Escaping sky

[KENNIETAYLOR]

After trying to cancell my sky subsciption and various reason why i could not cancell

I came through to a Customer Service Advisors called Helen then alan then ashley when i asked for a surname i was told we dont have to do and gave an id no which was said not to be reconised I said, quite seriously, "I assume you know my name and the nature of my enquiry." She answered no. I asked if she could explain why I had gone through the previous process and she replied we dont have access to that info if your not happy you will have to write or email a complaint . I stated once again that I found it entirely unacceptable that I had been forced to be kept waiting throughout a process for no conceivable reason. I then had to provide full bio data details again. She then dealt with my enquiry with the minimum of charm that tested my patience further. The fact that there was no reason to this elongated process caused me to ask if Sky made revenues from customers dialling the 0870 number. She replied I dont know. I requested I speak with a manager or someone who was her superior and she said the manager was at home and there was no-one more senior than her and they were leaving in twenty minutes. I demanded that she allow me to speak to a colleague of hers to corroborate her statement on three occasions, I was then cut-off. Not once did I use bad language or raise my voice.

This was a straightforward enquiry, one which could have been dealt with so simply but one which actually served to raise my levels of disbelief at the poor level of customer service and the feeling that a large corporate organisation really had no empathy or consideration for its customers.

I HAVE KNOW RECIEVED A LETTER SAYING THAT I MUSY PAY A FURTHER 24 POUND OR HAVE DEBT COlLECTORS CALLIN OR TAKING MONEY FROM MY ORIGINAL CREDIT CARD

I then ask them to check the recorded calls and supply me copies of all contracts and emails/letters and anything supporting thier claim this is charged if you want it is the reply 10 pounds

I have forwarded this email onto various consumer and media organisations, as I will not accept any organisation that I am a customer with dealing with me in such an unprofessional, uncaring manner.

i have now had 6 emails today with varios comments none of which answer my complaint i await another responce the story continues needless to say i dont expect ant resolution can anyone advise

wher i go from here

[Surfer01]

When we wanted to cancel, we simply emailed them and they cancelled after they had phoned us and spoken with us.

[KENNIETAYLOR]

according to sky

1/they will not except notice unless you give minimum 31 days notice no less if you do it goes on another month

2/you cannot cancell within your contract without charges thats fair but try and give notice on the telephone when your paying for the call

3/you are not entitled to copy of contracts without charges

4/they will not even talk to you if you do not know your password

any complaints must be made on email or by letter

they are not answerable to anyone if you are a customer you agree to all there terms like it or not

you are also charged for the tel calls to them being kept on hold as cost aprox 4/5 pounds everytime with no offer of any recompence

i object to be treated like a debtor when i only want to be assured that i owe money to date i have no info to support thier claim which apparently is charges after the contract ended

i am a pensioner and cannot afford to be charged for something i have not had if i had been told this at the time i would have paid these so called customer advisors have no comeback on what is said even tho all calls are recorded as you are told when you call and give your full name adress postcode tel no and password before they will talk to you they will only give thier christian name and if pushed a id number which is incorrect when you quote this is all on email.so i think you were lucky to cancell so easly i have been trying sinjuly 2011 eventually being allowed to cancell when i informed them i had cancell my direct debit and given a date and fiqure to pay which i did by tel using a credit card which they tell me they will debit any amount they deem i owe this is not acceptable practice and possible illegal and if i did not it would effect my credit rating

but according to sky in taking thier contract you accept the terms

 

i am no longer a sky customer and they have all my personal details including credt card numbers and all information to take over my life when i asked for this info to be destryed and removed from thier records i was advised to pay the bill i have no confidence in skys systems and feel wide open to possible fraudlent acts

[Surfer01]

If you are no longer a customer, surely you are entitled to ask them to remove all your data and also for them to confirm it in writing that all data has been removed.

Edited November 6, 2011 by Surfer01

[locutus]

5th principle of the Data Protection act states

"Personal data processed for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes."

 

I'd write to them, state that as your business relationship with Sky is at an end, you require them to remove all your personal data from their systems in accordance with the 5th principle of the data protection act.

[johnvernon74]

sky have a very good executive office that you will get number for on google, or ring their head office. They generally sort things out !

[KENNIETAYLOR]

i have just recieved this email

Dear Mr Taylor

 

 

Customer Account Number:

 

Thank you for your email about the removal of you details.

 

I can confirm that after an account is closed with a zero balance the details are held for a period of 5 years for legal reason after which time they are deleted.

 

With regard to detail that can be removed today I have removed your details from all direct marketing lists. Please note that these amendments can take up to 28 days to take effect. This means that you may continue to receive direct marketing communications during this period.

 

 

I hope this helps with your enquiry.

you cant win they do what they want

[KENNIETAYLOR]

further info

Thank you for contacting Sky Help Centre.

Thank you for bringing to my Attention Principle 5 of the Data Protection Act. Unfortunately, this Principle does set out to give guidance for both consumer and agency with this matter. It gives guidance on the sensitive matters surround our personal data.

 

As you are no longer a customer with ourselves we do still retain the right to hold your information for a period of time for legal reasons this is set out within Principle 5 of the DPA which allows us to do this for Processing and Legal Reasons, this period of time is upto 5 years whereafter your Data is Securely destroyed from our systems.

 

You have been removed from our marketing Database and therefore would not recieve marketing information from ourselves. However as there is the issue surrounding the Balance on your account - we are maintaining your account at present in line with the DPA as we still have at present business with you in relation to monies unpaid which is a disputed situation at present

[locutus]

They do have to keep payment and tax paid details and other such information due to money laundering regulations. The main thing you needed removing is your credit card details, or at least confirm that they won't use them to process this disputed debt. I'd reply and push for confirmation of this.

 

The first one that has confirmed there is a "zero balance" and the second one that has confirmed "we still have at present business with you in relation to monies unpaid" need to get together. I'd send each of them a copy of the other ones email, and ask them to comment, aswell as confirm they will no longer process your credit card details or make any negative entries to your credit file.

[Paragun007]

I am also leaving Sky after I found out that if I want a service I can have it immediately but after 31 days has passed if you want to cancel the service you now have to give 31 days notice so in fact you have to pay for 62 days which to me is theft!

 

I gave them 31 days notice but instead of cancelling one service I said to cancel all my services with Sky as I am now moving to Virgin, the date of my call was the 2nd November so disconnection should take place 31 days later which will be the 3rd December 2011!

 

Well I get an email from them telling me they were sorry to see me go and that the service and bill will be finalised on the 13th December not the 3rd December, so I think it must be a typo I then reply telling them that the end day after 31 days notice is actually the 3rd December not the 13th, I then get a reply back saying that I called THEM on the 11th November not the 2nd November, I reply that they are wrong, it was the 2nd November and I have the notes confirming that, they then reply saying the end date is now BY the 11th December!

 

You can see I am getting nowhere so I contact my phone provider which is virgin and tell them the problem, the lady says hang on a mo let me check, she then goes into my phone records and comes back to me and says "you only rang three 08 numbers in that week, the one on the 2nd to Sky and two others which are M&S and Debenhams, there are no other 08 numbers called so you did call Sky on the 2nd November but on the 11th November the records show the only 08 call was to M&S in the morning and we can confirm this in writing for you if you want". I of course said yes please!

 

I then sent the reply below to Sky and it has been very quiet since but that means nothing I know, I'm sure they will try and wiggle out of trying to charge me 41 days money instead of 31 days money but now it is a bit more difficult seeing as the direct debit has also been cancelled, they also didn't realise that I had changed the payment date before I gave them notice to the 2nd of each month so my last bill is ......... the 2nd December, neat isn't it? I am looking forward to what they come back with next

 

Dear Joseph.

 

I have now had a chance to have my phone records checked with a nice lady at Virgin who has informed us that I did not make any calls to Sky on the 11th of November, this is when you say I called to cancel so can you send me proof that I called on that day? Was the call recorded? Who did I speak to? Who said I had called that day?

 

I do however have proof that I rang sky on the 2nd November the day I said I called to have cancellation at midnight or soon after 31 days later which is early morning the 3rd December, am I correct? Do you have a record of this call? Who did I speak to?

 

Please explain how then you say I called you on the 11th November? I have proof where I was that day, silence in the square first in Trafalgar Square London, then we checked into Sheraton Skyline at Heathrow second and have the paperwork to prove it and private function with dignitaries that evening third, plenty of witnesses to show where I was and no one at home to make calls on my behalf, very strange!

 

How then could I have called Sky to cancel on that day or is this a dodgy scheme to get more money out of customers leaving sky? I will have to raise this with the consumer action group and the back bench committee!

 

I am very interested to see what you now come back with.

Kind regards.

 

Gareth Cook.

 

From: Sky Customer Support [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: 16 November 2011 20:33

To: Gareth KI

Subject: RE: Acc No. 200007950864 (KMM10894128I15977L0KM)

 

Dear Mr Cook

 

Customer Account Number: 200007950864

Thank you for your email about the sky account.

I’m sorry this issue has caused you concern and hope my reply below clarifies the position for you.

Having checked the details on the account do apologise for the inconvenience caused and wish to inform you that the sky account will be cancelled by the 11/12/11.

I hope this information has helped with your enquiry. If you require any further assistance, you can respond to my email. You can also contact our Customer Service team on 08442414141, where one of our advisors will be happy to help.

 

Kind regards

Joseph

Sky Help Centre

http://www.sky.com

Edited November 18, 2011 by Paragun007

[mobile1786]

sky have a very good executive office that you will get number for on google, or ring their head office. They generally sort things out !

 

but remember if you are calling from a mobile call say no to 0845 and you can find out the land line number.

[baldric]

On what date do you normally pay your bills paragun007?

 

As you pay a month in advance then they may keep your account "active" so that if the cancellation date is before your normal billing date a credit may be due to the account for the period that is paid for but is after the effective date of cancellation. If your normal billing date is the 11th of the month this could explain it. If not then it's difficult to say what's going on without actually looking at the account.