# Terminating Sky Contract



## roker (2 Feb 2016)

My half price 12 month contract is up in March. As the full price for the TV and broad band at full price will be €120 month, I have written a termination letter giving 1 months notice. So far no response.

They take payment via my debit card, I am not sure how this works, can I stop this payment at the end of contract at the bank?


----------



## PaddyBloggit (2 Feb 2016)

You must ring them to cancel. They only accept changes by phone.

You can't stop payment as they will chase you for unpaid DD.

Ring them immediately. You can ring them late at night.


----------



## Jumpstartdublin (3 Feb 2016)

Can you emAil. Nice to have proof.  Refer to previous unanswered letter you posted.


----------



## demoivre (3 Feb 2016)

PaddyBloggit said:


> You must ring them to cancel.



They want you to ring them so that they can try and hang on to you as a customer with some other offer. Where in the law does it say that a contract must be cancelled verbally?


----------



## demoivre (3 Feb 2016)

roker said:


> My half price 12 month contract is up in March. As the full price for the TV and broad band at full price will be €120 month, I have written a termination letter giving 1 months notice. So far no response.
> 
> They take payment via my debit card, I am not sure how this works, can I stop this payment at the end of contract at the bank?



You have given them the required notice. Cancel the direct debit yourself as you are perfectly entitled to do, it's your money not the banks.


----------



## Clonback (3 Feb 2016)

I found it very difficult to terminate Sky.In the end I sent them a registered letter which did the trick.


----------



## PaddyBloggit (3 Feb 2016)

I have never had a problem with Sky when I rang them up. Be firm and they'll play ball.

Easiest way of ending your contract is to say you are emigrating ... that ends all discussion.


----------



## PaddyBloggit (3 Feb 2016)

demoivre said:


> You have given them the required notice. Cancel the direct debit yourself as you are perfectly entitled to do, it's your money not the banks.



You can write but you'll still have to speak with them over the phone:

_*"Write to us or send an email to tell us that you’d like to cancel and we’ll call you back to verify your details and process your request. Please note, we won’t be able to cancel your services unless we verify your request over the phone."*_

'Tis all here:


----------



## robert 200 (3 Feb 2016)

I totally agree with Clonback - Sky were a nightmare to cancel.

They chased me for money I did not owe for months - avoid like the plague!!!!!


----------



## MrEarl (3 Feb 2016)

Hello,

For those of you considering cancelling Sky, when you telephone them immediately opt for them to call you back - there can be a notable cost to calling them on an 0818 telephone number (depending on which telephone provider you are with).


----------



## Jumpstartdublin (3 Feb 2016)

Once you write with relevant numbers you can assume cancelled. May have to keep proof of posting and allow up to 1 month from receipt. Cancel your direct debit. If any issues bring them to small claims court and claim all the fees you paid back - they won't waste their legals fighting case and you will receive a cheque in post to go away !


----------



## Billo (3 Feb 2016)

When you try to cancel over the phone prepare for a long long  wait before they get the message. They will not accept your simple request to cancel. You have to be very firm and not accept harassment from them. Absolute nightmare to get away from.


----------



## demoivre (4 Feb 2016)

PaddyBloggit said:


> You can write but you'll still have to speak with them over the phone:
> 
> _*"Write to us or send an email to tell us that you’d like to cancel and we’ll call you back to verify your details and process your request. Please note, we won’t be able to cancel your services unless we verify your request over the phone."*_
> 
> 'Tis all here:



I guarantee you they will cancel your services if you stop paying them ! If you want to waste money on a phone call, join a queue to speak to someone and then listen to a 10 minute sales pitch Paddy's advice is the way to go ! At the moment I'm waiting on the legal proceedings to be issued by Sky for cancelling by e mail.


----------



## Leo (4 Feb 2016)

Jumpstartdublin said:


> Once you write with relevant numbers you can assume cancelled. May have to keep proof of posting and allow up to 1 month from receipt. Cancel your direct debit. If any issues bring them to small claims court and claim all the fees you paid back - they won't waste their legals fighting case and you will receive a cheque in post to go away !



Not if you don't comply with the cancellation terms you previously agreed to be bound by. All the telcos are notorious for this, they usually win unless things are done by the book.


----------



## Steven Barrett (4 Feb 2016)

Just phone them up and cancel. They will try to offer you a deal to make you stay, tell them you're not interested and cancel the subscription. It will take you 5 minutes max. 


Steven
www.bluewaterfp.ie


----------



## Jumpstartdublin (4 Feb 2016)

See how it works in court - guaranteed you can tie them up in knots and paperwork - complain to Comreg , request data protection etc and they will pay you off to go away !


----------



## MrEarl (4 Feb 2016)

Jumpstartdublin said:


> See how it works in court - guaranteed you can tie them up in knots and paperwork - complain to Comreg , request data protection etc and they will pay you off to go away !



Is it really worth that amount of trouble, just for the sake of avoiding a telephone call ?

As I suggested earlier, it's much easier to just call them, get them to call you back so you don't incur the cost of a long telephone call at a premium rate and then cancel.... a few minutes of plesant (please stay with us, we love you) type chat and then it's all over, seems a much easier way to deal with this than preparing for a battle you may not even win, in court !

As for your suggestion that they will "pay you off", I'm not sure where you are getting that from but it seems a bit far fetched to me, unless you can support with some specific examples ?  If you cannot provide some examples, then I fail to see how you are offering good advice to others I'm afraid.


----------



## Leo (4 Feb 2016)

MrEarl said:


> As for your suggestion that they will "pay you off", I'm not sure where you are getting that from but it seems a bit far fetched to me, unless you can support with some specific examples ?



I'd be interested in that also. From my understanding, such claims would be outside the remit of the Small Claims Court, and regardless, it'd cost considerably more than a simple phone call in terms of time and effort to pursue any other method.


----------



## Jumpstartdublin (4 Feb 2016)

Obviously I wasn't suggesting that one claims a small amount - claim total fees paid over the full period of contract. Claim is based on inferior service and unhelpful customer service follow-up. Yes, you will need proof of where you contacted/ who you spoke with/ emailed. 

I already advised regarding friend who received over 1000 euro from one recently rebranded provider. Money is does not give as much satisfaction, as watching how their legal departments are unable to defend the case in open court !


----------



## Leo (5 Feb 2016)

But you advised earlier to bring them to the small claims court! Now it's not the small claims court? A customer who has made no contact with a provider, fail to cancel their service under the terms they agreed to, then make a subsequent claim to retrieve monies paid after their cancellation notice has no grounds to reclaim everything they paid since they signed up. 

Inferior service, or the service provided in any way not meeting that specified in the contract is an area covered by the small claims court, but we are not talking about that here. We're simply talking about cancelling a service the OP no longer wants. Please let's stick to that topic. Anything relating to claiming for substandard service can go in a separate thread. 

If your friend's case did indeed relate to a case where they cancelled a service and subsequently went about reclaiming money charged after the cancellation, give us the case number or details so we can review the outcome online in the court records. That would be very useful information for the OP.


----------



## Jumpstartdublin (6 Feb 2016)

That's perfect. are small claims settlements online ? Obviously the provider did not go to court and simply sent a cheque for total in post !


----------



## ppmmeath (6 Feb 2016)

I have always found SKY great to deal with, I have been with them years - I cancel my contract every year and my husband rings to join in his name, we then do the reverse the following year, we are always on a special offer deal.

SKY are aware of this, you must be a non customer for 12 months before availing of a special offer.


----------



## Leo (8 Feb 2016)

Jumpstartdublin said:


> That's perfect. are small claims settlements online ? Obviously the provider did not go to court and simply sent a cheque for total in post !



All detailed on the Courts Service [broken link removed]:



> Where possible, the registrar will negotiate a settlement without the need for a court hearing. If the matter cannot be settled the registrar will bring your claim before the District Court.



Again, nothing to do with cancellations, so let's get this thread back on topic.


----------



## roker (8 Feb 2016)

I have written to Irish office and UK office  + sent an email, I just received a response by post, saying "they received my letter but I must phone them, I tried to phone but there was a 15 minute wait at 15c a minute before I talk to anyone.


----------



## Jumpstartdublin (8 Feb 2016)

Write back to letter writer and state you did phone multiple times and will correspond by post from now on.


----------



## demoivre (8 Feb 2016)

roker said:


> I have written to Irish office and UK office  + sent an email, I just received a response by post, saying "they received my letter but I must phone them, I tried to phone but there was a 15 minute wait at 15c a minute.



Waste of time and money. I e mailed them , gave the 31 days notice, let them take the last DD then cancelled same. I doubt I'll hear anything from Sky.


----------



## Jumpstartdublin (8 Feb 2016)

You have them won if they don't reply to more than one letter or email. Then you can take them to court and let them defend their hopeless outsource call centre !


----------



## roker (10 Feb 2016)

I wrote a letter saying that I was communicating by letter only, I received a phone call today, they said they would knock €5 euro off making it now €115 per month to which I said "no. they are advertising at €49 per month cancel my contract" their answer " I am 2 days too early, I must phone up after 12th" which is the contract date.


----------



## Jumpstartdublin (10 Feb 2016)

Well done. Make your own rules. I would have told them to diary the cancellation now as they record call and that's it over !


----------



## roker (16 Feb 2016)

After lengthy phone calls, a 4th person phoned me on the 11th, and said that is was wrong to tell me to phone back on the contract date and finally agreed to give me a telephone and broadband package, I was given a price but so far their text message have not clarified this.


----------



## thedaddyman (16 May 2016)

Interesting article here suggests that whilst it is not illegal to buy such a box as this, it is illegal to use it (in the UK at least)

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/free-tv-boxes-streaming-legal-9427090


----------



## Leo (16 May 2016)

Several posts deleted here discussing an illegal service providing boxes that break Sky's encryption. These boxes connect via the web to a server hosting the decryption keys to break the encryption of the signals Sky transmit via satellite. Sky changes these frequently in an attempt to stay ahead of these operators, hence the need to have the boxes constantly connected to the web to retrieve new keys.


----------



## noproblem (16 May 2016)

thedaddyman said:


> Interesting article here suggests that whilst it is not illegal to buy such a box as this, it is illegal to use it (in the UK at least)
> 
> http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/free-tv-boxes-streaming-legal-9427090


My thoughts on this have all been deleted. Wow!. I would just like someone to show how the boxes for sale and being bought are illegal, inc the links saying so, not someone's opinion and that's me satisfied about it then.


----------



## elcato (16 May 2016)

But seeing as the sky part is the only illegal part surely using the boxes for normal TV is OK. Assuming you get all the channels as well.


----------



## thedaddyman (16 May 2016)

elcato said:


> But seeing as the sky part is the only illegal part surely using the boxes for normal TV is OK. Assuming you get all the channels as well.



I have no idea to be honest but why not get a Saorview box for those and remove all doubts


----------



## elcato (16 May 2016)

Will a saorview box give you the ITVs and BBCs as well ? My understanding is that they give you the irish channels but I'm a cable man meself so don't actually know.


----------



## Leo (16 May 2016)

noproblem said:


> My thoughts on this have all been deleted. Wow!. I would just like someone to show how the boxes for sale and being bought are illegal, inc the links saying so, not someone's opinion and that's me satisfied about it then.



Wow indeed. Start with Section 9 of the Broadcasting Act 1990, then Section 372 of the Copyright and Related Acts 2000.


----------



## Leo (16 May 2016)

elcato said:


> Will a saorview box give you the ITVs and BBCs as well ? My understanding is that they give you the irish channels but I'm a cable man meself so don't actually know.



The UK channels are freely available via satellite, so a combi Saorview / Saorsat box will give you both Irish & UK channels.


----------



## Leo (16 May 2016)

elcato said:


> But seeing as the sky part is the only illegal part surely using the boxes for normal TV is OK. Assuming you get all the channels as well.



Yeah, just you'll get much cheaper boxes with no need for ongoing subscriptions if you get a straight satellite box.


----------



## elcato (16 May 2016)

I believe this box can work using BB and does not require a dish.


----------



## Leo (16 May 2016)

elcato said:


> I believe this box can work using BB and does not require a dish.



The one linked earlier (now removed) has dual satellite feed connectors. You can get Android and other set to boxes that just stream over the web using various apps, but you won't get any premium channels on those legally either.


----------



## noproblem (16 May 2016)

Leo said:


> Wow indeed. Start with Section 9 of the Broadcasting Act 1990, then Section 372 of the Copyright and Related Acts 2000.


Thanks Leo but it doesn't tell me that the box is illegal. If I have Sky installed by means of a dish and I then cancel my subscription to Sky, does that mean my dish is now illegal because I can still get some channels on it for free? Why are you so, so, vehement on the device I mentioned being illegal when I cannot see that being mentioned anywhere? Like i've said many times before, show me the "exact" link, not your opinion on some link or other, that's what's known as interpretation. Is it not?


----------



## newirishman (16 May 2016)

noproblem said:


> Thanks Leo but it doesn't tell me that the box is illegal. If I have Sky installed by means of a dish and I then cancel my subscription to Sky, does that mean my dish is now illegal because I can still get some channels on it for free? Why are you so, so, vehement on the device I mentioned being illegal when I cannot see that being mentioned anywhere? Like i've said many times before, show me the "exact" link, not your opinion on some link or other, that's what's known as interpretation. Is it not?



It is only illegal if you are watching channels that are NOT free to air. However, the way the box works could be construed as an attempt to watch those channels, without paying the subscription, and therefore would be illegal.
If you are not trying to watch those, than this "magic box" makes no sense as you can get a freeview receiver for half the money.


----------



## thedaddyman (17 May 2016)

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then there is a high probability it's a duck

If it looks too good to be true, smells too good to be true and seems too good to be true then................


----------



## Leo (17 May 2016)

Newirishman sums it up well. Most of these boxes themselves are not illegal, using them to view free-to-air broadcast channels is also perfectly fine. So if you cancel your Sky subscription, you will still receive all the free-to-air channels, and that's perfectly fine. The Broadcasting Act is really clear, I don't understand how further links would be required to show that cracking the encryption on a subscription channel and watching it without paying for it is not OK.

The piece where you're paying the providers of that box for a 'subscription' to their illegal hacking service is, obviously illegal, and the modified box they are selling which is capable of carrying out the decryption of subscription channels is also illegal. Why else would they be so cautious, only putting some of the pertinent information on Facebook, hiding their website behind an offshore privacy service so the Irish authorities can't trace it, and then not even credit cards or PayPal for payment?

It's simply not possible to legally receive all the Sky channels including movies and sports and even the pay-per-view movies for anything like €80 a year.


----------



## noproblem (17 May 2016)

Leo said:


> Newirishman sums it up well. Most of these boxes themselves are not illegal, using them to view free-to-air broadcast channels is also perfectly fine. So if you cancel your Sky subscription, you will still receive all the free-to-air channels, and that's perfectly fine. The Broadcasting Act is really clear, I don't understand how further links would be required to show that cracking the encryption on a subscription channel and watching it without paying for it is not OK.
> 
> The piece where you're paying the providers of that box for a 'subscription' to their illegal hacking service is, obviously illegal, and the modified box they are selling which is capable of carrying out the decryption of subscription channels is also illegal. Why else would they be so cautious, only putting some of the pertinent information on Facebook, hiding their website behind an offshore privacy service so the Irish authorities can't trace it, and then not even credit cards or PayPal for payment?
> 
> It's simply not possible to legally receive all the Sky channels including movies and sports and even the pay-per-view movies for anything like €80 a year.




Not true, I paid by credit card.


----------



## newirishman (17 May 2016)

noproblem said:


> Not true, I paid by credit card.



Can't see that option on their web site., only "cash on delivery" at checkout.
All the other stuff is correct though.
No VAT reg number either despite charging VAT.

EDIT: Not sure if I would share my CC details with a company hiding their domain registration behind a privacy service though.


----------



## Leo (17 May 2016)

newirishman said:


> Can't see that option on their web site., only "cash on delivery" at checkout.
> All the other stuff is correct though.
> No VAT reg number either despite charging VAT.
> 
> EDIT: Not sure if I would share my CC details with a company hiding their domain registration behind a privacy service though.



Good move, it's rarely wise to share such details with criminal organisations.


----------



## noproblem (17 May 2016)

Leo said:


> Good move, it's rarely wise to share such details with criminal organisations.


"Criminal organisations" ? That's some statement. Anyway,  I used my CC on the advice of my neighbour who is a lawyer and had used the same buying method himself quite some time ago. I also have telephone no's, people's names, etc to contact the company. Thousands of people are using this, thousands of others are using other receivers, no one I know feels guilty or think they're doing anything illegal nor have they had any problems with regard to paying methods. I do know plenty of high street shops, retailers, wholesalers, business people who have left ordinary people in the lurch with shady practices and sudden business closures, etc. However I would leave it for the courts of justice to brand those people as criminals or criminal organisations. But then again, "there's nowt as queer as folk".


----------



## Leo (18 May 2016)

noproblem said:


> "Criminal organisations" ? That's some statement.



Not really, they're engaged in criminal activity. How else would you describe people who break the law for easy money?

You and lots of others happily supporting them and breaking the law in the process yourselves doesn't make it OK. The double standards in relation to compliance with the law amazes me at times, we all hate burglars, but there's a large group of people very happy with the bargain they picked up at the car boot sale or market.


----------

