£5 Contract renewal fee

[NR1968]

I've had my SKY contract now for over 10 years without any problems.

I was just called by 'SKY' telling that my contract was up for renewal and that I had to pay £5.00 otherwise an engineer may have to visit which would cost £75.00.

As this is the first time I've ever been asked for any payment other than the monthly subscription it seems a bit odd to me. If the card needed renewing I assumed they'd just mail it to me?

Has anyone else been contacted? I looked through the t & c and didn't see any mention of this extra cost.

Maybe I'm being paranoid but doesn't it seem like a scam?
NR

[Isitme]

Looks like a scam. Did they ask for card details? If so I hope you did not give them.

[Kenedin]

Sounds a bit like the people being discussed on this thread on the HD Forum. The usual scare tactics, and they're not from Sky - they just use the name.

[PaulSky]

Doesn't sound right at all. Best thing to do is call customer services.

[NR1968]

Thanks for your replies so far.

I just spoke to somebody in customer services who wouldn't tell me if it was a charge that Sky are making or not. ..... not very helpful.

I think I'll wait to see if they call again. Probably is a scam of some sort.

I'd appreciate it if anyone else gets a call like this.

NR

[Undecided Adrian]

sounds like one of the 3rd party insurance brigade, considering that Sky only charge £65 for a call out if something goes wrong.

They stopped hassling us once I kept on returning the letters with "Deceased" on the envelope when they wrote and when they call and ask for the wife I told the last one that she had run off with the Polish builder and if that they found her tell her that the new bath leaks so he wasn't that great.

Wife tells them that I have run off with a stripper.

Works a charm.

[Sam Radford]

I'd appreciate it if anyone else gets a call like this.

What was the phone number?
Google it.

[paigntonlad]

Sky only charge £65 for a call

only?

[NewsreadeR]

Although the £65 is quite steep, if there is an issue with your box, dish or cabling, Sky would replace the offending parts and then give you a 3 month warranty as well.

My Thomson HD box has just recently stopped recording, so I rang Sky today. I managed to get the £65 fee waived, stating my case, that the box was only a couple of months out of warranty. Although I did have to put the phone down on the first agent, as she was just downright rude. I think the secret is, to speak to someone at Sky who genuinely wants to help you, the customer.

So Sky are coming on Sunday morning to replace my Pace HD box with a non faulty (recalled) one and then again in the afternoon to swap my Thomson. It must have been too hard to do both at the same time eh?