Why is my bill so high after being a customer for over 15 years compared to new customers?

[Candice78]

I am probably not alone with how I feel..and have thought this way for a long time but since the price increase and being told when I contacted sky that I am on the best possible offer for what I have, but when I look at my products if I was a new customer and the whole TV and broadband package is £20 cheaper than what I am paying now.  How can they justify the difference in prices and obviously loyalty means nothing to them even though they keep tell me that my price is lower than most because of the length of time I have been with them but it is all rubbish! Before people reply saying why don't I just leave.. its not that easy for me as have phones, tv and broadband and I do not have a great credit score so some companies will not accept me but I don't want to leave as there is a reason why I have been with them for so long..I just want to pay a reasonable amount for a services that isn't so much more than new customers because soon if the prices go up again I will have to cancel my tv and reduce my broadband speed but as a single parent who works from home and a daughter who games that will be a nightmare for me.  Is there anything I can do to get sky to take existing customers serious and give them the same offers as new customers?

[Mark39]

Without a discount deal you'll be paying the standard, list price. Sky aren't obliged to agree a discount, I'm afraid. All you can do is negotiate with them, but you're doing it with one hand tied behind your back, if you're unwilling to walk away.

[Candice78]

I understand that Sky are not obligated to give me anything better than the standard list price and if I am not happy I should leave but if you read my post I have said why I have not left and that I know that I am not entitled to anything just because I am a long term customer but I don't understand why I have to pay so much more than new customers 

[Daniel0210]

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@Candice78 wrote:

I don't understand why I have to pay so much more than new customers 

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@Candice78 

Quite simply because better discounts are offered to new customers as an incentive for them to join. You were probably offered such a deal when you originally signed up. 

All providers operate in a similar fashion. I know you don't want to leave but if you did choose to jump ship and go with another provider then in 18/24 months you'd be in the same position with that provider and if you wanted to you'd be able to return to Sky as a new customer and benefit from the new customer discount. 

[MarkGoldsmith]

It's quite common for new customer deals to be priced so competitively that the provider may not actually be making any profit on the initial deal. With the idea being that the customer doesn't leave at the end of the minimum term and that is when the provider actually starts to make a profit from the customer.

The cost of attracting new customers is always higher than retaining customers which is why they have to operate in such a way. 

[Dionne200881]

Do you get Universal credit as it's £20 a month same fast fiber people being charged 48 for and it came out in 2022

I only found out last year it was even a things and today 2022 it came out

The fact I have tried to cancel every year and informed them I can't afford it and also only have internet for work proposed

So have a look not sure on TV but internet is 20 a month 

[Dionne200881]

Sorry why is no one informing you of the social tarrif is available for lone parents low income and vaunrable and Universal credit and pip or DLA.

Sky shooul inform people when contract ends and you are informing them it's to much, it is a breach of consumer rights

Also get rid of TV and use netflix or prime or Disney on a fire stick and also get rid of TV licence as its only needed for live BBC1 channel, you can still watch shows and boxers or dramas on BBC1 on fire stick as long as its not live 

I know this because I do it and I checked everything before hand and the correct legislations

[MightyQuinn]

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@Dionne200881 wrote:

also get rid of TV licence as its only needed for live BBC1 channel

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Hi @Dionne200881   It is a TV Licence, not a BBC licence! 
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-does-your-tv-licence-cover

[PandJ2020]

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@Dionne200881 wrote:

also get rid of TV licence as its only needed for live BBC1 channel

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Er... incorrect

[Anonymous]

@Dionne200881 You can't watch any live TV, regardless of channel or any content on iPlayer without a licence. You need to do better research I think! 

[Daniel0210]

@Dionne200881 

Perhaps admitting to TV Licence indiscretions on a public forum is not a wise move.

[daveNOS]

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@Dionne200881 wrote:

Also get rid of TV and use netflix or prime or Disney on a fire stick and also get rid of TV licence as its only needed for live BBC1 channel, you can still watch shows and boxers or dramas on BBC1 on fire stick as long as its not live 

I know this because I do it and I checked everything before hand and the correct legislations

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@Dionne200881 You checked everything including the correct legislations and yet you still managed to get the advice wrong. If you watch anything from the BBC either via their channels or iPlayer(live or on-demand content) you are required to have a TV licence.

Also it is not a breach of consumer rights if Sky do not Inform a customer that their TV contract is ending, if it was the regulators would have taken action. 

[Anonymous]

@daveNOS It's not just live TV on BBC channels, it's live TV on any terrestrial or streaming channel too.

[daveNOS]

@Anonymous I'm fully aware of that, I only mentioned the BBC as that was part of the wrong information given in the post I was replying to. 

[Dionne200881]

So everyone is wrong, why because a TV licence is for live TV, it's paid to BBC they are charging for the TV licence fee because BBC and for public service broadcasting, all other channels do not charge the TV licence fee

The current law is TV licence fee is not from ITV/Channel 4 or 5 because these are commercial public broadcasting funded by advertising and other sources 

Off BBC stoped and closed down a new law would need to be done by parliament.