Can't Take Anymore Of Virgin Media!!

b1ffa

We have been with Virgin Media now for less than 12 months.
Since which we have nothing but faults and issues with the service received.
the TV package often crashes, glitches and throws up error codes.
The "Superhub" routers are unable to provide stable wireless connectivity and regularly drop out at 1am.
the Phone line quality is often less than satisfactory whenever the weather is " Cold, wet or snowing"
giving nothing but cracking/hissing connections.

After taking out the package within the first month the broadband had been offline for over 7 days due to a "router fault" at Virgin Media's end. when the problem was first noticed at the customers side, we contacted Virgin Media regarding the fault and was rather abruptly told by an India call center team member that the fault is being fixed and hope to be back online within the next 24 hours.
Which we thought ok. don't have a problem if it is a genuine fault.

48 hours AFTER the phone call took place we were still without internet connectivity. When phoning Virgin Media again regarding this same problem. We were then connected to another India call center and when explaining the fault and the previous conversation. The Call Center team member laughed and put down the phone.

We phoned back straight away and reported this above conversation to the manager.

Then another48 hours later, the broadband was "still" offline - we then contacted Virgin Media again. and was told it was going to be back on within the next 12 hours.
12 hours later, the broadband WAS still offline. another phonecall and 10 hours later and the broadband came back online.

Only then to experience wireless connection problems, often leaving us writting emails, part way through witting emails, the wireless connection would drop out and would mean we would have to reset the router or plug into LAN.

within the past 2 weeks
the following problems have occured:

1) complaint ledged against the quality of the TV, Broadband and phone
VM's solution: sent out an engineer with new router and fix new connections on the fibre optic cabling.

2) complaint ledged regarding "new router" wireless issues and drop out issues.
When discussing this fault to a member of Virgin Media the phone manner left alot to be desired, making me the customer feeling my charecter had been "be-littled" being spoken to as if I was an idiot and incompetant.
the member was also very obnoxius and made me out to be lieing about having these faults.
then hung up.
- phoned back and asked for the manager, complaint "supposidly" logged on the system. (will explain further down)

3) Wireless connection drop off again
Call center staff then asked the customer to download Third Party Remote Access software in order to access Personal Computer systems. To which the member of staff, continued to access Personal Computer systems "AFTER" the phone call had ended. and went on to access registry and control panel settings. Even when pulling/turning off the router - leaving it 20 minutes and trying to re-connect again, the member continued trying to ping the i.p address in order to gain access to the Personal Computer, breaching data protection act and also infringing the privacy act.

4) Complaint ledged against the member above and problem solved by the customer, only for the wireless router to drop out at 1am (as it usually does) to reset all settings, resulting in loss of wireless connectivity the morning after.

5) complaint ledged again and requested disconnection from Virgin Media's poor service.
To be told there would be a charge of over £150 for the remaining 6 months.
When expressing the faults we have had with Virgin Media's service the response from the Team member was "well we are supplying a service, is plugging an ethernet cable into the router too much for you?" (I'm sorry Virgin Media, It is supposed to be a wireless router, for all intents and purposes, the service you claim to be able to provide has not been provided.

6) evening after the above conversation, a request for disconnection was made again after a phone call was not received after the last conversation. when stating that "we" the customer had not actually received any form of agreement or contract we was then told "the contract is a verbal contract" - Sorry Virgin Media, Reading from your own Contract online, it clearly states is Part 2 subsection H the customer has to send back the contract signed, agreeing to the contract of services" we never received one, we never sent one back.
under English Law a "Verbal" Contract is NOT a legally binding contract.

There has been endless problems with the broadband, TV and phone. depsite ledging the above complaints, and others - the majority of these complaints appear NOT to have been logged on the computer system.
not complying to the customers requirements.

The phone manner of the vast majority of the staff at Virgin Media have not only been rude, but have also undermined the customers charecter.

We was also told when ledging one of the above complaints that if there's THREE or MORE faults/complaints logged on the system, the disconnection charge would be waived.
Since which we have been told "oh, thats just a myth that".

the fact is.. You are failing to provide a customer, with a service you advertised that you could provide, when the customer has followed up these faults with your call center teams we have had nothing but rude, obnoxious and ignorant staff. The failure to provide a service is fault enough. Not to have a written contract of agreement is also another fault of yours. The fact that Data Protection act has been breeched and privacy has been invaded through no good reason, without express permission is another.

We have simply had enough of being pushed from pillar to post. We want our service disconecting WITHOUT the disconnection fee as stated in a previous phone call. you are failing your own contract and are trying to hold a customer against a verbal contract.

The service is appauling, and hope to never cross paths with you again! if this matter is not resolved we will be making a full report to Ofcom and making the press aware of how Virgin Media Treat there customers. Aswell as contacting Trading Standards.

wealdroam

Errr... I think you have posted this in the wrong place.

Would be better on the Praise, Vents and Warnings board.

b1ffa

As a consumer I would like other peoples oppinions and or experiences of VM.

If this is in the wrong section, please move to wear appropriate

Thanks wealdrom - I hope this is the correct place if not, apologies
Thanks
Rob

mighty_hammers

I've had virgin media for about 5 years, yes their call center is in India, but i have found them to be polite and the calls are free. If a call out is needed they come within a few days and every time i have lost service for more than a couple of days I have had a reduced monthly bill. ( at my insistence) I have phone and broadband, its not perfect, but what in life is.

b1ffa

wish that was the case here...

The TV package constantly throws up error codes and constanstly goes into "max headroom" mode usually on a daily basis. the "superhub" router reboots,resetting all settings at 1am daily. - the Telephone crackles and hisses whenever the weather is, cold,wet or snowing.
we have been with them for 10 months, every week during this 10 months there has been an issue, usually over all 3 services.
the phone manner whenever contact is made regarding a fault with any of the products has always been received with abrupt and rude members of staff.
in the past two weeks we've had engineers out, to no avail. were actually now suffering more issues with the new router than we were before.

We were previously with Sky and had been with sky for over 10 years and never had so many problems as we have had with Virgin.

after doing a bit of snooping since posting my last post to this thread, it would appear that there's thousands of VM customers experiencing the same issues, who are also wanting to disconnect from there services.

As a customer, who is not receiving the product as described, who has allowed for appropriate repairs to be made, that still haven't corrected the problem. As a customer who never had any contract in writting and who have only been told "agreement was made verbally" - Where would we stand with this subject?

They are failing to provide the service, before and after the repairs that were made by an engineer.
they have failed there own contract.

Where does a customer stand in this situation?

Thanks

Rob

squeaky

Hi,

Since you are not asking for Consumer Rights help, but for opinions and experiences, I'll move your query across to our Warnings Board.

Forum_Team wrote:

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL='forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com']forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL]

Keith

Cancel your contract, using the window provided my the price increases

banger9365

yeh the superhub is bad with wifi a cheap tp-link router/range extender sorted that for me ,just put it in modem mode most off the problems go away with it
phone line been ok for us
tv been ok but we have not got the tivo box
yes vm is a big post code lottery if you live near a collage forget vm and if you get bad engineers your stuffed ,we have a good one round me ,that do's not like coming twice or more ,he tries to sort it the first time and usually do's with me
been with them 10yrs plus

customer service well the off shore one is bad ,you ring at night you will the the bad one ring in the day you might be lucky and get a local one and they can be just has bad ,

pmduk

b1ffa wrote: »

under English Law a "Verbal" Contract is NOT a legally binding contract.

You're wrong, a contact made verbally is legally binding. In addition if there is a recording of the call then there can be no doubt of the terms of any such contract. A recording isn't a requirement, but can help to clarify matters if there is a dispute.

rachel6188

could have written the same thing for the last 2 years, i went to sky in the end. i used to work for them and iv had many staff treat me like a idiot. i even ended up having a area manager and they still couldnt sort the fault with broadband. i hope you get it sorted x

worried_jim

Been with them for 10 years and can't fault them. I must be the lucky one.