Total rip-off?

[RobU1]

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. 

[caesarome]

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 ?

[Daniel0210]

@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. 

[RobU1]

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.

[PandJ2020]

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@RobU1 wrote:

I've been with Sky almost 25 years

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

[RobU1]

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

[daveNOS]

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@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.

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@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.

[PandJ2020]

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@RobU1 wrote:

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

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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)

[PandJ2020]

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%.

[RobU1]

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. 

[PandJ2020]

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@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. 

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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.