Getting out of a Virgin contract

iMacThere4iAm

As you probably know, Virgin Media's 12 month minimum contract is a !!!!! to deal with. I find myself halfway through one and moving out of my house. Taking the contract with me is not an option.

Yesterday, a plan occurred to me that has a chance of getting me out with minimum losses, but I thought I'd post it here for opinions before I try anything.

I have Virgin cable broadband and phone (T&Cs) and over the phone I'm told there will be a charge of £10 per service per month remaining. That is equivalent to about £120.

My parents have a BT phone and broadband with Eclipse, neither of which are locked in a contract.

Virgin Media don't charge a fee to move services from one address to another, and it is possible to change the package at the same time. The catch is, this involves entering a new 12 month contract (this would be for ADSL as my parents are outside the cable area - the T&Cs are a bit different).

The loophole I think I see is this: Under the Distance Selling Regulations, a contract of this type has a 7-day 'cooling-off period', during which the customer can cancel the contract without penalty, provided they haven't used the services.

Could I set up a 'transfer' of the services to my parents' house (cancelling their existing broadband if necessary), and then as soon as the old contract for my current address becomes void, promptly pull out the DSR and cancel the new contract before they have a chance to start providing the service?

The best thing about this is, if it all goes belly-up, I'm left with a contract for broadband and phone at my parents' house, which is only £2 more than what they're paying currently (which I can pay so they aren't out of pocket).

So what do you think? Is there anything crucial I've missed?
It's quite fun being an NAL.

asandwhen

I dont think DSR apply when you are upgrading or extending your contract

billsavings

DSR does not apply to transfer of service.

As your parents cant get Virgin Media Cable at their address you will not be able to transfer it anyway.You can only move to another address within the Cable Service Area.

K Moving home

1. If you move to another address within our service area, you may ask us to provide the services to your new address. You must give us at least one month's written notice to do this, but we cannot guarantee to provide you with the services at your new address.
2. If you move to another address during any minimum period paragraph J2 will apply, unless you continue to receive our services at your new address (in which case paragraph K3 will apply).
3. If we agree to provide the services to your new address, you will have to pay a service transfer charge (to be paid to Virgin Media Payments). Details of our service transfer charge are set out in our price guides. We will also send you a new contract for the services at your new address and you will have to keep the services for the minimum period. The service start date will be the date that we install the services at your new address. You may not be able to keep your phone number if you move house.

As for NAL Its used to describe something/someone undesirable or uncool. Is that really you .:D

iMacThere4iAm

billsavings wrote: »

As your parents cant get Virgin Media Cable at their address you will not be able to move it anyway.They would be taking out a Virgin Media Non Cable contract if they took service.

Yes, Virgin told me this, but it's not a problem. They won't charge the disconnection fee if you're going to be taking out a new contract with them. As far as I can tell. Hence why I'm thinking the DSR will apply.

billsavings wrote: »

As for NAL Its used to describe something/someone undesirable or uncool. Is that really you .:D

I've never heard that, but never mind!

billsavings

iMacThere4iAm wrote: »

Yes, Virgin told me this, but it's not a problem. They won't charge the disconnection fee if you're going to be taking out a new contract with them. As far as I can tell. Hence why I'm thinking the DSR will apply.

I've never heard that, but never mind!

This recent thread i just discovered on the Cable Forum may help you.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/10/33634720-moved-house-can-t-get-virgin.html

iMacThere4iAm

I just called them again to find out the details of how the transfer works.
There is a new contract, which the DSR apply to, however they do charge the disconnection fee. The value of the fee is then credited to the new account after the new contract is signed.
So it seems that I probably can't pull this stunt off without losing the disconnection fee.

jhp

iMacThere4iAm wrote: »

Is there anything crucial I've missed?

As you dont rent the BT Line you are trying transfer the service to,surely your parents would have to sign the new contract not you. So a credit of disconnection fee would not apply anyway.

iMacThere4iAm

jhp wrote: »

As you dont rent the BT Line you are trying transfer the service to,surely your parents would have to sign the new contract not you. So a credit of disconnection fee would not apply anyway.

No, I checked that with Virgin and they told me it wouldn't be a problem. I can take the contract for broadband on that line, even though the line is in my parents' name.