Can't resolve complaint with Virgin - do I go to small claims?

Redcoat

SeduLOUs wrote: »

I'd personally forget it now and see the £100 (or more realisticaly the £95) good will gesture as a win. Tell everyone how rubbish they are (as publicly as possible) and vow never to deal with them again.

Anything further will wind you up more and waste more of your own time for very little gain.

I can't not deal with them - the new broadband deal has locked me in for a 12 month contract.

themull1

Get your MP involved.

SeduLOUs

Redcoat wrote: »

I do understand the point about stress vs. £5 but it's actually bigger than that for me. I can't accept that it should be ok for them to treat me the way they have over the last 2 months (and as I mentioned originally for the sake of brevity my original post doesn't really fully express the shocking level of service), not reply to a customer and then I just accept that's ok.

Well, they haven't accepted it's OK. They spent 45 minutes explaining to you that they have failed at every step, refunded you the period your phone wasn't working and gave you £100 extra that they weren't obliged to give by way of an apology.

If you feel so strongly about them and not a single bill has been right, then I'd be asking for a termination without fee. Although they might not be inclined to allow this now that they have just given you £100.

I'm not defending them at all. What they have done is pretty terrible. But they have compensated you for it. If you took them to a small claims court I expect you would be laughed out of the place for trying to claim compensation when you have already been credited significantly more that the value of your 'loss'. Unfortunately your free time and annoyance don't hold much monetary value.

Redcoat

themull1 wrote: »

Get your MP involved.

Funny guy.

unholyangel

Redcoat wrote: »

Thanks for response.

I don't think so as the bill includes £1.45 credit from last month as my package changed just a few days before the end of the billing period.

Could actual losses incurred include my time though? It just seems outrageous they can treat people like this and there is no recompense. It's not like I have anywhere else to go as already dealing (in theory at least) with the CEO office!

What does it say next to the £5.50? They usually tell you what its for. If its partial month services it would (or should) say next to it.

I've noticed before they'd give you a partial refund for unused services (for the ones cancelled). But then if you upgrade your other service/s, those will incur a partial months charge (since you pay in advance with virgin).

Redcoat

SeduLOUs wrote: »

Well, they haven't accepted it's OK. They spent 45 minutes explaining to you that they have failed at every step, refunded you the period your phone wasn't working and gave you £100 extra that they weren't obliged to give by way of an apology.

If you feel so strongly about them and not a single bill has been right, then I'd be asking for a termination without fee. Although they might not be inclined to allow this now that they have just given you £100.

I'm not defending them at all. What they have done is pretty terrible. But they have compensated you for it. If you took them to a small claims court I expect you would be laughed out of the place for trying to claim compensation when you have already been credited significantly more that the value of your 'loss'. Unfortunately your free time and annoyance don't hold much monetary value.

I was happy to leave it when I thought it was all resolved and happy to have received an apology and £100 credit to my account (technical point - they didn't send me a cheque in the post to go down the pub with!). What I am not happy about is them going on to repeat the self-same things they apologised for, namely incorrect charging and !!!! poor customer care/lack of response.

SeduLOUs

Redcoat wrote: »

I was happy to leave it when I thought it was all resolved and happy to have received an apology and £100 credit to my account (technical point - they didn't send me a cheque in the post to go down the pub with!). What I am not happy about is them going on to repeat the self-same things they apologised for, namely incorrect charging and !!!! poor customer care/lack of response.

So start a new complaint about the new bill and demand a further good will gesture for more time wasted or demand a contract cancellation and take your business elsewhere.

Redcoat

unholyangel wrote: »

What does it say next to the £5.50? They usually tell you what its for. If its partial month services it would (or should) say next to it.

I've noticed before they'd give you a partial refund for unused services (for the ones cancelled). But then if you upgrade your other service/s, those will incur a partial months charge (since you pay in advance with virgin).

The exact overcharge amount doesn't show on the bill (it's not very clearly laid out due to change of bundle, partial month credit, various loyalty discounts etc). However, I've just been back over the bill again and done some calculations. I can see exactly what they've done, which is charge me the wrong amount as quoted to me in the incorrect email and letter at the very start of all this. It would be funny if I didn't feel so stabby.

unholyangel

Redcoat wrote: »

The exact overcharge amount doesn't show on the bill (it's not very clearly laid out due to change of bundle, partial month credit, various loyalty discounts etc). However, I've just been back over the bill again and done some calculations. I can see exactly what they've done, which is charge me the wrong amount as quoted to me in the incorrect email and letter at the very start of all this. It would be funny if I didn't feel so stabby.

I presume this was all resolved before your billing date else the credit wouldnt have appeared?

I know it must be trying to have questions like this but basically we're blind on details, where you obviously know all the ins and outs.

Did you say you had it in writing you're supposed to be charged the lower amount? If so i'd phone them up (if normal cust services arent willing to help, go to retentions/cancellation as they are able to do/offer more and are generally a lot better at sorting problems). Should hopefully be an easy fix!

If you are losing the will to live through dealing with them, just fire it off in a letter.

If they've charged you a higher rate, its likely that this is going to occur again next month, and the month after and so forth.

Redcoat

unholyangel wrote: »

I presume this was all resolved before your billing date else the credit wouldnt have appeared?

I know it must be trying to have questions like this but basically we're blind on details, where you obviously know all the ins and outs.

Did you say you had it in writing you're supposed to be charged the lower amount? If so i'd phone them up (if normal cust services arent willing to help, go to retentions/cancellation as they are able to do/offer more and are generally a lot better at sorting problems). Should hopefully be an easy fix!

If you are losing the will to live through dealing with them, just fire it off in a letter.

If they've charged you a higher rate, its likely that this is going to occur again next month, and the month after and so forth.

Yes I have it all in writing and confirmed before end of last billing period. I will probably try to ring someone tomorrow but I am just losing the will to live with it all, I admit. Especially frustrating when the complaints guy I dealt with said to let him know if any further problems, which I did....18 days ago. It's the lack of service that gets me as much as the never ending errors. If I don't get joy tomorrow I am most definitely off, contract or no contract.

Thanks for your help.