Yeah they cannot be considered human can they? I know they are doing their job but it's their choice. I'm sure in periods of economic crisis they are loving the misery. It's the methods they use I hate, and the people on the other end of the line are the representatives of these companies so I shouldn't feel guilty. What if I speak like a 2 year old to them?

Update - I had called Sky 2 weeks ago and they said the escalation team would get back to me in about 1 week. Never heard from them so I called them back the other day (for the 3rd time re this issue). It was a 60min phone call with long periods on hold. Anyway, they apologised, they said they made an error, it all could've been resolved the first time I had called about this because they saw from my records that the debt refers to 2006 and my name was added to the second hand viewing card in 2007. They also said that the name shouldn't have been changed over, only the address (Indian call center did this) and that is why I am being chased by the debt collectors. Outcome, the lady will give me a callback in 2 weeks to confirm that they have made all the updates to my account: that the debt is correctly taken off my record, that the name the debt belongs to is that of the previous owner of the viewing card, that the debt collection agency is given the correct details of the debtor. I also managed to squeeze £50 in compensation, which the lady claimed was the max amount she could do, credited to my account. I was hoping for some special deal but nothing came forth so in the end I cancelled movies and sports - £50 is OK but that's still less than a months subscription! Now I have to wait for the callback in 2 weeks. Let's see what happens... I've seen that the £50 has already been credited to my account. Now what do I do with the debt collectors... Any reasons why I shouldn't be abusive to them ...?

I already explained to them that I only wanted to sign up to Setanta sports because it was £15 for 3 months and when I tried to get a card from Sky they told me I needed to pay £16pm for 12months for the basic package. I already had the box and dish from the previous owner of the house. Therefore I paid £20 for the used viewing card off Ebay. I've rented out that house and I'm back home with my mum for a while. That's why I got Sky because we can all watch it whereas before I was hardly in and Setanta was a really cheap option. I will check out my credit file online later. The debt relates to the previous owner of the viewing card. It was for a bill not paid. This is why I don't really want to pay it. Although the Sky computer is saying that it is my debt, somewhere deep down in their system, must be a log of when the name was changed over to mine and prove that the debt refers to a period that preceeds this date. For Sky to cancel the debt is like them giving me a 10% discount on a years membership. Surely this is in their interests otherwise they would lose a minimum of £660 per year.

Well I still continue to pay Sky TV £55 per month for the card registered at my mum's. My hope is that Sky wipe the bill on the other viewing card seeming as I inherited the debt. Or they, if they want to keep me as a customer, can offer me some package at a discounted price. This 'saving' can be used to settle this debt. So what I gather is that I am legally the debtor because I purchased this card privately and all the debts associated with the card? Sorry, just another question as this forum is simply fantastic, if I were to pay this debt, would it count against me on my credit record, i.e. it would appear to be my debt from 2006 and settled by myself in 2010?

£10?! I'm really going to have to ask Sky for some compensation for the distress I think! In the meantime would it be correct for me to reply to the debt collectors via e-mail using the template letter 'I know nothing of the debt'? Thanks everyone.

With hindsight, I would never have bought the second hand card. However it was only for Setanta Sport. Only subsequently signing up for Sky at my mum's address and one which is different to the one used for Setanta caused this issue. I cannot believe that Sky supplied my mum's address to the debt collectors. What scoundrels! Anyway, I have just been on to Sky to cancel the service completely. I told them I want to move to Virgin as a result of this issue. They have passed my complaint to the escalation team and will get back to me. According to their computer the debt is in my name! However they said they have ways to find out more details. Doh! So if their response is not satisfactory I will need to think about this Service access request. Obviously this would need to be done in writing, correct? Rather than requesting it over the phone.

Hi all, I am being chased by LCS Leeds regarding a Sky debt of £71 but this is not my debt although the situation gets sticky. So I need some advice on what my best course of action is (BTW I'm currently out of the country therefore I would prefer to contact them via e-mail if possible). Here's why it's a sticky situation - Oct 07 - purchased a second hand Sky viewing card to use for Setanta Sports. Wasn't able to subscribe to Setanta Sports because they told me the card registered address didn't match my London home address Oct 07 - called Sky to change the name and address on the second hand viewing card. They said not possible to change name but can do address. During the conversation it was revealed to me by the advisor the previous surname and address in Gateshead that the card was registered to. Proceeded to sign up with Setanta Sports Jan 09 - cancelled Setanta Sports Jan 09 - signed up to Sky but at my mum's address Mar 10 - receive letter from LCS Leeds to my mum's address regarding old viewing card registered to my home address. It appears the old card had a debt relating to it. Mar 10 - sent e-mail to LCS Leeds explaining that I bought the card in Oct 07 and any debt relating to a date before this is not mine and that a further check with Sky relating to the credit agreement would reveal the name and address to whom the debt would relate to. Also provided them the name and the Gateshead address. They replied saying they will contact Sky. June 10 - receive e-mail from LCS Leeds confirming that the registered address is Gateshead and the account billing is up to April 06. However, the date of birth they confirmed is mine. Then they asked me to contact them to arrange the payment. So it seems like Sky, to whom I am registered at my mum's address, provided LCS Leeds my name and mum's address for a debt that has nothing to do with me as it relates to a period before I changed the address to my home address (different to my mum's). For some reason, Sky must have overwritten the previous person's details with mine, fobbed me off with an excuse saying that it's not possible to alter the original name details when the card was first setup, and sold the debt to LCS Leeds. So from LCS point of view, Sky are supplying my details for debt. Should I just pay the money and forget about it? Surely Sky would have a copy of the bill the debt relates to? But I reckon if they were to reprint a bill, it would now come with my name on it as somehow some call centre has muddled things up. Would asking for a copy of the original service agreement help in this case? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

Sorry for your loss. LCS, if they are the ones based in Leeds, are a debt collection agency.

Hi all, I am too being chased by LCS Leeds regarding a Sky debt of £71 but this is not my debt although the situation gets sticky. So I need some advice on what my best course of action is (BTW I'm currently out of the country therefore I would prefer to contact them via e-mail if possible). Here's why it's a sticky situation - Oct 07 - purchased a second hand Sky viewing card to use for Setanta Sports. Wasn't able to subscribe to Setanta Sports because they told me the card registered address didn't match my London home address Oct 07 - called Sky to change the name and address on the second hand viewing card. They said not possible to change name but can do address. During the conversation it was revealed to me by the advisor the previous surname and address in Gateshead that the card was registered to. Proceeded to sign up with Setanta Sports Jan 09 - cancelled Setanta Sports Jan 09 - signed up to Sky but at my mum's address Mar 10 - receive letter from LCS Leeds to my mum's address regarding old viewing card registered to my home address. It appears the old card had a debt relating to it. Mar 10 - sent e-mail to LCS Leeds explaining that I bought the card in Oct 07 and any debt relating to a date before this is not mine and that a further check with Sky relating to the credit agreement would reveal the name and address to whom the debt would relate to. Also provided them the name and the Gateshead address. They replied saying they will contact Sky. June 10 - receive e-mail from LCS Leeds confirming that the registered address is Gateshead and the account billing is up to April 06. However, the date of birth they confirmed is mine. Then they asked me to contact them to arrange the payment. So it seems like Sky, to whom I am registered at my mum's address, provided LCS Leeds my name and mum's address for a debt that has nothing to do with me as it relates to a period before I changed the address to my home address (different to my mum's). For some reason, Sky must have overwritten the previous person's details with mine, fobbed me off with an excuse saying that it's not possible to alter the original name details when the card was first setup, and sold the debt to LCS Leeds. So from LCS point of view, Sky are supplying my details for debt. Should I just pay the money and forget about it? Surely Sky would have a copy of the bill the debt relates to? But I reckon if they were to reprint a bill, it would now come with my name on it as somehow some call centre has muddled things up. Would asking for the original credit agreement help in this case? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks!