End tv contract & go to Sky Stream

[Steve93]

Tried to cancel my Sky Q tv Account, it ends in a month but keep getting offers to try & keep me, have got over 25yrs service with them, I tell them I want the whole account cancelling so I can get Sky Stream on a 31 day contract as if I cancel when I still have 2 weeks left,  can only get an 18 month contrast, I don't want that, they give me a phone number for Stream, I try that but their System won't let them add Stream.

went back to messaging Sky all they'll say is if I cancel I'll lose my 25yrs & they can't order Stream on Messaging. No bothered about that at all

why is it so difficult, anyone else had issues like this?

[Chrisee]

@Steve93 you will probably havecto wait until your fixed term contract has ended and you are automatically moved onto a rolling monthly agreement for Q. It is better to call as the agents can often sort these type of issues but you could try one of Sky's retail units. Sky will try and get you onto a fixed contract for Stream but you will have a month's cooling off period in case it doesn't work for you.

[Steve93]

I'm on a 31 day rolling contract on Sky Q Essentials £5 a month, this was for 12 months but cancel anytime , just thought I could cancel then when it ends try Stream, but it seems difficult 

[Steve93]

Just found out it was £5 a month, a year contract cancel anytime for Q, I could go for an 18 month contract with Stream but as the new digital law has come onto affect cancel anytime after the cooling off period with paying a penalty.

[TimmyBGood]

---

@Steve93 wrote:

 but as the new digital law has come onto affect cancel anytime after the cooling off period with paying a penalty.

Note that the DMCCA does not appear to contain any such provision: it largely exists to provide the CMA with additional power to regulate.  The section on subscription is concerned with removing administrative barriers to the end of payment (such as having to make a phone call to end a subscription taken out online)

Minimum term contracts will continue to exist as they do now: scrapping those would be a huge intervention in established markets which the outgoing government is particularly reluctant to do, and likely to trigger significant (and inflationary) cost increases as business cashflow became chaotic.

The CMA could choose to use its new powers to launch a consultation into minimum term contracts, but that's very different to the Act prohibiting them.

https://www.linklaters.com/en/insights/blogs/linkingcompetition/2024/may/parliament-passes-the-long-... 

https://www.memerycrystal.com/the-digital-markets-competition-and-consumers-act-2024-what-it-means-f... 

[Steve93]

I see, so if after 2 months you don't like Stream, you're stuck with an 18 month old contract with no get out?

[GD1]

---

@Steve93 wrote:

I see, so if after 2 months you don't like Stream, you're stuck with an 18 month old contract with no get out?

---

Yes as you have a 31 day cool off to be able to decide, which is ample time for any person to decide.

[TimmyBGood]

---

@Steve93 wrote:

I see, so if after 2 months you don't like Stream, you're stuck with an 18 month old contract with no get out?

---

While paying a lower monthly subscription than someone on a rolling contract.

[Steve93]

Like you say 31 days is long enough to test & see if it works for me,

do you know the cheapest Stream deal, looking for only basic, to FFW through adverts, I subscribe to ITVX & CH4?
CH5 don't have a subscription service,  no Netflix, already got it at a reduced rate

[GD1]

@Steve93  Only Sky can offer you such deals, as customers we can't and we certainly can't tell you which deals Sky can or can't offer other than what is avaiable on the website.

You'll need to call to discuss any deals.

[Padam_Padam · Accepted solution]

---

@Steve93 wrote:

I see, so if after 2 months you don't like Stream, you're stuck with an 18 month old contract with no get out?

---

It's very difficult to say with any certainty and it's something Sky need to offer more clarity on.

If you look at the official 'charges for ending your Sky contract early' web page, it's not entirely clear.

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

This bit is the interesting part:

For Sky TV/Sky Q, HD, Sky+, Sky Multiscreen, Sky Q experience and Streaming TV (Sky Glass or Sky Stream): To end your contract, you’ll need to give us at least 31 days’ notice, which can’t end before your minimum term finishes. The early termination charges below are only payable if we end the relevant TV contract within your minimum term because you’ve breached your terms and conditions.

If you cancel your service(s) after you’ve reached the end of your minimum term, you won’t have to pay any early termination charges.

The early termination charge is seemingly only payable if Sky end the TV contract due to the customer breaching the t's & c's of their contract. 

It does not state that if the customer cancels the service before the end of the contract they won't have to pay any charges. 

The early termination charges table linked to on that page doesn't even include any Sky streaming packages. There is no listing for Sky Entertainment, only Sky Q packages. They include one in the examples section but it's not exactly clear. 

I think this is partly why several people on this forum have stated that Sky allowed them to exit an 18 month Stream contract early, without penalty, because Sky know that they haven't been entirely clear and anyone who challenged their contract would potentially be able to prove they were misled.

I think Sky would do well to get their legal department to go over these contracts, particularly in light of the new legislation. They need to much clearer to the customer with information on what they will be charged (if anything) for ending an 18 month streaming contract early, because right now it's as clear as mud, and if several customers on here have already been allowed to leave early, why can't everyone? 

[Steve93]

Thanks very informative will give it a try & see, thanks all for your help