Virgin charging extra after 12 month contract period

bradpit

I was wondering if what I have been asked to pay additionally by Virgin is legal.

I took a Virgin package (Landline & Broadband) for £15.50 a year back and the minimum contract period of 12 months got over on this January 2009.

They have started to charge an additional £5.50 pounds from the following month after the contract got over and (I failed to noticed this earlier as they get the payment automativally through Direct Debit) and I have recently called them and checked about this additonal charge and I was told by the customer service person that I was getting the pacakge on a reduced price of £15.50 as an offer during the contract period and now they are charging the standard charges for the package after the contract period.

I was not informed about this when i took the contract and also never got any mail from them informing this before they start to charge and just got the bill with updated charges (which I failed to notice earlier).

I never changed by package from the 1st day of service got activated and still continuing with the same package till date

Can somebody who is using Virgin services please advice me if this is normally happens after the end of a contract or I can challenge them ?

Quentin

If your minimum contract is up, then you can leave without penalty if you don't like the new charges.

Generally they don't like losing customers, so as soon as you mention wanting to give notice expect them to make an offer to get you to stay in return for a new minimum period contract.

Jodun

I spoke to them a couple of weeks ago and they are offering broadband and evening and weekend calls for £9.99 a month for 1 year, to new and existing customers.

I was also under a 1 year contract, nothing changed after the year was up, my price stayed the same. I only found out about the cheaper price by accident.