Virgin Price Increase

Gwar

Hi,

We have reviewed and renewed our contract with Virgin for tv, broadband and phone (didn't really want a phone but it was the only way to get it cheaper) in October and have today received a letter saying that they are putting up the price in February 2013 by £4.74. I know it isn't much but We agreed a new contract and price in October for 12 months, so can they increase it even though we have agreed a price for the next year?

Heinz

They didn't agree a price for the next year. They agreed a price which was current at the time.

AmboMan_3

Read the other threads on the forum regarding the Virgin Media price increase, they are all fairly helpful.

Because you agreed a 12 month contract and they are now changing the agreed price, you have 30 days following the notification of price rise to withdraw from your contract without penalty.

My advice:

1) Call 150 and go through the options to cancel all of your VM services.
2) Customer services will make you a discounted offer to stay (perhaps a credit to negate the price increase for 12 months) - refuse the offer and insist on cancelling.
3) You will be put through to the inbound retention team. They will make you a slightly better offer to stay with VM (perhaps a package upgrade for the same price as you're currently paying) - refuse the offer and insist on cancelling. They will process the cancellation and arrange a date (30 days ahead) for your VM services to be turned off and the equipment collected.
4) Within a week or two, you will get a phone call from the outbound retention team who will make you a range of other offers, which in my case, includes a broadband speed upgrade, TV package upgrade, new digital TiVo box with free installation and one month for free. This meant I managed to get better services for less than the price I am currently paying. I would suggest you take the best offer that outbound retention team will give you (push it slightly - it's a bargaining exercise) as these are normally fairly reasonable.
5) If you accept the offer from outbound retention team - great, your cancellation will not go ahead and you'll start another 12 month contract. If you cannot afford the offer, and you cannot afford the original price increase, then your cancellation will go through on the date originally agreed. If you do not get a call from outbound retention team (very unusual - they call almost everyone - often daily until they get an answer) then you can call VM on the day before you're cancellation was due to go through and ask them to stop the cancellation. Just mention that you'd be happy to take up the offer given to you by inbound retention team when you last called up.

Good luck, let us know how you get on!

macman

What you agreed was a minimum term contract, not a fixed price contract. They can increase the price the day after you contract, if they wish-and the day after that too! Equally, you can reject the increase and leave with 30 days notice..

zoominatorone

very interesting!

AmboMan wrote: »

Read the other threads on the forum regarding the Virgin Media price increase, they are all fairly helpful.

Because you agreed a 12 month contract and they are now changing the agreed price, you have 30 days following the notification of price rise to withdraw from your contract without penalty.

My advice:

1) Call 150 and go through the options to cancel all of your VM services.
2) Customer services will make you a discounted offer to stay (perhaps a credit to negate the price increase for 12 months) - refuse the offer and insist on cancelling.
3) You will be put through to the inbound retention team. They will make you a slightly better offer to stay with VM (perhaps a package upgrade for the same price as you're currently paying) - refuse the offer and insist on cancelling. They will process the cancellation and arrange a date (30 days ahead) for your VM services to be turned off and the equipment collected.
4) Within a week or two, you will get a phone call from the outbound retention team who will make you a range of other offers, which in my case, includes a broadband speed upgrade, TV package upgrade, new digital TiVo box with free installation and one month for free. This meant I managed to get better services for less than the price I am currently paying. I would suggest you take the best offer that outbound retention team will give you (push it slightly - it's a bargaining exercise) as these are normally fairly reasonable.
5) If you accept the offer from outbound retention team - great, your cancellation will not go ahead and you'll start another 12 month contract. If you cannot afford the offer, and you cannot afford the original price increase, then your cancellation will go through on the date originally agreed. If you do not get a call from outbound retention team (very unusual - they call almost everyone - often daily until they get an answer) then you can call VM on the day before you're cancellation was due to go through and ask them to stop the cancellation. Just mention that you'd be happy to take up the offer given to you by inbound retention team when you last called up.

Good luck, let us know how you get on!

zoominatorone

I've just read through the email I was sent and found this bit which suprise suprise is in small writing--and to be honest I've been looking for any excuse to get out of an 18 month contract with them.
If you do not wish to be bound by these changes you can cancel your contract with us without penalty. The process to be followed is set out in our terms and conditions at virginmedia.com/legalstuff