Virgin media tricks - is it legal

robgral

Hi I'm hoping someone would give me a piece of advice here. I've been with virgin media for over 5 years and had no problems at all.

Currently I'm in the process of moving house and phoned them up to move my services - as they can't provide the service at my new address I thought I'd just cancel it but I was told I still have a few months of contract on my account???

It turned out that when someone rang me a few months back offering a broadband speed upgrade and I agreed they put me on a new contact. I was absolutely furious when I learned about that!!
Nobody ever mentioned anything whatsoever about new contract. What a bunch of crooks!

I was told I'd need to pay £180 to cancel this new "contract" - absolutely outrageous!

Is there a way to get out this hole? Is that legal to put you on a new fixed-contract without even telling you??

Can somebody help please!

custardy

Didnt bother reading the letter they sent?

Twisted_Cherry

Did they send a letter when you upgraded. They should have, if you do not recall it then ask them for a copy so they can prove you went into a new contract, also ask them to prove when they posted this confirmation letter to you.

robgral

custardy wrote: »

Didnt bother reading the letter they sent?

I didn't get any letters - if there had been a letter like this I would've noticed it

DUTR

robgral wrote: »

I didn't get any letters - if there had been a letter like this I would've noticed it

They do say on the call, when the next price increase arrives, submit your cancellation to exit without penalty.

macman

You weren't put on a 'new contract', your contract is the same but with a new minimum term. Why do you think they would offer you a better deal without some payback for them? Pretty much standard practice, especially with VM.

[Deleted User]

macman wrote: »

You weren't put on a 'new contract', your contract is the same but with a new minimum term. Why do you think they would offer you a better deal without some payback for them? Pretty much standard practice, especially with VM.

..and pretty much a regular query on this forum.

robgral

macman wrote: »

You weren't put on a 'new contract', your contract is the same but with a new minimum term. Why do you think they would offer you a better deal without some payback for them? Pretty much standard practice, especially with VM.

That would be only fair if they told me about it - I'd think twice before saying yes - otherwise it's just a SCAM same as this PPI thing

[Deleted User]

robgral wrote: »

That would be only fair if they told me about it - I'd think twice before saying yes - otherwise it's just a SCAM same as this PPI thing

Nonsense, there is no "scam", it's not illegal and it's nothing like PPI. They gave you a "free" speed increase, but the payback is you agree to a new minimum term. It's not a trick.
They will indeed have told you, but you've either forgotten or didn't listen. You entered into a verbal contract by agreeing to the upgrade in services.
If they were acting illegally as you claim, they would quickly be called to task on it.

The simple solution to not being caught out in this manner is either not to accept any deals or just continue subscribing for at least another year if you do.
In your case, do as DUTR says and cancel without penalty due to the price increase coming early next year.

macman

robgral wrote: »

That would be only fair if they told me about it - I'd think twice before saying yes - otherwise it's just a SCAM same as this PPI thing

So you thought that they were just offering you a speed increase out of the kindness of their hearts then?

Buzby

Anyone who thinks they!0're getting something for nothing needs their bumps felt. Do anything to your service and it invariably means a minimum term is reinstated - although recently they provided me with a new Superhub 2 (a fantastic u/g) .

On asking if the min term was reimposed, they confirmed it wouldn't be.