Simple Sky TV box error could mean you have to pay surprise new fee

Anyone with a Sky TV device in their home might want to make sure they take extra special care of it. That’s because Sky has just announced the introduction of a surprise new penalty fee for some customers if they don’t return the telly-watching equipment after their contract ends.

As spotted by the eagle-eyed team at Cordbusters, the change affects anyone with a new Sky Stream box in their homes.

This diddy set-top device was launched as a stand-alone product last year and allows users to watch shows, boxsets, movies and sporting action without the need for a dish drilled into the walls. When it arrived back in 2022, those taking delivery of the box own it outright. That basically means once the contract is over they can hand it to friends or try and make a quick buck on eBay.

However, that’s recently changed with Sky adjusting its terms to state that Sky Stream users will just rent the device from now on and it’s bad news if misplace this palm-sized gadget.

As Sky explains, “You’ll be charged a Non-return charge for any equipment that’s not returned to us, including if you’ve lost your equipment or if it’s been stolen.”

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It’s unclear exactly how much the penalty will cost if things go missing but it’s probably wise for anyone with Stream to keep track of it.

Sky has confirmed that the update only affects users who joined its Stream plan after February 23 so if you purchased this product before then you don’t need to hit the panic button.

This update to Stream isn’t actually a new term and condition with most Sky Q users also renting the box rather than owning it. “Sky Q boxes are loaned equipment supplied to you at no cost and remain the property of Sky (or another Sky group company) at all times,” explained the firm on its terms page.

If the thought of penalty fees hasn’t put you off the Sky Stream is definitely worth considering. Express.co.uk highly rated the device in our Sky Stream review.

As we mentioned earlier, there’s no messy installation with the box simply arriving in the post. It also features full access to all of the most popular streaming apps such as Netflix and Disney+ plus there’s the unique Playlists menu which stores all of your favourite shows to be watched on demand.

It starts from £26 per month on a 24-month deal or there’s the option to pay a bit more but not face a long-term contract.

In fact, Sky’s £29 plan lets you leave at any time thanks to a 31-day rolling contract.