Virgin Media: Haggle down your costs.

hansi

heebs wrote: »

Hi all...thanks to all those who replied to me...i waited it out after giving notice to VM for upping my bill to £42 for
XL tv with v+
2mb BB
tel with w/end calls

they rang me and offered
XL tv with V+
XL tel (includes 24 hr UK landline calls)
10MB bb
for £43...will do e billing will bring it down to £42...not bad..upped my BB and tel and paying the same
Also asked them for
Wireless router
Free Asian channels for one month (they gave me a further 3 months at £10per month)
Free additional tel box installed downstairs as we never had on other than in one of the bedrooms when we moved to this house...another saving of £99...although i had to speak to 3 different people..2 asked me to pay £99...third time lucky and she agreed to credit me with £99 so i didnt have to pay for the installation.
They also gave me a £30 credit for not informing me of price hike and reduced current bill back to its former £30

Apart from the £30 credit and reducing current bill for not informing me...everything they gave me I had to ask for...so the moral of the story is for all my forum pals is IF-U-ASK-U-MIGHT-GET-IT...so dont be shy to ask ask ask..
tied down for another 12 months...

did want to try sky but they had no free installation or sky+box offers...ironically just got a leaflet in the post giving both free until 12th march...but i would still have to take on BT which could be expensive

ONE THING I FOUND OUT WHEN I GAVE NOTICE IS THAT ALTHOUGH I PAID ALOT OF MONEY FOR THE V+ BOX...IT REMAINS VM PROPERTY AND THEY TAKE IT AWAY WHEN YOU CANCEL...SKY DONT DO THAT...ONCE YOU HAVE A SKY+ BOX...ITS YOURS FOR LIFE...VM SHOULD TAKE HEED AND NOT EXPECT US TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THEN TAKE IT BACK...RANT OVER

Happy Haggling...:)

but on the plus side, VM don't charge you every time they come out if you have a problem with the V+ Box, whereas Sky do!

stiffnuts

hansi wrote: »

but on the plus side, VM don't charge you every time they come out if you have a problem with the V+ Box, whereas Sky do!

Thats not strictly true, Sky will not charge in the first year as it is under warranty. After that if you are out of contract and threaten to leave they usually sort the problem out for nothing.

astral_dolphins

astral_dolphins wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I'd really appreciate some help with this. I've been reading through the thread but I'm not sure what a lot of the services are and whether I'm getting the best deal for my money. If anyone could give me the heads-up on whether I could be getting a better deal I'd be very grateful. Here's what I'm currently getting:

Line Rental = £11
Talk Evening and Weekends = £3.45
TV Size: L = £11.50
TUL Base TV 512k Saving = -£6.49
512k Broadband (1gb) = £14.99
Total = £34.45

Thanks!

Anyone?

Doodle2k

astral_dolphins wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I'd really appreciate some help with this. I've been reading through the thread but I'm not sure what a lot of the services are and whether I'm getting the best deal for my money. If anyone could give me the heads-up on whether I could be getting a better deal I'd be very grateful. Here's what I'm currently getting:

Line Rental = £11
Talk Evening and Weekends = £3.45
TV Size: L = £11.50
TUL Base TV 512k Saving = -£6.49
512k Broadband (1gb) = £14.99
Total = £34.45

Thanks!

astral_dolphins wrote: »

Anyone?

Hi
Firstly where are you in relation to your contract with Virgin? If you have signed up in the last few months normally you are bound into a 12month deal its hard to negotiate a new deal early on into a contract but if yours its expired or near the end its should be OK.

I think your best bet is to give Virgin a ring on the 150 Select 2 and then 2 option. I told them I have been looking around particually at Sky and felt I was paying too much for the services. They will talk you through a couple of options to see what level of services you are best suited with. Listen to what they say and note down any offers. What I did was to call up a few times to see what you get offered its amazing how each time they vary with what some agents will offer and others won't budge on.

Its good to have in mind what it is you want, upgraded service? or a cheaper price? Its helpful if you have some price numbers from other provider so do shop around. Don't feel pressured into taking any offers unless you get what you are after and remember if you agree to it you are bound to another 12 months of services although you do have a 7 day cooling off period from the date you agree in case you do change your mind.

As a reference last week I was offered

L TV
L Broadband (10Mb)
L phone (Evenings and Weekend free)
Additional Converter

For £38 a month

Thats pretty comparable with yours I think expect the additional converter which is £9.50 a month so prehaps your looking at around £28.50 with your current setup with faster broadband included. If you upgrade your broadband to L I would ask for a free broadband router anything you can get for free is always good and if you don't ask you don't get. Even if you don't need it you could sell it on and put the money towards the bill.

scarletjim

scarletjim wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what I should expect to me paying for my package after haggling? I've been through the thread but not many people have 2 additional boxes... My bill says:

Line rental: £11
Loyalty Pack BB/Phone/TV B Sky: (-£21)
TV Size XL: £22
2Additional V Box: £30
Add Set Boxes Discount: (-£11)
All Movies & Sports: £25
Broadband Size M: £18

So total debits £106, total credits £32 = monthly cost £74.

Should I really be paying this much? I'd like to get it down by a tenner or so if possible, but we do use all 3 of our boxes and we do watch all those channels.

Well, the 'bump' worked for Astral Dolphins, so I'll have another go too. Come on, some of you must be experts by now!?! Doodle, what do you think, any idea what I should be paying?

comics

I just looked at my bill since my discounts have ended, and not only have they gone up, they have even gone passed their own prices.

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/websales/service.do?id=2

I have
Telephone line rental £11
Phone & BB savings -£8
Broadband Size: L £25
Equals £28

Their website says that a phone and BB:L bundle would only be £25 a month, even BB:L is £20 by itself yet I'm paying £25 for BB.
Did these price changes just happen (i.e. from March 1st) or am I being overcharged by £3 extra a month. :mad:

Katie1980_2

Hi I rececived my Virgin Media bill through yesterday, I have noticed I have got a £30 service charge on my bill the break down is as follows.

phone line rental - £11
Triple Saving Discount - -£13
Call Bar (I will not be removing this) £1.75
XL Tv £22
Broadband L £25

This is on the 3 for £44 deal I get charged £5 for having non Direct Debit as they would not give me a fixed date for taking payments

I have the £30 service charge and £18.08 worth of calls as they did not set up the evenings and weekends like I requested either.
Will this service charge of £30 be on there next month or will I be down to £50 which is more manageable for me.

The Tv and internet sizes are non negotiable as I do not go anywhere or really go out so I get the benefit from the Tv and Internet I will be getting the evenings and weekends placed on there when I have paid my bill next Friday when I get paid
Any other suggestions to keep my costs down.

astral_dolphins

Doodle2k wrote: »

Hi
Firstly where are you in relation to your contract with Virgin? If you have signed up in the last few months normally you are bound into a 12month deal its hard to negotiate a new deal early on into a contract but if yours its expired or near the end its should be OK.

I think your best bet is to give Virgin a ring on the 150 Select 2 and then 2 option. I told them I have been looking around particually at Sky and felt I was paying too much for the services. They will talk you through a couple of options to see what level of services you are best suited with. Listen to what they say and note down any offers. What I did was to call up a few times to see what you get offered its amazing how each time they vary with what some agents will offer and others won't budge on.

Its good to have in mind what it is you want, upgraded service? or a cheaper price? Its helpful if you have some price numbers from other provider so do shop around. Don't feel pressured into taking any offers unless you get what you are after and remember if you agree to it you are bound to another 12 months of services although you do have a 7 day cooling off period from the date you agree in case you do change your mind.

As a reference last week I was offered

L TV
L Broadband (10Mb)
L phone (Evenings and Weekend free)
Additional Converter

For £38 a month

Thats pretty comparable with yours I think expect the additional converter which is £9.50 a month so prehaps your looking at around £28.50 with your current setup with faster broadband included. If you upgrade your broadband to L I would ask for a free broadband router anything you can get for free is always good and if you don't ask you don't get. Even if you don't need it you could sell it on and put the money towards the bill.

Thanks Doodle.

I've been on the sme contract now for more than 2 years so switching shouldn't be a problem.

I would definitely be interested in your deal (the 10mb broadband) so I'll try and get that too - what's an additional converter?

Edit: I also think I may upgrade to the V+ service too. Do they take away your current box when installing the V+ box?

neilm22

I have read this thread with a great deal of interest.

I have been on my current package since July 2007 and recently enquired about retention, every time being told 'my current package cannot be bettered', which I do not believe.

I was interested in getting V+ but was unwilling to pay £99 and have seen that some people on this post have got it for £69 and others for free.

On informing Virgin that I was aware that some people had received it for free I was told this was not the case, it was £99.

So I simply stated that I was off to Sky, cancel my contract.

I can't be bothered moving to be honest and am hoping they contact me to haggle but will move if need be, I am not stupid enough to just sit on my contract. They can work for it.

To be fair my current contract is good, but I did want V+ and my current box moved upstairs, but they were making no concessions.

My current package was £34.95.
XL tv
Broadband (not sure what rate)
Phone (free landline calls I think) but I never use the phone except for 0800 numbers.

I know this was a good enough deal but they have made no effort to accomodate so far, I would have dealt had they offered V+ box for £49 and current set-top to be moved upstairs for free, hardly asking the world is it!

Does this sound reasonable to others?

marcellep

neilm22 wrote: »

I have read this thread with a great deal of interest.

I have been on my current package since July 2007 and recently enquired about retention, every time being told 'my current package cannot be bettered', which I do not believe.

I was interested in getting V+ but was unwilling to pay £99 and have seen that some people on this post have got it for £69 and others for free.

On informing Virgin that I was aware that some people had received it for free I was told this was not the case, it was £99.

So I simply stated that I was off to Sky, cancel my contract.

I can't be bothered moving to be honest and am hoping they contact me to haggle but will move if need be, I am not stupid enough to just sit on my contract. They can work for it.

To be fair my current contract is good, but I did want V+ and my current box moved upstairs, but they were making no concessions.

My current package was £34.95.
XL tv
Broadband (not sure what rate)
Phone (free landline calls I think) but I never use the phone except for 0800 numbers.

I know this was a good enough deal but they have made no effort to accomodate so far, I would have dealt had they offered V+ box for £49 and current set-top to be moved upstairs for free, hardly asking the world is it!

Does this sound reasonable to others?

Hello

I was the same as you, I wanted the V+ Box and I called the retention dept and asked them about leaving them. The young girl was like" Oh your leaving" I just said I really wanted the Sky Plus box as I needed to record things. I played dumb when she said we do a similar box and could offer you a deal.

Here is what I got
Oh and I never paid for the box

Advance charges £43.75

Description Date/period Amount
Telephone Line Rental 20 March - 19 April £11.00
Talk Evenings & Weekends 20 March - 19 April £3.45
Loyalty Bb/Phone/TV Discount 20 March - 19 April £-22.70
Free Voicemail 20 March - 19 April £0.00
T V Size: X L 20 March - 19 April £22.00
1 Additional V Box 20 March - 19 April £15.00
V+ Box 20 March - 19 April £0.00
Add Set Box(es) Discount 20 March - 19 April £-10.00
Broadband Size: L 20 March - 19 April £25.00

Refunds and adjustments
VAT Credit 23 February £-1.35
V+ Offer 21 February £-69.00
V+ Offer 21 February £-30.00

Get on the phone to them and go over it with them again, Be nice and chatty and I am sure you will get what you want