Sky contract cancellation due to illness

[MaraMan]

Sadly my Mother has recently been sectioned under the Mental Health Act due to what seems like rapid onset dementia, although the doctors haven't formally confirmed any diagnosis. She is 88 years old and just been placed in a secure unit.

I have Power of Attorney over her affairs and she took out a Sky contract for TV and Phone for an 18 months term about 6 months ago. There is no prospect of her living independently again and obvioulsy will not be able to use her TV or phone.

She was in receipt of Attendance Allowance and the Severe Disability Premium in her pension credit, but these payments will be suspended very soon. She has very few other assets.

I imagine that companies like Sky are not likely to show any compassion in a situation like this. Does anyone have any practical experience of this?

MM

[bionichamster]

Loads of examples on the internet about this just google: cancel +sky +dementia.

A starting point would be the sky “accessibility team”. But not before reading some of the above! Might be worth checking what the legal situation is too with regard to cancellation rights, try asking on the dedicated board here.

Bh

[MaraMan]

I may not be as expert as you on the internet and so can find little that applies, however I have been in touch with their accessibility team about her before because of her hearing deficit. Before I seek to have the contract cancelled I just wanted to be as prepared as I can be as I expect them to push back and wondered if anyone else had been in a similar situation.

Thanks for the reply though, it is much appreciated.

MM

[Urbandreamer]

Before I seek to have the contract cancelled I just wanted to be as prepared as I can be as I expect them to push back and wondered if anyone else had been in a similar situation.

Not symilar, but we have had dealings. My wife could get them to do nothing, as I was the account holder. Presumably going through the "accessability" route may circumvent that. I contacted them to cancel and got stuck on the security questions about the bank account number as I don't really use our joint account.

Once I had the account number and got through all the security questions I was put in contact with someone who had the authority to do something. At that point it became easy. However getting to that point was the difficult bit.

[staffordian]

Just a thought.

If Sky prove difficult, a last resort might be to simply cancel the direct debit. In the circumstances, I doubt Sky would risk the potential publicity own goal in getting legal about it.

[MaraMan]

Many thanks for the replies. If it come to it I could just cancel the payments and see if they come after her. Would rather avoid that though if possible.

MM

[chas49]

You may have already considered this (or it may not be applicable), but you state that your mother has recently developed what appears to be dementia. I would assume from the application of a "section" that she cannot currently be regarded as having capacity to make such a contract.

Is it possible that she did not actually have the proper capacity at the time of making it?

If/when you speak to the accessibility team, you could, if appropriate, raise a question about whether the contract is really 'valid'.