Consumer group says Sky told Cyclone Gabrielle victims to pay for lost boxes

Severe flooding displaced many people and wrecked homes during Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / NZME

Some victims of Cyclone Gabrielle were told to pay up to $260 to cover the cost of lost Sky Boxes, a consumer group says.

Consumer NZ is now calling on Sky to help flood-afflicted customers and said it had raised concerns with the broadcaster.

Sky said if a Sky Box was damaged due to Cyclone Gabrielle, the company did not expect it to be returned and did not want any of its customers to incur further costs.

“Five separate flooding victims in Hawke’s Bay told us that Sky was insisting they pay $260 for their damaged or missing Sky Boxes,” Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said.

He said that was a bad attitude for the broadcaster, even if Sky was within its rights to request a return of equipment, or payment for equipment.

“When people have lost all of their possessions in a natural disaster it doesn’t seem fair to bill them $260 for equipment that’s been buried or washed away in flood waters.”

Alternatively, flood victims could avoid the charges by digging their boxes out of their silt-filled properties and returning them to Sky.

Consumer said several people had contacted it to complain.

A Napier woman said she did not have enough money spare to pay the $260 so had no choice but to dig through the mud to find the box and return it.

Consumer said an Eskdale resident called Sky when she lost all her possessions, including her TV and was told she would have to pay $260 for damaging the decoder.

And another Hawke’s Bay resident said Sky sent a debt collector to chase him because he didn’t return his Sky Box, before calling the debt collector off.

“Another Eskdale flood victim, Nicky, told Consumer she is still being hassled by Sky to return her box,” Consumer NZ said today.

Consumer said it raised concerns with Sky and was told flood victims should not have been asked to return the equipment or pay for it.

Sky TV's new Sky Box, atop the decoder that it replaces.

According to Consumer, Sky said it wanted to remedy any of the individual experiences raised, as the experiences sounded “out of step” with how it wanted to help affected customers.

“We know mistakes happen, but to continue to demand payment from people who have lost everything, or sending in debt collectors, seems unfair,” said Duffy.

“We are pleased that Sky wants to remedy the issues which were brought to our attention.

“We encourage anyone who has damaged or lost their Sky Box because of Cyclone Gabrielle to let Sky know so it can help them out,” Duffy added.

Sky said it was sorry to hear some customers had a poor experience, and it had worked hard to ensure cyclone victims were well supported and treated with compassion.

“That support included bill payment relief, replacement boxes and other care,” a Sky spokesperson said.

“And where a customer’s Sky box was damaged due to the Cyclone we do not expect it to be returned, and our Customer Care agents are able to waive any of the standard costs associated with unreturned equipment.”

The company said it was working to help affected customers.