Contact Sensors Offline - can this be resolved remotely?

[GraGil]

As per title, both my contact sensors are offline. There is no reboot option for these devices. Can these be brought back online remotely by the Support team?

Additional info - Doorbell, Indoor camera and Motion sensor all online and functioning okay.

[lettice]

Your best bet is to use the live chat in the Sky Protect app to ask about that.

[GraGil]

Live Chat is not available at this time. Anyone from Sky Support browsing the community pages at the moment?

[lettice]

Only other option if live chat not available this weekend via the Sky Protect app is to call for Sky Protect help

Number in this Sky help article under 'Still need a hand'

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/protect-smart-home-insurance-b

[Tim+Adams]

Hi @GraGil 

Try removing the sensor  via the app and then go through adding it again. You'll need to be able to get to the sensor to press the button when prompted.

Thanks,

Tim

[Andy+Sewell]

You'll find you'll have to do this daily if it's anything like the problems I have. 2024 design style, 1980 technology. Never had such garbage in my life. 

[Stottie]

The contact sensors may occasionally go offline, but should reconnect within a few hours. They only "check in" every few hours or when an event occurs (leak, temperature or humidity breach) to conserve their batteries.

If they haven't reconnected in a few hours you can try manually doing this by simulating a leak (touch both metal contacts on the base with your hands). Don't forget get to remove the leak event in the app afterwards 

[Andy+Sewell]

Great. So let's hope the burglars time the break in correctly then when the contact sensors are off line. How ridiculous. 

[Stottie]

Apologies - thought we were referring to the leak sensors! These do have a tendancy to drop offline!! The contact sensors certainly shouldn't drop offline!

[TimmyBGood]

---

@Andy+Sewell wrote:

So let's hope the burglars time the break in correctly then when the contact sensors are off line.

---

Realistically the 'smart tech bundle' should absolutely not be considered as a security solution, and Sky does not describe it as being so.

It's a marketing promotion for an insurance product.

[Andy+Sewell]

Should be moved from under the Sky 'protect' section then. Regardless of it being a security device, or not, it's unreliable however you wish to brand it. 

[TimmyBGood]

---

@Andy+Sewell wrote:

Should be moved from under the Sky 'protect' section then.

---

'Protect' is of course legacy branding for extended warranties from Domestic & General on Sky digiboxes and satellite dishes going back several decades.

Presumably Zurich (the underwriters for the Sky Home and Contents insurance launched in May 2023) saw value in associating with that longstanding product: personally I think it causes unnecessary confusion.