Virgin media ruined my credit report and life

Kaimoo

Okay so why did virgin let me leave early? They said that's fine we just want the equipment back.

If you move to an area that doesn't have virgin enabled how can they charge you for it? I can understand about the mobile phone companies since it is a mobile service, I do know that my parents got out of their mobile contracts for the same reason as I had and after a lot of fuss they ended the contract this was with o2.

So it obviously does work if you don't just give up an the first no, if most of what I said is incorrect I'm very surprised they can legally make you pay for a service you don't and can't receive.

If they can legally do this I don't know how they can get away with it, as long as you can prove you have been asked to leave your current address or there are exceptional circumstances they should be made to add a clause in the contact.

My parents did it and I did it with three and with virgin only last year, maybe it just depends who you speak to but virgin instantly said that's fine. Orange and o2 kicked up more of a fuss and wanted to run several tests on our phones and eventually agreed there was no signal and cancelled both contacts.

Sign a petition get the law changed

Voltron

Kaimoo wrote: »

Okay so why did virgin let me leave early? They said that's fine we just want the equipment back.

Get a copy of this call, they might charge an administration fee but you're generally entitled to a copy of the records that companies keep about you. I'd then make sure the call absolutely confirms that they're letting you out of the contract.

If you move to an area that doesn't have virgin enabled how can they charge you for it? I can understand about the mobile phone companies since it is a mobile service, I do know that my parents got out of their mobile contracts for the same reason as I had and after a lot of fuss they ended the contract this was with o2.

The company doesn't take any responsibility for you moving. They're still able to provide service to the address where you signed up, regardless of whether you're there or not.

So it obviously does work if you don't just give up an the first no, if most of what I said is incorrect I'm very surprised they can legally make you pay for a service you don't and can't receive.

I've seen friends go through this, and nobody got anywhere. The only difference is you claim they specifically told you on a call that they would allow it. If that's correct, you might have some leeway.

Sign a petition get the law changed

Signing a piece of paper isn't going to change jack, I'm afraid.

duchy

Sometimes hear what they want to hear eg "Yes we can terminate your services but you'll still be in contract" is heard as "Yes you can terminate" for example.

Thing is Virgin agreed to supply the services to you for a year ...... the fact you won't be there to use them isn't their fault. There is an argument that if there was any uncertainty -you shouldn't have committed to a 12 month contract. Most people know if that is a possibility or not (eg expiring tenancy, planning to move even if not settled etc .
If it went to court - which is the thing that matters rather than if an individual thinks it's fair or not the court would say you asked Virgin to supply to address A for a year ....they have kept their side of the deal ....and you haven't. Not their fault you haven't so you should pay them. That may not feel fair but that is how the law works.

(Years ago I had a similar problem with TeleWest which is now VM - told I could have phone & BB with them moved but when they came to fit it - decided the system was wrong and I couldn't- so it's nothing new.)

Buzby

This is just a rant. No law needs changed. If you were foolsh enough, knowing that you planned to move, altered your services which allowed a fresh minimum term to kick in, how is this Virgin's fault? It wouldn't matter who your provider was, a minimum term is just that.

They also would have sent you a letter confirming the new minimum term, so why was this a surprise? Your bill to end would have been much higher if they didn't get their equipment back, and for the staffer not to mention it (your remaining commitment) I agree it would have been helpful, but they can argue you would have known about this but might be unaware of the extra cost if the kit was not collected.

I have found VM to be fair, but most of the incorrect assumptions on availability were yours. My neighbours across the street cannot get it as the ducts weren't laid 20 years ago. 1.8m away? You'd need to check, and you didn't.

Assuming you pay in full, the default will show as bring paid, so better than it being shown as outstanding. Your new supplier will, I have no doubt, operate the same way.

Kaimoo

So there is probably tens of thousands of people being trapped each year left paying for the remainder of a contract and for services they no longer receive, that's hideous and it shouldn't be allowed.

It'd be a case of dropping your package to the lowest available and paying it off in full then

Virgin definitely said that's fine we will end the contract but only on condition that they collect the equipment, we got one phone call asking to collect the equipment at our new address but they never turned up and we still have there equipment that we can't use.

I'll email virgin send an sar request and contact the ombudsman, hopefully it'll prove they agreed to end the contract and that they should have collected the equipment.

We have had problems with three, we once went for a month without a signal on both phones and my husbands mobile number is the lifeline to his busienss. Three were as rude as orange were not much help at all, I like three though it's a good deal with free 4G upgrade when we eventually get it here.

What about bt broadband I've cancelled my direct debit because there Internet was unusable it was that slow, I'd reported issues serval times they even came out to change something at the local exchange and it made no difference.

Bt was costing me near £40 for line rental and broadband, I didn't need a house phone but need line rental for broadband. Is it still the case that I have to pay for the remainder of my contract if their service is unusable? From what's been said I'd need to keep paying it despite being that slow websites failed to load and emails failed to send and I had to switch to my mobile Internet.

I hope I haven't dug myself a hole with bt, I know they don't report to the credit reference agencies but i don't see why i should keep paying for something that doesn't work properly, is this different to what's been discussed so far?

Kaimoo

I didn't plan on moving anywhere, the landlord wanted to sell the house so I was forced to move.

Virgin media were fair they said they understand and it's fine that they need the equipment back, I said okay thanks and that was that. The haven't been fair in removing the default even if paid in full, they billed me for the month I wasn't there and they didn't send a bill to my old or new address and there was no reminders or default notice.

Virgin media clearly aren't reasonable or fair, my house move was in the middle of nowhere or I'd have kept virgin I prefer it over sky but I'd never go back to virgin now even if I could receive it.

I'll try the ombudsman and wait for the outcome, if no luck I'll pay the default in full and move on.

If I knew they'd billed me at the time I wouldn't have argued about it I would have paid it, I know they report to the credit reference agencies and my husband just inherited £120,000 plus a large monthly pension so we would have paid it.

I'm more upset they've defaulted us without ever being sent another bill or any bill reminders or any default notice.

Last time Chris checked his credit report it was about 960 on experian, he wasn't one the electrol but is now. Now his credit report has one default with about 10 settled accounts not one had a late payment also an ongoing credit card with no late payments.

So this one default amongst all the on time payments is a real downer, every month the credit card is paid off about £250 a month.

I don't know how big an impact one settled default makes amongst so many good settled accounts and good open accounts, I read on here somewhere that it doesn't matter if the default is for £100 or £100,000 a default is a default and will be treated the same either way. Once it's settled either removed or paid in full I'll ask the credit reference agencies to add a note to the default but I'm not sure if this would make any difference to a lender.

I like a rant especially since we can no longer get a mortgage for serval years due to no fault of our own.

Butti

I've just got a mortgage with two late payments on my record in 2012. If otherwise you look okay and all other payments are good you may be okay. I was honest and took the highlighted credit report with me - I identified the issue. I and the mortgage guy both think that is what swung it!

Kaimoo

Good idea on printing off the credit report, I don't know how much information lenders see I thought on say credit card applications it's a computer that checks your file and if it spots a default it's an automatic decline.

To be refused a mortgage for a £110 default is ridiculous especially if he has serval settled satisfactory accounts and an on going satisfactory credit card account

duchy

Kaimoo wrote: »

So there is probably tens of thousands of people being trapped each year left paying for the remainder of a contract and for services they no longer receive, that's hideous and it shouldn't be allowed.

It's the reason why a lot of people stick with Sky as they can provide service to something like 98% of homes as they use ADSL rather than cable. Not sure what the Virgin coverage is exactly but I'd guess at somewhere between 60 and 70% coverage. Big difference.

Thrugelmir

Kaimoo wrote: »

So there is probably tens of thousands of people being trapped each year left paying for the remainder of a contract and for services they no longer receive, that's hideous and it shouldn't be allowed.

The Company providing the service or equipment has based the pricing on the contract term, i.e. spreading the cost. More than likely only makes a profit in the latter months of the contract.

Using your analogy. Your employer could decide to dispense with your services immediately and refuse to pay your entitlements. Citing that you are surplus to requirements.