SKY

[Lisa.53]

Hi all!

I currently have a sky tv account (just the basic package) but have fallen out with sky on a number of occasions about their lack of reward to loyal customers, I keep seeing these great offers they keep coming up with for new customers but when I ask for anything it a computer-says-no-to-existing customers response! I was wondering if anyone in an IVA has ever tried or been successful in taking out a new contract with Sky?
The reason I ask is that I am thinking of cancelling my current sky contract and taking out a new one to take advantage of their deals, but I am guessing I will be credit checked and potentially rejected in which case I'm thinking "if it aint broke, dont fix it!".

Also, on another topic, I regularly save whatever change I can in a couple of jars at home (I have £'s and £2's in one and silver/copper in another). If I were to save until these are full and then bank and it is in excess of £500 do you think it could be classed as a windfall (even though its just savings from allowances - and selling bits and pieces I have on facebook selling sites?

Not sure if this was the right place to put this question so hopefully someone sees it

[Lisa.53]

Also, has anyone had any success in moving from one mobile phone provider to another whilst in an IVA (or is it wiser to stick where I am with O2?)

Since the IVA I am trying to save costs wherever possible (or avoid cost increases in reality!)

[MerlinL14]

I moved my mobile contract to Virgin whilst in my IVA, I was a Virgin TV customer already though. I believe that any savings you make from you allowances to any value when in the IVA is yours to keep.

[Lisa.53]

Thanks Merlin, I have been coping OK with IVA with regard to dealing with income and expenses in day to day living, its just the things like contracts and anything that involves referring to an IVA that worries me. Although I know I am in the IVA, at times I feel like I am just getting on with things within a budget and without credit (which feels great) and try to pretty much forget about the IVA being in existance until things like this (if that makes sense)

[MerlinL14]

I can honestly say, in my case anyway, it does get better. Not that you have any 'extra' money, just that you learn to cope with what you have better. You should be putting money aside when you can, sod's law dictates that something is going to rear it's ugly head and cost a fortune to repair or replace. We have had to replace our cooker during the IVA, with what little savings and a lekkie rebate we managed this without needing a payment break or loosing out on the 'stuff' we buy normally. Not the cooker we would have gone for prior to the IVA but it is OK and is a significantly better option than the one we had.
Posters on here have had some rewarding results by phoning Sky and telling them you wish to leave their service, give it a try, they can only say no!

[rosie_percy]

My advice? DON'T GET SKY

[Foggy]

Rosie -- pray why not ?

As for sky offers, I have often got freebies by threatening to leave -- but you DO have to be prepared to go through with it, and you will only get any deals once you have been put through to the cancellations department.

Last year I got a 1TB box, free install and HD for a year for £30 --- that year was up a few weeks ago and I cancelled the HD --- they did try to sell me a reduced price movies pack to keep me sweet -- unfortunately, due to the IVA, I genuinely couldn't afford it, so had to decline.

[dunkynuts]

My Brother who has a friend who works at Sky has told me the best day to try and get offers off them is Tuesday-that's apparently when they change their offers,not tried myself as I have the basic package. Also Lisa.53, I've a friend who saved two pounds and pound coins in a Bell's Whiskey Bottle,which when filled amounted to £550. She went to her local Nationwide where she had a account (she'd put money into money bags) who told her that they could only count 7 money bags at a time incase they got RSI??

[Foggy]

"they could only count 7 money bags at a time incase they got RSI??"

That figures !!! Have they thought about taking turns !?

[dunkynuts]

That's what really annoyed her,Foggy- there were three counter staff sat doing nothing whilst their colleague refused, surely they could have counted a few each???

[Skippy]

That sounds about right for Nationwide staff!

Regarding Sky, hubby phoned up last year threatening to leave (I'm not sure we'd have gone through with it as I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than go to Virgin!) and we got a free 1TB box with free installation and multi room free for a year.

We recently got a leaflet offering us half price broadband for a year or half price fibre optic broadband and when hubby phoned to accept the half price standard broadband they gave it to us free for 12 months instead!

[Lisa.53]

Thanks all!

I have emailed cancellations and sky complaints (just because I felt like complaining!) so as I've not had a response I plan to phone and make that threat of cancellation to them!! (Perhaps I should do this on a Tuesday too in case it helps!!)

Am just trying to be more frugal, and to be honest sky do annoy me by offering such great deals to new customers AND only when they really have to, ie threat of leaving!) we will see how I get on with my mission!

I have one quite well with my pennies jar and not banking until its full! Funny you should say that about nationwide too, I have a friend who banks there and can only bank 7 bag of coins....crazy! (I have opened a current account with them as backup in case Santander kick me out for the IVA so ill remember not to carry all my change to them!)

[Foggy]

see if you can get hold of 7 coal sacks and fill them with coins

[plasticdaft]

Give them 30 days notice to cancel sky contract. I guarantee they will phone you up with a better deal. They want your custom.

Paul

[Lisa.53]

Well, I phoned cancellations and told them how unhappy I was and they have given me the full package cheaper but only for 3 months! anyway, something is better than nothing!

so annoying how you have to go through all the hassle of threatening to leave though - just offer the deals after the 2nd or 3rd time of asking!!