Virgin Media: Haggle down your costs.

MunnyMan

Ok my current package..


TV L = £11.50
Broadband M = £18.00
Phone line rental = £11.00
Talk unlimited = £7.95
Talk Mobile = £1.50
Additional set top box = £9.50

Grand Total = £59.45 including VAT

Now after numerous calls to retentions (best i have been offered in the last 2 months was a £8.00 reduction!) am at the end of my tether and am a hard bargainer also so i have been expecting more....... Anyway i am out of contract so i am going to cancel then renew for this offer

Phone L
TV XL
BB L
V+ x 2

£42.95 for 3 months and then £54.45 for 9 months

the main reason i have wanted to change my services is that i want to go V+ and have a better TV package in general. It seems to me that i would be silly too not cancel and take this offer but my question is if i ring and cancel today i have to give 30 days notice ...right? so after 30 days they will come and take all my gear away...? then the next day i will ring up and start a new contract to begin a month later...?

hope this doesnt seem to confusing to answer


any help appreciated


Terry

Swimming_Geek

minature_hero wrote: »

Had my bill through for this coming month. I was on the £29.00/month deal they had going for phone/2meg broadband/no TV (we don't have one). I was getting an £8 phone and bb discount and an additional £5.50 phone and bb discount bringing the price down to £15.50. Pretty competitive and this was for life I was TOLD. But NO, this month the £5.50 discount is gone :mad: and they also took back the discount from last month another £5.50:mad: . Total bill this month £26.50!

I am really pleased to know that I'm not the only one that this has happened to. We don't have a tv package either. We were also under the impression that the deal was for life, and then were puzzled when our bills doubled last month from £15-16 a month to £27! We couldn't quite believe it. So now bolstered by this thread we're going to try our luck to get a better deal or just leave. Thank you.

Heinz

scarletjim wrote: »

Bump. Anyone?

As is typical of the company, 'deals' which are only ever verbally agreed appear to be transient. Unless you can get the deal confirmed in writing, I think you just have to accept it's not going to last.

Sweet_cheeks

when you call to cancel they say a 30day notice is needed to give a date when your last bill will be paid up to(as we are billed a month ahead) and will arrange a date and time to come pick up the eqipment. However you will most probably get a call from the retentions department asking why u want to leave etc and want they can do to make you stay. So stick to your guns and go ahead and cancel as you've already paid 2months too long at your present price and the good thing about retentions is that if you agree a price and deal with them it'll start from that day. I did this.

neilm22

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?

So I thought I would give an update and my haggle with Virgin.

After putting in to cancel, I was fully prepared to go to Sky.

So a week after my cancellation and I get a phonecall from Virgin. Sorry to hear you are leaving etc. I explain the above and state that I was actually looking to upgrade (which I was) to include Sky Sports and Movies.

So they offered me my current plus Sports and New for £73 a month. And V+ for £75. I had asked if we could bring it down to £60. No. I also stated that having read internet threads I was aware that V+ was given to some people for free but mostly for £30. It can't be done I was told, £75. I said I would think about it and call them back.

2 hours later get another call about my disconnection, but he then continues where the last call left off. Immediately offers me V+ for FREE. The we talk terms. He states that my base package is the best, but they can add Sports and Movies for £26 a month. £60.95. I said that's pretty good but can I move my current box upstairs, was told it's an extra £5 a month. I told him if they give the second box for nothing I will agree the new 12-month contract right now. After discussion with his manager it's agreed.

So now I have
V+
Normal box upstairs
XL TV
Sports
Movies (basically every channel)
L Telephone
10mb broadband

£60.95 a month.

The only advice I can offer is don't accept the offer until you are happy and get the first name of the caller. Don't be afraid to take time to think, they soon came back to me. And know what you want, and don't be afraid to ask and push for it, they want your business as much as you want to stay!

heebs

eripmav wrote: »

Had the call today, I held on. I'm getting:

XL TV
10MB BB
V+
Second Box
XL phone

£49 a month inc. VAT and supposedly they're knocking the £5 non DD charge off also! Happy days.

Thank you to all who gave advice and kind words.

Hi there...see ,,i told you they would call ...and you ended up with a better deal than me...good for you...:T

heebs

Heinz wrote: »

As is typical of the company, 'deals' which are only ever verbally agreed appear to be transient. Unless you can get the deal confirmed in writing, I think you just have to accept it's not going to last.

How very true,,i was offered tvXL for life for £0 as long as i keep the tel and bb..then this was taken from me saying it was a 3 for 30 deal for 12 months only...wish i got it in writing..hindsight is wonderful:o

Sponge

It raises an interesting question - has any one here ever got their new offer given in writing? Either automatically, or by asking for it?

I've never heard of it happening and wonder if VM would ever do it. They'd probably say no, or yes, but not do it. This is the point where someone proves me wrong.:o

MunnyMan

I have just spoken to retentions and they have offered

2x V+ boxes
Large Broadband
Large Telephone
XL TV

£50.45...... this is basically £10.00 cheaper than i currently pay for the same services minus the V+ boxes ( i currently have ordinary boxes) am swopping XL telephone to XL TV instead (dont really use the fone service that much)

Considering its £10.00 cheaper than i currently pay i am or was tempted until the guy told me i would have to pay install for both V+ boxes = £198.00 :rotfl: told him to do one no way am i paying install for 2! at a push i might pay £99.00 for one of the 2 but noooo way for both! anyway apparently all of his managers are in a meeting until further notice so came off the phone with a promise of an answer on saturday! wotch this space!

Terry

Rossdear

I have just agreed the following-

Large BB
XL TV
L phone
V+
Additional box in another room
£99 installation fee (wouldn't budge)
Total Cost- £43.00

I was paying £38.50 for XL TV, basic phone, L BB- this has recently gone upto £48.50 (apparently this was discoiunted by £10 for a year for the loss of Sky1!!!?)