SKY.COM - Beware!!!

On 5th October 2007 I ordered a See, Speak, Surf package from Sky. What a mistake that was! I promptly paid the appropriate charges (£129) in good faith and on October 9th an engineer arrived on site to install the dish and related equipment. After some considerable time of wandering around outside looking thoughtful, he finally announced that I cannot receive a Sky signal at my home. The explanation, if you can believe it, is that there is a tree in the way. Duh!! Both of my neighbours are in the shadow of the same tree, but they can get Sky alright. It's the 21st century and we carry mobile phones that will do just about everything except brew a cup of tea ... but we can't get a Sky signal through a tree. It beggars belief.

Anyway, this rant isn't about the fact that I can't get a Sky signal. It's about the fact that I can't get my money back. The engineer put in motion the appropriate cancellation procedures telling me that it would take 10/14 days. A call from someone in 'administration' then confirmed that. By October 31st I still hadn't received a refund and so spoke to Sky. They admitted a mistake had been made and assurred me the refund would be dealt with promptly and that I would have my money within 5/7 days. I checked my account regularly but by November 9th decided that I'd been more than patient, so called Sky again. Again, I was told another mistake had been made but the operator on the phone took immediate steps to action my refund as we spoke. I was told it would take 48 hours to hit my account. On November 13th (today) I conclude that I'm being taken for a mug and so phoned Sky yet again. Guess what? They are processing my refund but it will take 14/21 days. DUH? Like, what banking service takes 2/3 WEEKS to move cash?

Furiously I demanded to speak with a Supervisor but he only fobbed me off the same way his underling had done. I did manage to get a postal address I can write to, but they refused point blank to provide me with a telephone number OR to take any action that might speed up my refund. What they did provide me with, after much arguing, was a fax number. I was told it was "Extension 115 and then key 77694". I asked what the full STD number was but was assurred I only needed to key "115 then 77694". I tried to explain that a number like that just won't work in the UK, but was assurred this is the number that is always given out to customers "... and nobody's complained yet".

So, the warning is simple. If you live near a tree don't waste your time ordering Sky. If you DO order Sky and the installation can't be completed for whatever reason, DO NOT believe them when they say the refund will only take 7 days. I can't imagine how much this has cost me in phone calls and hassle. Thankfully, in these days of low interest rates, loss of interest on my savings isn't a major issue .... but there is still the principle to consider. Sky DO NOT take 14/21 days to bank your hard earned cash. They DO take 6 weeks (so far) to return it.