Virgin media and data protection loss!!

webbz

I am posting this on behalf of a friend, they took out a phone, tv, broadband contract with virgin, a guy came round and took all the details and a copy of a utillity bill as well as bank details for direct debit set up.
My friend has move to house share accomodation and wants to cancel the virgin deal, now here is the crunch, when my friend contacted virgin she was told that she owes outstanding bills as there had not been a direct debit set up etc and a cancel fee of 120 pound, when my friend asked where the utility and bank details went to she was told that they don't know but not to worry, my friend refuses to pay the bills etc until she gets answers as to what virgin media did with her personal financial details, where does she stand with this situation and is this a breach of data protection etc.

Buzby

Perhaps, perhaps not - but she's also in breach of her commitment to Virgin Media, and if she doesn't pay her bill it will be showing on her credit file and she'll shortly be defaulted. Arguing about what happened to her 'data' won't get her off their debtor's list - and I have to say, in the scale of thigs this just smacks of imcompetence, and the ICO allows for this.

webbz

Thanks buzby i will pass that on, sounds like she is not going to get anywhere with her argument.