Cost of new card activation

[Ronsson]

Hello there ,
I have a sky+ box ( purchased from Argos about 7 years ago , works fine , no probs ) got my card activated here in Spain by a reputable company in Calpe ( as I remember they charged about 30 euros for the service ) fine no probs . A few years back ( maybe 3 or 4 ) sky did a card change and we again got our card renewed/activated by the same satellite company same price 30 euros ( I know its illegal as were out of the UK , and the "agent " is using a fictitious UK address , but I'm not alone in this needs must situation ).
Anyway all is working fine , but we've been told Sky are now in the process of another card change . The Calpe company say there agent now wants 65 euros every 6 months to cover his costs . I think this is extortionate and am seriously thinking of dropping this company/agent . Can anyone recommend an alternative to this obvious extortion racket ?

[satandpcguy]

some sky card agents are now actively seeking a yearly (or 6 monthly payment) for the privalige of using the agents UK address for the sky card. previously this was not actively seeked, but now they are. 130 per year is cheap compared to some of the others prices for the "fee" - i have seen them at 200 euros a year.

hence, if you do not want to pay this fee, then set up a sky card using your own uk address.
or give the company a UK address and get them to transfer the account there...so you do not have to pay the "fee", of course the agent will charge you for doing the transfer, and you can tell if it has been done as your uk address should start to get the monthly Sky Magazine.

if you are unable to provide a uk address then pay the fee by the agent - he is providing you with a service, and if you do not like it then stop using it or seek an alternative.

this is why i always that for the cards i assist in setting up the clients provide me with a uk address of their own, citing the "just in case i get hit by a bus" and then my clients will be left with no contact with their sky account.

many people cannot contact their installers "who have done a runner!", and so do not know where their new cards are..... if you are in this situation the best thing to do is to cancel your sky Direcet Debit ASAP, as someone may be using your card and you area paying for it! then set up another using your own uk address.

[Ronsson]

Thanks for your opinion and info .
On checking my bank account this morning I find the agent/card company have deducted 72 euros ( there obvious equivilant to £65.) . They didn't inform us they were doing this , but us making the initial query about the issue of new sky card's appears to have "kick started" there authorisation procedure ( part of there initial security agreement years ago asks you for a credit card number ) . So now , unless I want a stand up argument with the admin staff at the Calpe company to try and get my money back ( which would obviously hasten them into cancelling my sky card at source "there UK agent" , meaning I'd lose the sky channels before I could set up an alternative address ) It now looks like I'm locked in with there agent for the next 6 months which is when they will try and deduct a further "handling charge" from the account.
I really dont envisage Sky changing the card's every 6 months ( but I suppose it's better PR for the Calpe company than to state a £130. (143.euro) annual handling/maintenance charge for sky cards ) Based on the fact it's been approx 4 years since the last sky card upgrade , that will mean the "agent" has pocketed a nice 520 pounds for destroying the monthly sky magazine for each single contact . Nice little earner I'd say , with no guarantees passed onto the client .
I do agree a service cost should be applicable ( nothing in life is free , and a financial profit is what drives the world ) , but feel a one off charge for each card upgrade is by far a more appropriate system .
Sky card clients beware .... !
They'll get you every which way .... !

[satandpcguy]

maybe contact the companyy and arrange for them to change the card to a uk address you control..and get all the sky account details from them - like passwords etc...and make sure they have done this by seeing if your uk address gets the monthly sky mag.

trying to see the companies point of view, there is nothing they can do if their agent is asking for the money...admitadly they should have informed all their cleints - maybe they did but they can miss a few - or they start to inform people when they next get in contact...which sounds like this is what theya re doing...so you may have saved paying the yearly fee for a few years until you "activated / prompted" them...