Mystery surrounds the reason why a number of Manx subscribers to Sky have been offered refunds on their bills.
A number of readers have said they have been told that because island customers are not able to receive services like Sky Broadband or the telephone package, they are entitled to a monthly VAT refund.
Some people calling customer service or contacting Sky through the online live chat service were told no discount or refund can be offered until Sky ‘have gathered all information regarding VAT for the Isle of Man’, and contact will be made within four working days.
Others, however, have been able to successfully negotiate discounts on their monthly Sky bill.
Sky is currently looking into the claims, saying VAT is payable at the usual rate.
Castletown man Mark Potts said his bill has been reduced by £10 a month after contacting Sky, because of not being able to receive the whole range of Sky’s services.
‘They called it a good-will gesture.’ said Mark.
One Douglas woman reported reducing her Sky bill by £28, from £72 to £44, while another reader has claimed that upon enquiring Sky ‘immediately reduced my bill’ from £67.25 in December to £45.20 due at the end of this month.
On Friday, Michael Hughes raised the issue with a Sky advisor, asking: ‘So are you saying that people who have been promised the discount will not actually receive it?
He was told ‘yes definitely’, and that Sky was ‘working on waiving off the discount’.
A Sky spokesman has said: ‘VAT in the Isle of Man is payable at the usual UK rate of 20 per cent – there are no planned changes to this arrangement.’
A customer service staff member said they had taken a large number of calls from the Isle of Man on the subject.