Virgin Media Retention thread

JCL

Interesting thread. Thanks for the info.

fbrj

Just to add my experiences to the thread....

I have been an ntl BB only customer for 3 years (although at 2 different addresses). Currently paying £24.99/month. Having read through the thread I dialled 0800 052 0243 and selected Option 2 (thinking of moving?) from the menu...was connected straight away. Said I was leaving as I thought I was paying too much. I was asked if I had been offered better terms elsewhere and so I quoted this:

http://www.madasafish.com/services/broadband/broadband_max.asp

which is £17.99/month with up to 4 months free.

I was immediately offered my ntl package at £12.50/month for 6 months efffective today! (ie half price for 6 months). I asked what happened after that and I was told to check then and see what was available at that time...

Can't grumble at £75 saving for a 2 min phone call!

pinkvixen

Its very easy to switch to Tiscali. My problem was with NTL and trying to cancel my contract with them.

In May, I saw that Tiscali were offering 1MB broadband for £15.99 with smartalk free, which gives you reduced rate calls. I signed up. A week after I was all signed up and running on broadband, they reduced it to £14.99 a month! My bills are around £35 a month though as they charge for downoading AND uploading!! They are now offering an automatic upgrade to unlimited broadband usage and free calls at an extra £4 a month, now going to cost £19.99. Cant complain there (yet?)

Anyway, I got an email on 6th June from NTL saying that they were going to upgrade me for free to their CPS service on the telephone line. I emailed them straight back saying that I had just signed up with another ISP, that I didnt want the CPS service and to take my email as notice to cancel my contract (which I had had for over 3 years with no problems at all on dial up, at a mere £15 per month with £15 per month of free voice calls by dialling a prefix number. The new CPS service was to offer me a service that eliminated the dialling of the prefix number, which is great but they couldnt offer me broadband in my area!)
Anyway, I got an automated reply the same day stating that they would respond as soon as....

10th June, I email them saying that I am still waiting for a response. I got a response same day saying that due to data protection and because I would have to answer security questions such as my mother's maiden name, blah, blah, I couldn't cancel by email but had to ring their 0870 number.

The billing number is only available during 9am and 5pm (during my working hours) All I got was the multiple options and being on endless hold so I gave up.

My July direct debit went out of the bank so I deleted it via my bank online service, bearing in mind, I am being charged since May by Tiscali so, why should I pay ntl for nothing?

In August, I get a letter from them saying that they couldnt retrieve my August direct debit payment and would I ring the 0870 number.

Several attempts later and with my boss giving me 'Are you sciving' glances and I feel guilty for using the work phone to dial the 0870 number at 8p a minute. I give up again.

On August 27th I sent another email explaining my dilemma of not being able to get through as being at work meant I could not hang on hold for too long a time and the cost, etc, etc. I give them my mobile number and ask them to call ME, also informing them that I had cancelled my direct debit at the bank.

I got a reply the next day saying that cancelling the DD does not cancel the contract. Would I please ring the 0870 number OR write to ntl freedom to cancel, quoting the full address and a list of 0870 numbers!

WHAT??

My fingers poised over the keyboard, my temper flaring, I compose a letter asking;
1) Why wasnt I told in June that I could cancel by letter and,
2) What is the difference between a letter by email and and a letter by post?

The next day, I try to access my online ebill to see if they have been charging me anything (remember Tiscali are charging me now) but for some reason it keeps telling me my details are wrong (I mention this in the letter).

I have POP mail set up to my yahoo account and I get the emails duplicated there so I can still read them. Dammit, if I didnt get a Customer Satisfaction Survey email on the 30th of August saying that they had on record that I had been served by James on the 28th at 7.40am. Did I? I dont recall being 'served' by anyone let alone James, not on the 28th and certainly not at 7.40 am.

My letter is in the post, together with copies of all the emails to and fro, accusing them of stalling tactics and demanding a reply saying that my account is cancelled and cleared.

I'm still waiting..... :whistle:

(Same post submitted in the Tiscali thread)

Altarf

They told you they couldn't deal with you by email and they asked you to contact them by phone (with the appropriate security checks). You didn't bother to tell them that you couldn't phone them. I am no apologist for NTL, but one thing that they could not expected to be is psychic.

pinkvixen wrote:

Why wasnt I told in June that I could cancel by letter

Because it is -

a) Obvious you can.
b) Stated in your contract you can.

pinkvixen wrote:

What is the difference between a letter by email and and a letter by post

Their contract says they will deal by letter but not email. Their ball, their rules.

Hesperus

Wonderful!! Thank you to all posters, moneysavingexpert.com AND to a very nice Customer Services chap at NTL!

Did my homework (very important) and phoned NTL Customer Services. Told the nice chap that I'd been with NTL since 1997 but thought I was now paying far too much for my 3 in 1 package. Quoted other options saving £10 a month (Tiscali + Sky + First Telecom)

Result was, he reduced my payments there and then by £18 per month.

Again, thanks to all from a very happy camper!

jig

Hi All, i have a NTL Line (cancelled tv for SKY) but now wish to have their broadband service, is there anyway of getting a less on the current rental im paying or less then £9.99 for the 1mb?

What is the best way to haggle for these two services only?

smudge78

Hello

Having read all your tips about how to handle NTL over the phone I finally plucked up the courage to do it. I spoke to a guy in the retainers department and he immediatly offered £19.99 per month for 2mb broadband. I said sorry no tiscali are doing it for £17.99 he then said ok i will beat that and give it to you for £16 which i happily accepted. I then turned on my PC and checked my braodband speed and it said 10mb!!! I will not say anything to NTL about their mistake but how lucky is that. Cut price NTL and extra speed FREE! Thankyou money savers for the tips!

donnalou

I don't suppose BT do such good deals do they? I hate the way I'm stuck with BT because I can't get NTL where I live and you can't have sky without a Bt line.

linzz_2

After reading this thread, I noticed on our latest ntl bill that we were getting charged £24.99 for 1mg broadband even though the current rate is £17.99. So I thought I'd check previous statements and the last 2 were showing that we'd been overcharged too.

I put it off for a day, then thought sod it! let's give it a go! The lady I spoke said they would refund us £7 a month for the last 3 months and that we could have 1mg broadband for £9.99 for the next 12 months! Definately worth making a phone call.

Hanoijane

It worked for me too.
Thanks everyone.