Early termination fee

[cooter29]

Am i right in thinking there is no early termination fee on an 18 month stream contract 6 months in.

Due to the new media law that came in this year.

My stream is so poor. Would move back to Q but dish is no longer there and its much more expensive.

looking to cancel everything now

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[TimmyBGood]

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@cooter29 wrote:

Due to the new media law that came in this year.

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I can find no evidence that either the Media Act or the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act contain any such provision, and so far nobody making this assertion has been able to point to where it's written.  The Media Act in particular is almost entirely about industry regulation and has nothing to say about subscription contracts at all: the DMCC does at least mention these in creating a right to cancel online where the contract was taken out that way.

One might think that a universal right to cancel at any time would receive at least some media attention...

However, previous forum posts suggests that Sky will (eventually) permit early exit from Glass and Stream content subscription without penalty where the user insists on exercising existing consumer rights (primarily, in my opinion, due to the absence of in-premises support in resolving issues)

[cooter29]

Section 254 

[TimmyBGood]

@cooter29 

The Media Act (2024) does not have a Section 254

There is such a section in the DMCCA, but this is defining terms used in the Act, not conferring any rights.

[TimmyBGood]

@cooter29 

I suspect a significant cause of confusion is this:

The DMCC requires a trader to make arrangements to ensure that a consumer can end a subscription contract by a single communication without having to take unreasonable and unnecessary steps. For subscription contracts entered into online, the trader must enable termination online. Instructions on how to do so must be displayed online in a place where the consumer is likely to find them. Instead of using the trader’s termination arrangement, the consumer can notify a trader of termination using any method they choose, provided it is sufficiently clear (from here)

People appear to be taking this to mean there's a new right to cancel in any circumstances and at any time, which just isn't correct: the measures above apply where and when a contract permits cancellation.

As I've observed elsewhere, the previous Government would have been very resistant to ending the concept of minimum contract terms because that's the kind on intervention in business which they were ideologically opposed to.

[cooter29]

I stand corrected

however in law a service must be fit for purpose and mines in certainly not that even with 1gig internet

[TimmyBGood]

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@cooter29 wrote:

however in law a service must be fit for purpose 

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As I said above, presenting a case under long-standing consumer protection legislation appears to be the way to go.

[mikealanr]

@cooter29 

According to Sky: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/charges-for-ending-your-sky-contract-early

To end your contract, you’ll need to give us at least 31 days’ notice, which can’t end before your minimum term finishes.

There have been reports that some people have exited, but you will need to speak to sky.

MikeAlanR

[TimmyBGood]

@mikealanr 

I suspect the key difference is that for the satellite platforms Sky has the national fleet of 'engineers' to address customer issues.

[Jason+Golding]

As it stands, and this can change at any time. Sky are not placing any early termination fees on Sky Glass or Sky stream in contract cancellations. 100 percent.  This could definitely change as you are in a contract and they are within their rights to do so. I don't know why they're not, I was told by their customer service team that it was a legal issue. Sky don't even publish an early termination fee for sky stream or glass, which legally if they are going to enforce they need to do. They have published early cancellation fees for all other sky products, Q, Mobile, Broadband even Now tv broadband. Google sky early termination fee table 

[mikealanr]

@TimmyBGood 

That article is for For Sky TV/Sky Q, HD, Sky+, Sky Multiscreen, Sky Q experience and Streaming TV (Sky Glass or Sky Stream).

I'd assume those who have exited is on a 'case by case' basis.

@Jason+Golding  that link covers Glass and Stream and has examples of fees that could be charged. 

MikeAlanR

[TimmyBGood]

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@mikealanr wrote:

@TimmyBGood 

That article is for For Sky TV/Sky Q, HD, Sky+, Sky Multiscreen, Sky Q experience and Streaming TV (Sky Glass or Sky Stream).

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My point was more that where a supplier needs to demonstrate they've taken 'reasonable' steps to remedy a situation, it's considerably easier to do so when there are actually boots on the ground (or up a ladder ; )

[CliffyCliff]

Maybe sky are fulloy aware there streaming service is pants so allow people to leave early for no fee especially if moving to another Sky product