Virgin Media Contract

alexward79

Evening all,

I'm new to the forum so be gentle with me!!
I took out the full Virgin Media package in January this year. TV, phone and broadband.
Due to unforseen circumstances, we are having to move home on January 7th. The property/area we are moving to does not have any Virgin Media coverage, so we are having to swith to Sky.
I phoned Virgin this evening to cancel my sevices as of Jan 7th 2012, only to be told i'm still contracted in with them until June 2012 as I signed an 18 month contract! I was not aware of this or I overlooked it, as in my experience these type of contacts are usually 12 months. Anyway, they have told me I have to pay the sum of £180 to get out of my contract, even though i'm not cancelling out of choice. I'm cancelling as they can not move my services to my new property :mad:.
I would like to know where I stand with them, taking all the factors mentioned above in to consideration.
Do I have to pay £180 or are they trying it on??
Any help or tips greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Alex

wealdroam

It appears that you have taken out an eighteen month contract.

If there is nothing in your contract that allows you to cancel at no charge within that period, then yes you will have to pay.

Have a read of your contract. See if it is really 18 months. See if moving house is a valid getout clause... I suspect not.

You say that you are not moving through choice.
Neither are Virgin forcing you to move.
You and Virgin agreed that you would pay them for 18 mths, and they in turn agreed to supply a service.
Check your contract. I bet they do not have to supply a service if you move away from their serviced area.
So maybe it could be considered an unfair contract term that forces you to continue to pay if you move, but in turn they do not have to provide the service if you move.

visidigi

alexward79 wrote: »

Evening all,

I'm new to the forum so be gentle with me!!
I took out the full Virgin Media package in January this year. TV, phone and broadband.
Due to unforseen circumstances, we are having to move home on January 7th. The property/area we are moving to does not have any Virgin Media coverage, so we are having to swith to Sky.
I phoned Virgin this evening to cancel my sevices as of Jan 7th 2012, only to be told i'm still contracted in with them until June 2012 as I signed an 18 month contract! I was not aware of this or I overlooked it, as in my experience these type of contacts are usually 12 months. Anyway, they have told me I have to pay the sum of £180 to get out of my contract, even though i'm not cancelling out of choice. I'm cancelling as they can not move my services to my new property :mad:.
I would like to know where I stand with them, taking all the factors mentioned above in to consideration.
Do I have to pay £180 or are they trying it on??
Any help or tips greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Alex

Virgin Media offers 12, 18 or 24 month contracts dependent on the deal offered.

http://shop.virginmedia.com/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-cable-services.html#home



K Moving home

1. If you move to another address within our and/or Virgin Media Entertainment's service area, you may ask us and Virgin Media Entertainment (as applicable) to provide the services to your new address. You must provide at least one month's notice to do this, but neither we nor Virgin Media Entertainment can guarantee to provide you with the services at your new address.
2. If you move to another address during any minimum period paragraph J2 will apply, unless you continue to receive Virgin Media Ltd and/or Virgin Media Entertainment services at your new address (in which case paragraph K3 will apply).
3. If we and Virgin Media Entertainment (as applicable) agree to provide the services to your new address, you may have to pay a service transfer charge (to be paid to Virgin Media Payments). Details of the service transfer charge are set out in the price guides. We and/or Virgin Media Entertainment will also send you a new contract for the services at your new address (which will include the contract for premium television services as applicable) and you will have to keep the services for the minimum period. The service start date for your new minimum period will be the date that the services are installed at your new address. You may not be able to keep your phone number if you move house.

Ending these agreements
J 2.

If you end one or more services (other than premium television services) during the minimum period for such services (other than in the circumstances outlined in section K or paragraph J5), or if you break these agreements and Virgin Media Ltd, Virgin Media Entertainment and/or Virgin Media Payments ends these agreements under section L (including for non-payment of charges) within the minimum period applicable to those services, you must immediately pay (to Virgin Media Payments) an early disconnection fee in respect of each cancelled service by way of compensation to us for ending those services early. You can find details of these charges on the Virgin Media Ltd website. The early disconnection fee will not be more than the charges you would have paid for your chosen services for the remainder of the minimum period less any costs we save, including the cost of no longer providing you with those services.


You owe them the money - the deals they offer you are based on the payment for the term of the contract. They aren't 'trying it on'

alexward79

Looks like I will have to pay up .
Thanks for your responses and help

arcon5

How much is your monthly service? At a guess £40ish?

£180 to get out of another 6 months service seems like a seriously good deal

visidigi

I think hes got 6 months remaining, not 12, likely he's on the 3 for £30 deal which was run on an 18 month contract term

unholyangel

Btw, Loophole in these terms and conditions is to downgrade your package. Although (i cant say for sure 100% off the top of my head) its possible you need to have the services at the lower service for x months before the new cancellation fee would come into effect.

Zandoni

Virgin used to let you off if you moved out of there area, they have obviously changed now.

I know someone who was in the same situation, they kept Virgin Broadband (ADSL). Virgin also gave them a number to call to set up a deal with Sky.