paying twice for awful TV. Essentials Sky TV you can't even get Sky documentaries. Navigating the SKY box is frustrating. Why can't you just select all when trying to delete old programmes? Trying to get past the telephone AI bot no service is beyond frustrating. SKY wants to wear you down so that you can't down grade. The only options they have are to rope you in further with short term upgrades. Broadband too disconnects on my iphone.

Simply disgraceful.....

Re: Total rip-off?

Daniel0210 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:21:33 GMT

@BabeRuth26 wrote:

I am a VIP customer for 16 years, what a joke.

VIP is irrelevant here. New customers are VIP customers almost immediately.

Surreptitiously Sky put the prices up and they hope you don't look at your bills.

Price rises occur every April for UK customers so it shouldn't come as a surprise.

18 month contracts rather than 12.

New and renewed contracts for TV and Broadband/Talk are 24 months. They haven't been 18 months for a year or two.

SKY wants to wear you down so that you can't down grade.

To remove part of your TV package you need to contact Sky giving the standard 31 days notice. If you have 'in contract' discounts you may not be able to remove them because the discounts were provided on the understanding you’d be paying for the full period. Also make sure cancellation of a certain add-on doesn’t cancel another part of a discount.

You may be able to remove it via this link which includes a message option (usually available between 9am & 7.30pm) or by calling using the number that should appear.
https://www.sky.com/help/articles/change-your-package-2-t2#downgrade

Re: Total rip-off?

TimmyBGood — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:15:50 GMT

@BabeRuth26 wrote:

We have to pay a TV licence (another rip off) which includeds Sky???? So paying twice for awful TV.

The Television Licence funds the BBC (and S4C) : none of it goes to Sky. The BBC pays a standard listing fee to appear in the Sky EPG, and rather a lot more to SES (the Astra satellite owners) for geosynchronous data transit.

@BabeRuth26 wrote:

Essentials Sky TV you can't even get Sky documentaries.

Television Essentials on a Sky Q box is free to air channels only.

Essential TV on Glass and Stream is free to air channels plus Sky Atlantic, Netflix Standard with Adverts and Discovery+ Basic

The minimum subscription to access the Sky Documentary channel would be 'Sky Signature' on Sky Q or 'Ultimate TV' on Glass/Stream.

Re: Total rip-off?

DaveDrizen — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:54:02 GMT

@Daniel0210 wrote:
@RobU1
Having received the email or letter about the price increase (which happens every April) you have 30 days to cancel your broadband subscription giving the appropriate notice period. You can't do the same with a TV subscription. The price increase shouldn't come as a surprise.

I am sorry that is not correct this year you can cancel you TVsubscription on receiving your notification of the April increase if you are a Sky satellite subscriber (Sky Q, Sky+ ). You have 30 days from receiving your email or letter to the phone number that is on the notification

Re: Total rip-off?

DaveDrizen — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:14:00 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:
@Daniel0210 wrote:
@RobU1
Having received the email or letter about the price increase (which happens every April) you have 30 days to cancel your broadband subscription giving the appropriate notice period. You can't do the same with a TV subscription. The price increase shouldn't come as a surprise.
I am sorry that is not correct this year you can cancel you TVsubscription on receiving your notification of the April increase if you are a Sky satellite subscriber (Sky Q, Sky+ ). You have 30 days from receiving your email or letter to the phone number that is on the notification

Sorry I should have said that entirely correct. As I said Sky satellite tv subscribers can cancel after receiving the April increase notification even if you are still on minimum term with paying any termination fee with 30 days of receiving there notification. This dose not apply Sky stream or glass subscribers who still can only cancel with a termination fee if they are not in a minimum term.

Re: Total rip-off?

Daniel0210 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:17:32 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:

@Daniel0210 wrote:

I am sorry that is not correct this year you can cancel you TVsubscription on receiving your notification of the April increase if you are a Sky satellite subscriber (Sky Q, Sky+ ). You have 30 days from receiving your email or letter to the phone number that is on the notification

@DaveDrizen

I posted that reply in April 2025 at which point the reply to the OP was correct.

Re: Total rip-off?

DaveDrizen — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:34:24 GMT

Why is everybody singling out Sky for puting up there prices in April when most telecommunications companies are all so puting up there prices up either in March or April. I have broadband or phone contracts with the likes of BT, EE and vodaphone all have given me notice that the price is going up end of March or April . In fact I think you will find defecult to find a company that price will not increase in this time. And many are still advertising there old prices for new customers with the mention in their advert that price will increase in April.

Re: Total rip-off?

Mark39 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:43:30 GMT

@DaveDrizen wrote:

Why is everybody singling out Sky for puting up there prices in April when most telecommunications companies are all so puting up there prices up either in March or April.

Simply because we're a Community of Sky customers, I think.

You're right BT/EE is an example of another provider that increases prices at this time of year.

Re: Total rip-off?

MarkGoldsmith — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:02:20 GMT

@Mark39 wrote:
@DaveDrizen wrote:
Why is everybody singling out Sky for puting up there prices in April when most telecommunications companies are all so puting up there prices up either in March or April.
Simply because we're a Community of Sky customers, I think.

You're right BT/EE is an example of another provider that increases prices at this time of year.

Indeed, i'd imagine in the fourms for other telecommunications companies people complain about that company and not all their competitors.