Delayed provisioning - Auto Compensation

[Steve-35]

Hi all, 

As per the title really, looking for some advice re Sky's auto compensation scheme. 

I placed an order for FTTP back in December of last year which ultimately failed as the pole that serves my property wasn't enabled for fibre despite the rest of my estate being able to get it. 

This was escalated by the Openreach engineer at the time & after a very lengthy wait my FTTP service was finally installed on the 19th August.

From what I've read online & from what Sky have said previously I am entitled to compensation for the delay in provision. 

I'm aware that Sky usually pay this within 30 days by means of a credit to your account but what I'm wondering is do they contact you before hand to advise that they will be compensating you & by how much or do they just quietly add it to your account at some stage? 

I'm currently on my 17th day since activation & as yet haven't heard anything from Sky, should I just sit tight & wait & see what happens or should I be giving them a phone to discuss it? 

Any advice appreciated, thanks. 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Steve-35 wrote:

As per the title really, looking for some advice re Sky's auto compensation scheme. 

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Perhaps worth knowing it's an Ofcom scheme which Sky has chosen to sign up to.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/automat... 

[Steve-35]

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@TimmyBGood wrote:

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@Steve-35 wrote:

As per the title really, looking for some advice re Sky's auto compensation scheme. 

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Perhaps worth knowing it's an Ofcom scheme which Sky has chosen to sign up to.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/automat... 

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@TimmyBGood 

I'm aware of the above already but is it not ultimately Sky who pay the compensation as they are the ones who provide the service? 

[Chrisee]

@Steve-35 its Sky who pay you as the customer but the money is almost certainly comes from Openreach. I believe it is paid to your customers account as a credit so should be applied against your monthly payments but you can probably ask for a payment to your bank once it is calculated. Keep,sn eye on your future bills in the My Sky app or website.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Steve-35 wrote:

I placed an order for FTTP back in December of last year which ultimately failed as the pole that serves my property wasn't enabled for fibre despite the rest of my estate being able to get it. 

This was escalated by the Openreach engineer at the time & after a very lengthy wait my FTTP service was finally installed on the 19th August.

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At £5.25 a day that's going to be a pretty substantial sum, so it's quite possible they will try to avoid paying out.  If this was an ADSL or FTTC to FTTP 'upgrade', did you keep use of the previous connection during those months?

[Steve-35]

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@Chrisee wrote:

@Steve-35 its Sky who pay you as the customer but the money is almost certainly comes from Openreach. I believe it is paid to your customers account as a credit so should be applied against your monthly payments but you can probably ask for a payment to your bank once it is calculated. Keep,sn eye on your future bills in the My Sky app or website.

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@Chrisee  thanks. I've tried to speak to Sky about this but have literally hit a brick wall with the agents I've spoke to.

I've spoke with two agents who categorically state the compensation must be applied as a credit to my bill "as that's Sky's policy" yet Ofcom website states: "Unless you agree otherwise, compensation will be a credit on your bill."

I've posed the question of what if I don't want it credited to my bill & was told that's the only option.

I've asked for a rough estimate of what I might be due in compensation on the basis  of £5.25 per day for every day my provisioning was delayed, only to be told that (a) "the system" calculates it automatically & no one has any say or involvement in it & (b) to "go & do the maths yourself sir".....hardly the most professional response from a Sky agent & one that really got my back up 

[Steve-35]

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@TimmyBGood wrote

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At £5.25 a day that's going to be a pretty substantial sum, so it's quite possible they will try to avoid paying out.  If this was an ADSL or FTTC to FTTP 'upgrade', did you keep use of the previous connection during those months?

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@TimmyBGood 

 
I was with Vodafone prior to Sky going live 2 wks ago. Prior to Vodafone I was with Sky on an Ultrafast G fast package but was told that the only way they could "upgrade" me to FTTP Ultrafast was for me to cancel my current service & place a new order for FTTP which I done. Not the most logical of processes I know & one that's been a nightmare from start to finish but the end goal of FTTP property with Sky has finally been achieved, however I doubt the nightmare is over yet! 

[TimmyBGood]

@Steve-35 

I raised the point because the compensation scheme really doesn't seem to have kept pace with what actually happens: it's supposed to be a contribution towards expenses incurred through using cellular data when, for example, moving to a new address where broadband activation is delayed by a week or so.  I suspect the people who drafted it never meant it to apply in a situation where a property has an entirely usable connection, albeit on a slower technology, and the delay is of many month to replace that service with a different and faster one.

[Chrisee]

@Steve-35 I would advise waiting until the credit is applied then call to discuss the matter with Sky at that point. If the credit is considerable such that it would leave you account in credit for a significant period and a payment is refused then formally complain as that escalates the matter and in the final anylsis you can go to the formal ADR stage where an independent arbiter gets involved. How to make a Sky complaint | Sky Help | Sky.com

[Steve-35]

@Chrisee

@TimmyBGood 

Thanks for the help. @Chrisee if what I've worked out as a rough estimate is anything to go by then yes the sum would be substantial & I'd be in credit for the best part of a year. 

[jamesn123]

Yeah I am not sure they will payout if you still had an internet connection during that time. The delayed provisioning compensation is designed for when you dont have any service to the property and are waiting for an install. 

[TimmyBGood]

@jamesn123 

Yes, that was my thought.  Given the sum @Steve-35 could be looking at is potentially north of £1200 (December to August at £5.25 a day) it's pretty obvious there might well be some argument over paying out.

[Steve-35]

So I thought I'd post an update on this for those who previously offered advice & for anyone else who's interested or potentially facing the same issues. . 

As most will be aware Sky, in line with Ofcom guidance, have 30days in which to pay any automatic compensation due, I'm now at 49 days & counting since my broadband went live & to date I still haven't received the compensation I'm entitled to. 

After growing tired of the endless excuses as to why it's not been paid I logged a formal complaint in respect of the issue 2 weeks ago in the hope it might speed things up a bit, needless to say it hasn't. 

Sky have confirmed I'm entitled to - & will receive - £1212.75 for the delayed provisioning but despite this it still hasn't been paid & there's no timescale as to when it will. 

I'm forever being told it's been escalated to managers, team leaders, different departments etc & forever being fed broken promises of "we'll call you back or text you  on x day with an update" but these calls/txts/updates never happen & I end up having to chase Sky for updates myself! 

I

[Steve-35]

@Chrisee 

@TimmyBGood 

@jamesn123 

Final update on this situation for you all, Sky have today finally credited my account with £1212.75 which has subsequently been refunded back to my bank account & given me a £15 Tesco voucher for the inconvenience of me having to chase them constantly.

It's been 52 long days of waiting for the payment but I've finally got it!

[Chrisee]

@Steve-35 glad it got sorted in the end.