Credit Balance Refund

[TG_83]

I've cancelled my sky broadband but a DD payment was still taken out, now I've been issued with an invoice with a credit balance which advises that will be used against upcoming bills.

How ridiculous is this process. 
firstly, when cancelling with 4 weeks' notice why still bill for the period afterwards and secondly why is the refund not being issued automatically if payment method is still active?

Sky is clearly attempting to pocket the mo etc here, counting on vunerable customers not noticing and not knowing how to request funds back (which is not easy and cannot be done online).

I need help too to get my money back asap and I will also escalate this to the ombudsman for unfair practice harming customers purposefully 

[Daniel0210]

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@TG_83 wrote:

I've cancelled my sky broadband but a DD payment was still taken out, now I've been issued with an invoice with a credit balance which advises that will be used against upcoming bills.

How ridiculous is this process. 
firstly, when cancelling with 4 weeks' notice why still bill for the period afterwards

because bills are generated 14 days before the payment date so at that point you were still a paying customer 

and secondly why is the refund not being issued automatically if payment method is still active?

Refunds should normally take about 6 weeks from your last day of connection, but recent posts suggest in some cases it is taking longer.

We can potentially help you get it refunded within 3-5 working days via the Messaging Team on here if you wish. Let us know on this thread if you want to do that.

I need help too to get my money back asap and I will also escalate this to the ombudsman for unfair practice harming customers purposefully 

Youd have to go through the Sky complaints process first.

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[TG_83]

I still don't understand why Sky charges.

I cancelled on 02/05 with future end of service 30/05, then payment was taken 02/06 to cover billing period 02/06 - 01/07

Sky knew I was leaving and did not have to charge for June

anything that could be done to expedite the refund process would be appreciated (again why would it take 6 weeks?) 

[Daniel0210]

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@TG_83 wrote:

I still don't understand why Sky charges.

I cancelled on 02/05 with future end of service 30/05, then payment was taken 02/06 to cover billing period 02/06 - 01/07

So you're billed up til the date the service ends (30/05). That bill was generated on or about 16/05 when you were still a customer. It's the normal process and nothing untoward. 

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[Daniel0210]

@TG_83 
I’ve escalated your post to Sky and their Messaging Team should contact you tomorrow. 

Look out for a post on this thread from one of the team inviting you to a private chat and then you should see a blue/red speech bubble at the bottom of your forum page. You’ll have 48 hours to click on it and start the private chat or it will close automatically. If you fail to respond to a chat reply within 48 hours the chat will again close down automatically even if your issue hasn’t been resolved. Replies from Sky aren’t instant so you’ll need to check the chat thread periodically.

This link explains what happens.
https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Did-you-know/Escalating-a-post-to-a-Sky-expert/ba-p/3711147#M1014

[Mr+Flibbles+86]

Thanks for escalating this. We’ve sent an invite to chat.

Please be aware conversations automatically close if there is no response within 48 hours.

[TG_83]

I too have this issue. Cancelled service on 02/05 with effective date 30/05.

Payment was deducted via automated card payment 02/06 (so after cancellation date), it raises concerns if Sky has the legal or contractual  authority to process payments after service end date.

The account has been in credit since, one would expect an automated refund (payment details still on the acccount)

It feels Sky contiunes to bill after the service end date and then places the bured on their customer to fight for their money back.

[caesarome]

@TG_83 

This wil  have happened as the 2nd June bill will have been created 14 days earlier so when you were still a customer so now that you have left if you payment method is still in place we can arrange some help for you via here to get the credit refunded so let us know if you are happy to be sent a private message on here about this ?

[TG_83]

Yes please, any help would be appreciated.

I'm in and out of meetings today so cannot call Customer Services

[Mark39]

@TG_83 what happened when this was escalated for you previously?

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Account-Billing/Credit-Balance-Refund/m-p/5019547#M259514

[Daniel0210]

@Mark39 

Good spot.

@TG_83 

I have moved your recent posts on this into your thread from a few weeks ago so everyone has the background to this. 

[TG_83]

After some back and forth  I managed to get it sorted via chat, welll so I hope. We will see if my card is being refunded in the next few days. Absolute disgusting behaviour from Sky. If the system still generates a bill despite a cancellation request in place and then cards are being charged after the contract end date Sky has some work to do to ensure this does not happpen. Additionally, I am certain if customers weren't escalating this then there would be no refund processed - absolutely shocking. 

[Daniel0210]

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@Daniel0210 wrote:

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@TG_83 wrote:

I've cancelled my sky broadband but a DD payment was still taken out, now I've been issued with an invoice with a credit balance which advises that will be used against upcoming bills.

How ridiculous is this process. 
firstly, when cancelling with 4 weeks' notice why still bill for the period afterwards

because bills are generated 14 days before the payment date so at that point you were still a paying customer 

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@TG_83 

This was explained in the very first reply (above) and at least one other as well. Bills are generated 14 days before the payment date so in the majority of cases it will have been generated whilst you were still a paying customer and potentially in your notice period. This process is the same for everyone and there's nothing there that warrants change. 

[TG_83]

Yes, you’re right, the same response has been given multiple times now, and it’s clearly a standard reply that doesn’t actually address the core issue: that customers are being charged for a period after their contract has ended.

Good practice would mean having a system that recognises an upcoming cancellation date and prevents unnecessary billing in the first place. At the very least, there should be a built-in safeguard to stop charges from being applied beyond the agreed end of service.

And if that’s somehow too complicated, a simple automated refund issued with the final bill, instead of a credit balance invoice saying it will be applied to future bills (for a service the customer no longer uses!) would be a basic step in the right direction.

Just because bills are issued in advance doesn’t mean this can’t be fixed. Plenty of other companies handle this cleanly. Continuing to charge or hold onto money after a service has ended is, at best, bad design and at worst, exploitative.