A family in Leeds faced severe hardship after a gas explosion next door rendered their house unsafe, forcing them into temporary accommodation. While other suppliers were helpful, Sky refused to communicate or cancel their TV and broadband subscription, imposing an 'onerous burden' of £112.50 a month on the 84-year-old mother. Following intervention by The Guardian, Sky apologized, cancelled the package, and refunded payments.
Our house exploded, but Sky wouldn’t speak to us
Consumer affairsSkyBroadbandConsumer rightsMoney
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A family in Leeds faced severe hardship after a gas explosion next door rendered their house unsafe, forcing them into temporary accommodation. While other suppliers were helpful, Sky refused to communicate or cancel their TV and broadband subscription, imposing an 'onerous burden' of £112.50 a month on the 84-year-old mother. Following intervention by The Guardian, Sky apologized, cancelled the package, and refunded payments.
- 1 New year: A gas explosion occurred in the house next door, damaging the family's home.
- 2 Currently: The family is in temporary accommodation, and their house is deemed unsafe and will take at least 18 months to rebuild. Sky has resolved the customer service issue after The Guardian's intervention.
- The family faced significant financial stress and frustration due to Sky's poor customer service during a personal tragedy.
- Sky eventually resolved the issue, cancelling the package and refunding payments, but only after media intervention.
- The family's house will require at least 18 months to be rebuilt.
What: A family's house was damaged by a gas explosion next door, and Sky failed to provide adequate customer service, refusing to communicate or cancel their subscription, unlike other helpful suppliers.
When: The gas explosion occurred at the new year. The article was published on June 4, 2025. The house is expected to take at least 18 months to rebuild.
Where: Leeds, United Kingdom.
Why: Sky's customer service processes failed to accommodate the family's extraordinary circumstances, causing unnecessary financial burden and distress during a crisis.
How: The family made multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact Sky via phone and web chat. The issue was only resolved after The Guardian intervened, prompting Sky to apologize and take action.