Hello community - I hope someone can advise
My father who is 91 years old, disabled and hard of hearing sold and moved from his house in July 2023 where he was paying £43 per month for sky TV. He has some recollection of letting sky know that he was moving home and wished to cancel sky TV. last month (February 2024) as he was looking through his bank statements he noticed that SKY had still been taking £43 monthly since he moved home - which totals to paying £344 for services that he has not used.
I contacted SKY on his behalf last month to explain the situation and they advised that after looking into the account and listening to calls, they do not have any proof of somebody calling in to cancel and said the most they can do is cancel his account with immediate effect and credit his account by £31.14 for 20th Feb - 11 March 2024. This still leaves my father paying for 8 months of unused services equating to £344. Unfortunately due to my fathers old age and disabilities plus hearing impairment he cannot remember all details and does not have any proof himself of cancellation but does have some memory of instucting to cancel.
I asked the SKY advisor with whom I was liasing to access the account and ascertain if the TV services had actually been used ? As Im sure that they havent been used as my father was no longer at the property - she advised that SKY do not have any means to check if the TV package has been used or not. I also informed The advisor that I could send her proof of the house sale and proof of his current address which would confirm that he was no longer at the old address since July last year - She advised that it would make no difference to the situation. I also requested if SKY have some compassionate grounds where they could deal with such circumstances when charging the very elderly and disabled customers as I'm sure many vulnerable people find themselves in similar sitautions ? The advisor said that she had spoken to her manager who advised that they could not help and would not offer any goodwill / undertsanding in this matter and reimburse my father. I asked if she could allow me to speak to someone more senior who could look into the matter and have the authority to show some understanding to the situation - the advisor said there would be no point of doing so as she had already spoken to her manager who was unwilling to compromise. Please note I am not complaining about the advisor I spoke to as Im sure she was just doing her job and was not rude in any way, my complaint is to SKY's company policy and ask if they have any compassion towards their long standing customers whom which they have been financially rewarded from for many years?
Although I understand that SKY say they have no proof of cancellation and that my dad does'nt have proof of cancellation - but I honestly believe that such a large multi million pound company would show goodwill and understanding towards its vulnerable customers who encounter hurdles like this in later life and who are already struggling rather than pocket an extra £344 from a customer who had subscribed to SKY services since 2005 - Thats 19 years! - This £344 makes no difference to SKY's sky high profits but will impact customers like my father both financially and mentally making them feel worried and helpless due to the vulnerabilities that come with old age.
If we paint every situation with the same brush and enforce the same rules irrespective of a people - where is compassion ?
I will be very grateful if someone could advise / resolve the situation. Regards AL
