Get yourself a discount equivalent to VAT on Sky TV

[Sleeper]

In these tough economic times, when most people are looking for new ways to
cut back on unnecessary expenses, there is a way many Channel Islanders can
save 17.5% on their bills.
 
Although it is not widely advertised by Sky (if at all!), it is possible to
get a reduction equivalent to VAT off your monthly Sky TV subscription. In
my case, this equated to around £8.00 per month / £100.00 per year.
 
I contacted them to query why Jersey people were being charged the same
price as the UK, when VAT did not apply here. Reluctantly, and after going
to check with a Manager, although they denied charging VAT they agreed to
reduce my monthly bill by 17.5%. It seemed a bit of a coincidence that their
reduction equated exactly to VAT, but who am I to complain? 
 
This week, in an e-mail sent to me from Sky, they stated:
 
“Sky’s subscription prices are set at one price throughout the UK, Channel
Islands and Isle of Man. Your contract with Sky is at the price advertised,
with Sky being responsible for accounting for any VAT where applicable.
 
However, Sky does currently offer a full discount for VAT on TV subscription
fees to Channel Island customers as a gesture of goodwill. This discount can
be applied to your standard Sky TV subscription fee only. Any Sky Multiroom,
Sky HD, Sky Box Office, stand-alone premium channels, installation or
hardware charges are excluded from the offer.
 
Please note that Sky is not obliged to offer this discount to its Channel
Island customers. While there is currently no end date to the offer, it may
be withdrawn by Sky at any time and cannot be used in conjunction with any
other Sky offer. This offer, as with all others, will not be back-dated and
is only effective from the date applied.”
 
I asked if they’d passed on the erroneous VAT collected from Jersey
residents over the years to the UK taxman or kept it as profit. She did not
know. I am confident everything Sky do is above board.
 
So, even though this VAT equivalent reduction is not in their view VAT being
taken off, they will deduct it from your bill.
 
They will not backdate what you have paid in years past, but anything’s
better than nothing. If you are about to join Sky, make sure you request
this at the outset.
 
To claim your discount just call their helpdesk on 08442 411 653.
 
You may have to negotiate the automated phone system, hold for a while &
debate it with the Help Centre Jobsworths for a little bit, but it’s worth it.
 
( Unless you’d rather keep handing over your hard earned money to that nice
Mr Murdoch’s retirement fund! )

Hope this helps !!!

[Calimachon]

Good work Sleeper.  I don't have sky and I don't intend to get it but if I did I would do as you say in the hope I would get a good discount as well.  It would be interesting to hear if anyone else manages to get that kind of discount.

Cali

[newmac]

You've been able to claim a discount equivalent to the VAT amount for a number of years.

I just done a quick search on the rag site and found this.

http://www.thisisjersey.com/latest/2004/03/12/sky-back-down-on-vat/

[boatyboy]

Excellent research Newmac but back in 2004 they were careful with words and used the word
 " discount " which is of course completely incorrect.

With this information in the public domain and gathering pace it would be interesting to know that as they backed down in 2004, has the overcharging been re-introduced.  We have  Sleeper informing us that he had to fight for no VAT to be charged.

Again the question must be asked are islanders being ripped off, and if so what are the authorities going to do about it ? It does seem that Sky, will back down if caught out, but this cannot be the correct way to go forward.

In a past business life, I have had to remind suppliers, Jersey is not part of the UK for VAT purposes, if they charge you VAT they can keep it without passing it on to the inland revenue as their goods or services are being exported to a non Vat zone.

BB

[Jerry Gosselin]

We should expand this VAT subject to encompass other mainland services or products where we are (apparently) being charged VAT.

Last month I queried with Bullguard (apparently operating out of premises near Heathrow Airport) why it appeared that they had charged me £8.88 VAT when I renewed my internet security subscription with them last year. I didn't notice the charge until a year later when I was considering renewing the subscription once again.

Here is their official response:

"The price of the BullGuard subscription is the same with or without VAT, we can include the VAT percentage in the invoice for companies that use it to deduct from local taxes. In your case for the Channel Islands, the price is in full with 0% VAT." 

After reading the above gibberish, can anyone tell me whether or not I was actually charged VAT? Is Bullguard's software legally liable to VAT or the European equivalent? If it is and if they are charging their UK mainland customers the same as myself, then surely they are pocketing the VAT on every sale from areas where no VAT is payable, like the Channel Islands. Does anyone think it is worth making a complaint to the Inland Revenue about this?

For what it's worth, I have provisionally decided against renewing my subscription with Bullguard, not only because of the VAT, but also because I was being quoted way more than double the price to renew the subscription with them directly as compared to buying the same product again on a CD from an online retailer.

[boatyboy]

Ah yes dear old Bullguard well worth staying away from IMO. Loaded the wrong security software ( for a phone instead of a pc ) and after an e-mail exchange they promised to refund the money in a clear easy to read email once the debit card amount had cleared their accounts department. I received the clearance and sent this back to them three times with the covering email, which was totally ignored. Never did get my money back.

Regarding VAT on purchases of products delivered to Jersey see below. Bullguard in my opinion are talking rubbish. How can the price of something be the same with or without VAT when VAT is a  costly 20%. Furthermore if Sky are prepared to not charge the extra 20% then why should Bullguard.

The UK inland revenue have no authority to charge 20% to companies servicing a VAT free zone. Looking at it another way, should they decide to tax exports there is a good chance that those goods would not be sold to export markets being 20% more expensive and also taxed by the country that receives them ( like Jersey at 5% over £240 )thus  being taxed twice.

It follows that Jersey retailers are making an extra 20% margin if they charge VAT, as the UK inland revenue are not allowed to collect revenue as the goods have been exported.

In a past business life, I have had to remind suppliers, Jersey is not part of the UK for VAT purposes, if they charge you VAT they can keep it without passing it on to the inland revenue as their goods or services are being exported to a non Vat zone.

Should the supplier decide to charge for postage, delivery freight charges etc then that is legal and open to negotiation. I have cancelled several items recently from Amazon because of excessive postage charges, or failing to remove the VAT from companies that work through Amazon, and purchased the products elsewhere. Sometimes a phone call is again needed to clarify the position with the company which are normally very helpful.

BB

[imacrappaud]

Sky are a pain in the preverbial, especially when they make a balls up. Recently I got a £60 odd extra on my bill because they told me I hadnt been charged for films over a year ago due to them not receiving the callbacks via my Sky box. After a load of emailing, I refused to phone them despite that being their first option given to me, and explained if it was the case then how had I been charged for recent films. Fair enough to them they refunded me for some of them as there were over 6 months old but then next thing I get my new bill and the VAT "discount" had dissappeared. Again, I was asked to phone them but refused and eventually they emailed me and confirmed all was well on that front, and it was eventually. So I decide to watch a pay per view film and now I cant because apparently my credit limit on films is full up! I hadnt ordered one for over three months. Two months later they finally sorted it out, how do I know, because I emailed them to see what was going on and they told me it would be ok in a month. That might seem ok but if I hadnt emailed them a week after they said they were going to sort it out they wouldnt have bothered to tell me! Sky help is utter rubbish.

Rant over.

On the subject of internet security, I dont understand why anybody pays for that when you can get free ones that are just as good. Albeit, if you are using it for a business then your not supposed to use the free versions, or maybe some free ones dont do child protection stuff to stop them accessing dodgy sites. If you only need it for you then try Avast, its very good and has a free home edition.

[Fritz]

The easiest option when dealing with SKY is to phone them and press whichever digit puts you through to,"Cancellations". You will be put through to a real person who will offer you all manner of discounts and freebies to retain your custom.
I make a point of doing it at least once a year.

[imacrappaud]

Fritz, I had heard this but wasnt sure how true it was, I will do it next week and state my reasons as per above and see what offer I can get.

Thanks