Posted 17 March 2024

Cancelling Sky Broadband due to April inflation rise

Hi HUKD members,
I read that Sky broadband allows you to leave contract without penalty if they increase price for April inflation rise, if requested within 30 days notice of price rise. Hope that’s true. I really want to join Virgin which is faster and lower price in my area (just became available)

However I still have not received any letter or notice from Sky. May be because my billing date is 28/03. Should I ring and ask ? Anyone had similar experience or advice

New Comment

40 Comments

sorted by

17th Mar
Sky doesn't have a routine CPI price rise clause (typically applied in April by most other providers);
it has an anytime price rise clause, where a rise at any time provides option to leave at no penalty.

If your Sky payment increases outside of certain circumstances you will be notified of the option to:
cancel at no penalty within 30 days of receiving the price rise notification.

No harm & bordering prudent to contact Sky to enquire if your payment is to increase.

Example text from Oct 2023 t&c:
Unless we increase it for any of the reasons set out in Condition 5(c),
you can also end the Contract during your Minimum Term if we increase your Sky Broadband Payment.
If you wish to end this Contract for these reasons,
then you need to let us know within 30 days of notice of the change (Conditions 6, 10(c) and 10(d)).
and where 5(c) would typically equate to Gov raising tax such as VAT.
17th Mar
I left Sky early due to the price rise last April. Did it over the phone- they offered me a small discount, but didn't agree to waive the increase, so I left.

...I was happy to leave as it meant I could join TalkTalk at their introductory rate, with the bonuses of a £100 prepaid Mastercard and a lovely £84 of cashback! I'll leave TalkTalk in October for a new provider, to get more lovely cashback. (edited)
17th Mar
I had an email 28 Feb from them about an £3.50 increase in my Sky Broadband effective from 1 April. I rang their number below and I was told that I was free to find another supplier with no exit fees my Sky contract which was due to end in December. Might be worth you giving them a ring.

"We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our services, but if you’re not happy with these changes, you can cancel your Sky Broadband and/or Boost and/or Talk service(s) by calling 0344 824 4450. If you’re within your minimum contract period, call us within 30 days of getting this email to avoid early termination charges. Unless you tell us otherwise, your Sky subscription will continue as normal."
19th Mar
You can once you get the email.

But do check you're not just leaving in spite to someone worse. Virgin now don't let you leave when they raise prices either and are notorious for poor existing customer offers once your contract ends, so make sure you factor that in to your new plan.
19th Mar
are notorious for poor existing customer offers once your contract ends

Hard disagree with this, if you wait for a few phone calls back from retentions team, you can get a decent offer. I got 1Gbp/s for £20 a month at the time when my contract was expiring last year. (edited)
Author
11th Apr
I am having a nightmare with Virgin media though. First appt the engineer turned up but said he can’t install as pre instalment work is not done despite me calling before installation and checking all is in place. Now they have given a new installation date of 18/04, but still no signs of pre install work. Have called virgin media 4-5 times, no one sounds to have a clue. Such a bad experience so far
11th Apr
Hopefully you qualify for auto compensation
Author
17th Mar
Thank you HUKD members, I called and they said yes I can opt out of contract but need to wait for price rise email which will be sent 31 days before my price rise which is 28 April. Although Sky tried to pursue me that they are happy for not increasing my price, but I persisted that I want to leave
17th Mar
I’m not sure on that I’d ring. One thing for sure is I’m done with sky post contract after 16 years they can do 1 now. Thankfully all copper land line by us has been replaced by full fibre (open reach) so no longer tied to them. (Virgin not here yet though)
17th Mar
I only got my email Friday, so it could still be coming.
20th Mar
I cancelled few weeks ago and have moved o Zen internet. Sky would not do any haggling this time. So far Zen has been really good.
20th Mar
Because of Sky's price increase I switched from Sky to Now Super Fibre BB 8 March via TCB and I just found out today when I rang Now that it was cancelled because it was rejected by the provider because of the phone line. I then rang Sky and I was told that you can't port a telephone landline from Sky to Now because they are the same company that is why it was rejected. I have now switched to Shell Superfast Fibre Plus via TCB Compare broadband and got £76 Cashback and a £70 Amazon voucher.
20th Mar
F.Y.I. Shell was taken over by Octopus Energy who sold them on to TalkTalk so that's who you will end up with shortly. I'm in the middle of a nightmare with Sky due to changing my account over from my name into my wifes and requested at the point of order that we retain our existing 'landline' number. Within a day of the changover they cut off our old number and gave us a 'new' one, but neglected to tell us.

They only way now to get our old number back is to change suppier to BT they tell us, go figure so you've had a lucky escape and some nice wedge earned too :-) all I've got is grief.
20th Mar
Got my price rise email yesterday and cancelled today. Switch FTTC to FTTP finally
11th Apr
so i got an email today saying i need to pay early termination charges which is clearly wrong...

so frustrating that we have to waste time contacting customer services for their mistakes...
Author
11th Apr
It is so annoying I agree. The original email/post which they sent of price rise should be saying if you cancel within 31 days no termination charges