Avoiding Virgin cancelation charge

pennanbeach

Have decided to drop VM after some 18 months as I am moving from the extremities of Scotland to outer London where I can finally take advantage of better broadband offers. Checked terms&conditions to see how much notice I needed to give and saw an email from a few months back informing me that they were dropping the 30 days notice period, but were introducing a £23 cancelation charge which would apply 'in a small number of cases'.

Needless to say the charge applies to me. It seems that I am liable unless I request a MAC number to move my broadband to a different provider in my new house. My problem is that I don't have a new address yet, and I'm unlikely to know it until about 2 or 3 days before I move. Is there any way I can avoid this stupid sum? I'm guessing its not as simple as just asking for a MAC number, I'm supposing I'll have to somehow prove that I am moving broadband to somewhere else. I just hate the way that I both completed my contract term and have attempted to give them the 30 days notice only to find out that I am liable for this figure which they just seem to have plucked out of the air.

Would greatly appreciate anyones tales from the VM retention line if they have no intention of staying with them for a better deal.

macman

So does this charge now apply to anyone who cancels rather than migrates?
Asking for your MAC does not cancel the account, it's only an 'option to cancel'. If the new provider does not contact Virgin within 30 days to arrange the migration, then it lapses and the contract remains with Virgin,
I thought that the MAC system did not apply to cable services anyway, since it's not based on a BT line? Are you perhaps on Virgin National, not Virgin Media?