Virgin Media Chaos - Account Remains Open after I closed it

WillF_2

Hi All,

I'm having an absolute nightmare with Virgin Media's customer service team at the moment.

At the end of January, I called up Virgin Media to close my account and request my MAC code. I checked the terms of my contract and this is the correct process for cancelling the services (Phone Line and ADSL Broadband)

I provided my MAC code to my new provider and received a letter from Virgin Media telling me that my services would be disconnected on the 7th of February. On the 7th of February, my line was indeed disconnected and in the evening the service provided by my new supplier started. Fantastic.

On the 8th of February, I the following letter was sent out by Virgin Media:

Hello,

We’re really sorry that you’ve decided to leave us, but we can now
confirm that your Virgin Phone line has been disconnected and moved to
your new phone provider.

Now that you’ve changed providers, your line rental and any calls you
make will be charged by your new provider, although your next bill from
Virgin Media will include any calls that were made before we
disconnected your service .

If you have any questions or you’ve decided you’d like to keep your
Virgin Media services, just give our team a call on 0845 454 2222* and
we’ll be happy to help.

Kind regards,
Mark Davidson
Executive Director
Customer Care
Virgin Media

I cancelled my Direct Debit and decided that I would pay the small outstanding balance over the phone when the bill came through.

Today I received a bill from Virgin Media asking for a full month's worth of charges. Confused, I called up to ask why.

To my dismay, I was told that my account is still open! They insist that my new provider didn't follow the correct procedures when migrating my line and that there is nothing I can do. I owe the full month's worth of services and to top it all off, if I want to close my account today and I will have to pay an additional charge of £24, plus the 7 days of services "used" in March!

How can this be possible??

My account was disconnected on the 7th of February as promised by Virgin, and the services provided by my new supplier are working. I am now a Sky customer for both Line Rental and Broadband.

I refused to pay the £24 and I am awaiting a call from a manager, which I full expect to never materialise.

What are my rights here? I followed the terms of my contract to close my account, yet it is still open and they are insisting I must pay.

Any advice would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks,
Will

halibut2209

Rubbish. You have it in writing that the account is closed. The direct debit is cancelled, so don't worry about them taking any money without your permission.

Virgin will keep phoning you, so when they do, simply inform them that you have it in writing that account is closed and the debt is disputed.

WillF_2

halibut2209 wrote: »

Rubbish. You have it in writing that the account is closed. The direct debit is cancelled, so don't worry about them taking any money without your permission.

Virgin will keep phoning you, so when they do, simply inform them that you have it in writing that account is closed and the debt is disputed.

Thanks Halibut.

My concern if I take this approach is how it will affect my credit rating.

I already have a letter from them stating that my account is now overdue, so I guess it's only a matter of time before this appears on my credit report.

halibut2209

You may have some hassle ahead, but nothing that can't be sorted out.

Perhaps a recorded delivery letter to them including a copy of the letter you received might help. Inform them that the contract is over, and that they have also said so. You don't expect any more correspondance, and you do not expect any negative impact on your credit record.

Short and sweet

Shelldean

not sure if this will help or not I was having trouble with my virgin mobile and was going to write but wanted it sorted ASAP rather than waiting for the letter to arrive and then wait for a reply( if they ever replied) I asked for help on the mobile forum on here. I was given a twitter email addy which in my case got the response I wanted!!

My thread is HERE the email addy is shown in post 6
HTH

edited to add, they did refer me over to another dept but it was higher level hep if that makes sense??

Zandoni

Why don't you contact Ofcom and see what they say.

WillF_2

Shelldean wrote: »

not sure if this will help or not I was having trouble with my virgin mobile and was going to write but wanted it sorted ASAP rather than waiting for the letter to arrive and then wait for a reply( if they ever replied) I asked for help on the mobile forum on here. I was given a twitter email addy which in my case got the response I wanted!!

My thread is HERE the email addy is shown in post 6
HTH

edited to add, they did refer me over to another dept but it was higher level hep if that makes sense??

Thanks Shelldean.

I have just sent an email to that email address and included attachments of the correspondance I have received from Virgin that confirm that the services have been disconnected.

I'm not holding my breath, but it would be a massive relief if they have some common sense.

WillF_2

Zandoni wrote: »

Why don't you contact Ofcom and see what they say.

I'm on it!

WillF_2

Shelldean wrote: »

not sure if this will help or not I was having trouble with my virgin mobile and was going to write but wanted it sorted ASAP rather than waiting for the letter to arrive and then wait for a reply( if they ever replied) I asked for help on the mobile forum on here. I was given a twitter email addy which in my case got the response I wanted!!

My thread is HERE the email addy is shown in post 6
HTH

edited to add, they did refer me over to another dept but it was higher level hep if that makes sense??

Good news, I was contacted by a chap called Max from the Virgin Media complaints team this afternoon and they have now correctly closed my account and have wiped all charges.

They called me on the back of the email I sent to the email address provided by Shelldean. Shelldean, PM me your Paypal email address and I'll send you a few quid so you can buy a beer on me :beer:.

halibut2209

Glad it's sorted

Shelldean

WillF wrote: »

Good news, I was contacted by a chap called Max from the Virgin Media complaints team this afternoon and they have now correctly closed my account and have wiped all charges.

They called me on the back of the email I sent to the email address provided by Shelldean. Shelldean, PM me your Paypal email address and I'll send you a few quid so you can buy a beer on me :beer:.

I don't have a paypal a/c and I don't really drink.
Am jsut glad it helped, after all I was only passing on a tip that was given to me by a forum member. Am pleased it's sorted :T:T