sky's policy is to charge a $45 fee for a refund of double transaction? due to no fault of mine

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gareth41

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#106787 31-Jul-2012 17:47

I went to pay my sky account on their website and was told there was an error processing payment and to contact customer services, so I did and the helpful lady on other end of phone put the transaction through manually, also told me the transaction error was a result of the .62 cents on end of amount, dont know why but apparently the system couldn't handle the .62 cents.

I check my credit card statement a few days later and find a double transaction. So I call back and asked for a refund, they put the refund through and tell me upto 2 weeks before I see the money, also told me for future refunds a fee of $45 will be charged. They haven't charged me this time for the refund, but when I asked about waiving the fee in future if the problems is not mine, eg fault with sky website which the cust service rep admitted, so why should I pay $45? I was told "its our company policy" pretty much a standard answer in my opinion.

I find this very appalling, and also the fact that it takes two weeks to get a refund for a fault which is not mine? Now im put off using my credit card on their website because if the fault happens again, I have to pay $45 to get refunded. Sky needs to look at this, or I may just cancel my sky sub if it happens again.

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#664797 31-Jul-2012 17:52

If it's their fault then they legally cannot charge this $45 fee, you can also advise them that next time you will be charging them a fee for sorting it out, or dispute the credit card charge, or as a last resort dump sky all together,

hairy1

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#664799 31-Jul-2012 17:58

This would be a classic for the disputes tribunal. Open and shut case. Can't see it lasting....

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ajobbins

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#664801 31-Jul-2012 18:00

If they try and charge you a fee, instead dispute the charge with your card issuer.

Issuers can get quite tough on retailers with more than usual numbers of chargebacks. It also means they will have to do significant work at their end to meet the obligations in their merchant agreement and you will get your refund with no fees charged.

Basically, if they are going to be dicks about it - make them pay the price.

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johnr

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#664802 31-Jul-2012 18:04

Or just leave the account in credit for the following months invoice

grant_k

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#664810 31-Jul-2012 18:27

johnr: Or just leave the account in credit for the following months invoice

+1

I was thinking the same. $45 is not a lot of money to have not available for an extra month. Is it really worth the bother?

mattwnz

20164 posts

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#664811 31-Jul-2012 18:33

gareth41: I went to pay my sky account on their website and was told there was an error processing payment and to contact customer services, so I did and the helpful lady on other end of phone put the transaction through manually, also told me the transaction error was a result of the .62 cents on end of amount, dont know why but apparently the system couldn't handle the .62 cents.

I check my credit card statement a few days later and find a double transaction.? So I call back and asked for a refund, they put the refund through and tell me upto 2 weeks before I see the money, also told me for future refunds a fee of $45 will be charged.? They haven't charged me this time for the refund, but when I asked about waiving the fee in future if the problems is not mine, eg fault with sky website which the cust service rep admitted, so why should I pay $45?? I was told "its our company policy" pretty much a standard answer in my opinion.

I find this very appalling, and also the fact that it takes two weeks to get a refund for a fault which is not mine?? Now im put off using my credit card on their website because if the fault happens again, I have to pay $45 to get refunded.? Sky needs to look at this, or I may just cancel my sky sub if it happens again.

That just sounds like poor cusomter service. As it was their error, they should never have said that. If it was your error, then i can understand a fee, but even $45 sounds alot. I would think no more than $25 to handle the admin.

MackinNZ

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#664816 31-Jul-2012 18:36

johnr: Or just leave the account in credit for the following months invoice

I agree.

From an accounting perspective refunds are costly and time-consuming to process. It's much simpler to leave the overpayment in there as a credit which can be applied to the next invoice. Sky's fee is obviously there to discourage refunds, seems like a good idea to me.

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Cespenar

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#664856 31-Jul-2012 19:15

hairy1: This would be a classic for the disputes tribunal. Open and shut case. Can't see it lasting....

I think they forget they are indulging in theft.

tkr001

416 posts

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#664906 31-Jul-2012 20:18

MackinNZ:
johnr: Or just leave the account in credit for the following months invoice

I agree.

From an accounting perspective refunds are costly and time-consuming to process. It's much simpler to leave the overpayment in there as a credit which can be applied to the next invoice. Sky's fee is obviously there to discourage refunds, seems like a good idea to me.

What a load of bollocks. It is their error!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To ask someone to pay for their error is ridiculous.

MackinNZ

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#664910 31-Jul-2012 20:20

gareth41:...also told me for future refunds a fee of $45 will be charged...

I think they forget they are indulging in theft.

How can it be theft when they tell you in advance they are going to do it?

tkr001

416 posts

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#664911 31-Jul-2012 20:22

MackinNZ:
gareth41:...also told me for future refunds a fee of $45 will be charged...

I think they forget they are indulging in theft.

How can it be theft when they tell you in advance they are going to do it?

The fact that they take the original amount when it isn't due, not the fee

MackinNZ

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#664913 31-Jul-2012 20:25

Taking the original amount was a mistake which they admitted. However, they would rather issue a credit than a refund. Exactly what I would do.

mattwnz

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#664923 31-Jul-2012 20:35

MackinNZ: Taking the original amount was a mistake which they admitted. However, they would rather issue a credit than a refund. Exactly what I would do.

Most would have offered that anyway. However it could be an amount that pushes someone over their credit card limit. I had a company double charge me before due to a problem with their billing systems, and it caused me to go over my limit where I was charged a fee by my bank.

grant_k

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#664924 31-Jul-2012 20:36

MackinNZ: Taking the original amount was a mistake which they admitted. However, they would rather issue a credit than a refund. Exactly what I would do.

+1

Charging $45 one month earlier than they should have is not exactly a hanging offence. Storm in a teacup if you ask me.

tkr001

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

#664927 31-Jul-2012 20:40

grant_k:
MackinNZ: Taking the original amount was a mistake which they admitted. However, they would rather issue a credit than a refund. Exactly what I would do.

+1

Charging $45 one month earlier than they should have is not exactly a hanging offence. Storm in a teacup if you ask me.

Making a mistake is one thing, however charging the innocent party to rectify the mistake is bizzare.

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