Virgin Media price rises on the way

c-m

I'm currently with VM on their 50mb package that is the fastest available in my area. The quality of the connection isn't great though.

They've announced their speed increases in my area and I've received promotional material informing me that work will soon begin to increase the download speed to 120Mbps - No word on upload speeds.

It seems however that VM will soon be increasing their prices - see below:

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/networking/2012/02/06/virgin-media-beats-100mbps-schedule

I've lost my terms and conditions, but an increase of over £2.50 per month (£36 a year) sound's like grounds for termination, should anyone so wish once they've had confirmation of the price rise.

visidigi

https://my.virginmedia.com/customer-news/articles/price-changes.html?buspart=DMail_3 read the bottom of this, apparently theres enough grounds to get out of your contract...

Buzby

It has to be an increase that adds 10% or more to your annual agreed costs for service. This is taken to include all VM services, not simply BB. If less than 10%, no grounds exist.

visidigi

Buzby wrote: »

It has to be an increase that adds 10% or more to your annual agreed costs for service. This is taken to include all VM services, not simply BB. If less than 10%, no grounds exist.

Mine is a 6.5% increase and i was offered immediate no fee cancellation last night...no questions asked.

And i had Tivo installed two months ago.

Buzby

It is good when they offer it, but it's worth remembering it isn't a 'right' but a 'waiver' which should be accepted in the spirit in which it is given.

I'm seeing out my full Tivo minimum term which ends in March, and then quitting TV as the 12 month lock-in also finishes then.

KiKi

In negotiating a deal with them today for the F1 package and BB, VM mentioned that everyone's bill was going up by £2.50 from April.

So I asked for £2.50 off (in addition to the discount I'd already asked them to apply) for the next year. I got it. Always worth negotiating if you're in the position, esp prior to April.

The very nice VM lady also reminded me to remove the F1 (Sky Sports) option as soon as the season finished, or if there was more than a 30 day break between races.

KiKi

bingo_bango

Buzby wrote: »

It has to be an increase that adds 10% or more to your annual agreed costs for service. This is taken to include all VM services, not simply BB. If less than 10%, no grounds exist.

Buzby wrote: »

It is good when they offer it, but it's worth remembering it isn't a 'right' but a 'waiver' which should be accepted in the spirit in which it is given.

I'm seeing out my full Tivo minimum term which ends in March, and then quitting TV as the 12 month lock-in also finishes then.

Buzby, I don't see anywhere in the T's and C's where a 10% minimum is quoted. J.3 is the relevant section, and it makes no mention of any percentage. I also know of nowhere in contract law which confirms a minimum percentage as the basis for withdrawal.

As to your second post about this being a waiver rather than a right, I suggest you actually read up on current contract law in the UK before making such a claim.

Where one contract to a party introduces a unilateral change to the terms of a contract, they must give the other party a chance to remove themselves from the contract. Failure to do so would constitute an unfair term, and allow the injured party to treat the contract as voidable.

So ending the contract is a right. VM are not making any goodwill gesture in the spirit of good relations or any other spirit for that matter. They are according with the law which means they must provide customers with the means to withdraw from the contract at no penalty.

I'm all for this type of issue being discussed, but presenting ill researched arguments as fact on a discussion forum may mean that some of those who read it are vulnerable to believing it to be true, therefore not pursuing their right to withdraw when they can legally do so.

Please take the time to ensure that what you post is factual. Failure to do so could cost someone money.

JSR

It's Sky who have it in their T&Cs that they are allowed to increase prices once, by up to 10%, within the minimum term. Virgin don't give themselves this option, surprisingly!

roses

12% (£4.10) increase for me! I have put in cancellation, I am not going to cancel, I am hoping they will call back with a better deal.

Marvel1

The whole double your broadband speed thing knew there would be a catch, had my letter today saying from 1st April it's increasing to £1.50 a month.

c-m

Buzby wrote: »

It has to be an increase that adds 10% or more to your annual agreed costs for service. This is taken to include all VM services, not simply BB. If less than 10%, no grounds exist.

Only if that is stated in the terms. If not then you do have grounds to cancel. It's basic contract law and enshrined in statute.

Haven't made my mind up yet about what to do.

The virgin service isn"ok" and while i'm not getting packet loss, i am getting more jitter than I would like. Paying £37.50 is more than i'd like, but if i went the traditional asdl route, i need to get a line installed and i'll be stuck with just 1mb upload, until BT infinity is released in Norwich.

VM aren't even doubling the broadband speed in my area until 2013