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Virgin Mobile Overcharging - Help Needed

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  • This query is regarding mobile internet usage and going over an allowance.
    Last month I went over my (unlimited internet) allowance and being charged a high premium for the megabytes over the allowance which has raised my bill from thirty pounds to £350.68, I was able to run up such a high bill as I have been with the company many years so my loyalty has backfired and let me run up a huge bill without the provider contacting me to say I have went over my allowance and only realising there is a problem when my services were barred as I'd went over the credit limit and I contacted them a to find out what the problem was. They say they can not do anything in terms of quashing the bill and I simply have to cough up and get on with it and as I have 18 month left on my contract and can't afford to buy out of it. What are my options?
  • asnac
    asnac Posts: 15 Forumite
    This query is regarding mobile internet usage and going over an allowance.
    Last month I went over my (unlimited internet) allowance and being charged a high premium for the megabytes over the allowance which has raised my bill from thirty pounds to £350.68,...What are my options?

    How much stomach do you have for a fight? I'd suggest, don't pay it, and tell them that you were sold a deal with 'unlimited' internet. While you understand that there has to be some definition of 'unlimited' to stop someone transferring thousands of mb of data each hour, the low limit that they prescribe is unrealistic to the extent that it cannot be called 'unlimited', and the charge of £2 per mb over the first 25mb amounts to extortion. Tell them they are consequently in breach of contract. Only if they agree to cancel the contract, give them the phone back and find another provider and put it down to experience. If they threaten litigation, the words 'mis-selling' and 'unfair contract' may give them pause for thought.
  • Guys_Dad
    Guys_Dad Posts: 11,025 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Quite the worst advice I have read for some time. They will blacklist your credit record, quote their t&c and you will lose out all round.

    Unless they have in some way failed to stick to their t&c - for example if they promise to tell you if you go above a certain limit - then they have done nothing wrong. Caveat emptor.

    You really do not want a black mark on your Experian record, so you need to beg, plead, negotiate with them. Or follow the previous suggestion re arguing about the low limit, but do not withhold payment. Do not follow the previous advice on that score or you will regret it for years.
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The £2-00 per MB changes at the end of this month to a maximum over cap charge of about £1-69 per day making max of £1-99 a day for some tarrifs at least .
    So i would be inclined to go back to Virgin write to head office etc .
    As maximum charge going over data in October would only be around the £60 mark .



    jje
  • I experienced months of similar hassle from Virgin and despite leaving them, they just sent me more 'other' charges that are outside of the monthly allowance. These 'other' charges are the odd 30p daily charge for internet which they have told me is down to their own technical error (although a previous customer service officer told me I had gone over my allowance of 1Gb - WRONG! I had actually only used up 26Mb!). It costs me 10p each time to call their 789 help line. They say they will reimburse me yet never do. I called them today as my contract ended last week and STILL they tried to bill me including these 'other' charges. At least this time the guy said he would sort it out once and for all - and this time it cost me 30p from a landline to call their customer services. Either way, Virgin will end up taking you for a ride! Avoid!
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    gone over my allowance of 1Gb - WRONG! I had actually only used up 26Mb!

    Check that on your Tariff Internet access maximum 25 MB per day each MB over charged at £2 .Although some tarrifs have a new cap on the overcharge from Oct 2010 .

    jje
  • i purchased a new phone on virgin mobile on the 24th of december

    i found the phone to be faulty and was advised to take it back on the 3rd of january

    got my new phone and set it up.
    then i notice my account was suspended and also anyone who called me my phone only rang once
    my friend rang me and said when she rang me it said you have dialled the incorrect number
    phoned virgin they said they had technical problems
    added 300 min and £20 as a good will gesture

    2 days later phone disconnected again
    further £20 as good will gesture , they told me i had reached my credit limit
    my account would be clear by the end of the day
    7th jan phone off again
    rang them again we will put £20 as a good will gesture
    11th of jan disconnected again £30 good will gesture and 300 min added
    was told my account is clear and there would be no further problems
    the problems i had incurred where down to the mast and billing me instead of taking it off my minutes

    16th got text saying you have nearly reached your credit limit
    called them , they said they my account isnt clear and they have to wait for bill to come out
    further £30 credit goodwill
    20th phone disconnected again they said i have used all my minutes and my account is over £100 credit limit and there is nothing they can do until the bill comes out
    i told them i want to cancel this contract as i have been on the phone to them for over 10 hours in 3 weeks
    was told the 14 days have passed and i cant cancel
    Can anyone help
    i havent made 850 min of calls and used all the money they put on my account
  • Buzby
    Buzby Posts: 8,275 Forumite
    They're correct - you cannot repudiate the contract, but as they have no network (they use Everything Everywhere) their billing system simply gets the information from T-Mobile. It may be a glitch, but as they've supposedly given you £120 in credit they are paying you for your troubles. Wait for your bill and see what turns up.
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