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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I shouldn't have to pay for my own bloody Sky remote - Sky should!

70 replies

ZeroMinusZero · 13/02/2012 18:45

I've been a loyal Sky customer for about three years. My remote has been dodgy for a while and has finally conked out. I have to buy my own replacement. What's with that? I pay for this service and have done for years. I didn't have to pay for the box or remote when I joined, yet I have to pay for replacements if they break of their own accord? I am furious and will be moving to Virgin forthwith.

Surely I'm not alone in this....?

OP posts:
redlac · 13/02/2012 20:42

They don't Expect anything - if you don't want use their service cancel it - no one is forcing you to pay for it (unlike the license fee)

ddubsgirl · 13/02/2012 20:43

Sky have always done this after the 1st year u own the box dish etc remotes dont cost much virgin are shit and not 100% but i think u have to pay for remotes from them too.

FredFredGeorge · 13/02/2012 20:46

I think a remote control sold as part of a tv service package (you are not able to use any other box but their own to access the service) should be expected to last the lifetime of the service. Anything less is unreasonable. SOGA warranty repair/replacement.

You'd probably need to get to court before you could enforce that though.

squeakytoy · 13/02/2012 20:46

If you dont want to be with Sky, just get Freesat. It runs off your existing dish. All you need is a freesat box. :)

squeakytoy · 13/02/2012 20:47

I think a remote control sold as part of a tv service package (you are not able to use any other box but their own to access the service)

Not true. You do not need to purchase any of the equipment from sky, you can buy it all yourself.

redlac · 13/02/2012 20:49

Plus the box therefore the service will still work without the remote control

PurpleWithaBlueBun · 13/02/2012 20:57

YANBU! I have been dragging my heels about replacing our remote as it will cost about £20! If my box packs up I will leave, simples.

squeakytoy · 13/02/2012 20:58

Remotes are about £7 on ebay!

TheMonster · 13/02/2012 20:58

I got a replacement from Freecycle. WOrth a shot asking.

FredFredGeorge · 13/02/2012 20:59

The service does not work without the remote - only some features of the service do. Certainly if you bought the service and used your own equipment, then it's clearly not part of hte package - I suspect the owner did not do that though and bought it as a package, so SOGA seems entirely reasonable.

squeakytoy · 13/02/2012 21:03

Sky equipment comes with a one year warranty. After that, if it breaks down it is down to the user to replace any equipment if it is faulty. That is in the T & C's.

Almanzo · 13/02/2012 21:13

We called SKY when ours broke and they sent us a new one. Wonder why? Maybe because my husband pays them £120 a month Angry.
Stupid sports everything in every room is a NEED not a want apparently.

sodapops · 13/02/2012 21:16

YABU. You aren't obliged to pay Sky for anything, if you don't like their T&C's stop paying and go somewhere else!

FredFredGeorge · 13/02/2012 21:26

T&C's don't override the SOGA, they can say the warranty is 1 week, doesn't change anything, I don't believe 2 years is reasonable for equipment required to use the Sky service.

MuddlingMackem · 13/02/2012 21:33

MissBerta Mon 13-Feb-12 20:31:13

We've had Sky for 20 odd years and STILL don't have a Sky+ box. We must be the only people that don't have one,

SardineQueen · 13/02/2012 21:41

That's the difficulty isn't it, muddling.

Live long and prosper Smile

keepingupwiththejoneses · 13/02/2012 21:43

YADNBU I hate sky. In the first 12 months, I had 8 new boxes, and 3 re-instalments as it just kept breaking, we also went without for a week 4 times Angry They then had the nerve to tell me if it broke again I would have to pay for the repair Shock I promptly moved to virgin who are brilliant, if anything has gone wrong they have fixed it, new remote when old one broke no problem. I have been back with virgin for 3 years now and have only had 1 problem which was fixed by an engineer the next day Grin

wantingmore · 13/02/2012 21:45

i have virgin and our remote broke and we had to pay £20 for a new one.

CaptainKirk · 13/02/2012 22:00

Cool! I guess they should have paid for mine after I threw it against the wall then! I just bought a new one at Argos for about £10... Get over it.

Panfriedstardust · 13/02/2012 22:01

I think you are being unreasonable. As others say, it isn't Sky responsibility to look after your property (which it is). They wear out.

On slightly tangential note, I have a Skyplus box and am moving over to BTVision on Friday. Can I just sell/give away my Sky box and someone else can use it? Anyone know?

JustHecate · 13/02/2012 22:03

If your box breaks down out of warranty, they won't fix that for free either.

So do what I do. Call them up and say I'm just calling to cancel my subscription...

why?

well, my sky box has conked and I'm really not willing to pay for a replacement, we don't need sky (add that we can always switch to ... if required)

without fail, they say that 'on this occasion' they will send a free replacement.

every time. Grin

bruffin · 13/02/2012 22:07

Virgin will replace a remote that doesn't work as long as it hasn't been damaged. They replaced ours for free but we had to send old one back for.inspection.

squeakytoy · 13/02/2012 22:08

panfried, sell it on ebay or keep it in case you change your mind and decide to switch back again.. anyone else can use the box, they just need to put their own card into it

PoohBearsHole · 13/02/2012 22:09

Ooh, good one hecate, might keep that up my sleeve as am sure sky box about to die........

also did you know now you can't just get sky+ you have to have the HD, which is obviouslly more. Oh Goody

ShellyBoobs · 13/02/2012 22:09

I rang Sky not too long ago and told them I wanted to cancel - I really did want to stop the contract, it was a ploy to get a discount. We had been out out of contract for a couple of years, I think.

They asked why, I said because the box was playing up and since we don't really use the paid channels, we might as well have a Freesat box.

The response was to send us a new HD+ box (and remote) in return for us agreeing to another 12month contract. They also gave some discount, too.

Maybe just call them and tell them you need a new remote but won't pay for it. See what they say?

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