Virgin media ruined my credit report and life

WelshPaul

The issue shouldn't be whether or not you pay an early termination fee but more a case of did they send you a bill and if so was it to your current address? or was a bill made available on-line? Did they attempt to take a payment and did that payment get declined?

If you move home and you provide a business with your new address and your updated contact details and they choose or fail not to update the account and send a bill to an old address that you no longer live at then you may have reason to complain.

Kaimoo

I spoke to a friend and asked the question about their o2 contract, she said they wouldn't cancel the contract but she just wanted out so she could join three.

She dropped her tarriff down to the lowest possible and sold her phone and paid off the remainder of her contract to and actaully made some money from the sale of the phone.

I had to lower my 72 year old mothers virgin media package, they called her and tried to offer her a deal on a new package which she took and it started up a new contract. I don't know if she was told all the facts but she ended up paying for for the top package with sky sports and movies (neither of which she would use)

Why don't sky report to credit reference agencies but virgin do? If I recall correctly virgin charge you a month in advance and if you don't pay they cut you off till you pay, yet they still report you for late payments.

I don't think it should be allowed, I don't think energy companies report to the credit reference agencies VM probably like knowing they have the power to ruin your credit file if you move and they trap you into paying for the service you don't receive

Kaimoo

They knew we were moving and they had the new address, we had mail forwarded on from our old address and never received any bill and definitely never got a default notice.

There's no way we wouldn't have not paid £110 if they'd billed us for a mistake they made we would still have paid it just to keep a good credit file, we wouldn't have not paid out of principle that's just stupid ruining our credit for the next five years just because we didn't agree with the charge.

At least now I know at least if it's settled it shouldn't effect us to badly, it'll just need explained when we try for a mortgage but thanks to vm we won't be applying for one for a couple of years they've really done us over and horrible they won't remove the default knowing how much it'll effect us. It's stopped us from getting a business bank account it's a disgrace

James_B.

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 time to decide if it was fair or not is when you signed up, not later.

If it is not fair to have to pay for a year, then why did you agree to it?

Kaimoo

When did I say 'that' wasn't fair???? Exactly

It's not fair they've told me it's fine to end the contract due to my circumstances, why else would they tell me they would be in touch to collect the equipment.

What's not fair is they've billed me £110 without sending me a bill, also no default notice I've even asked for a copy of the default notice which hasn't arrived.

It's simple, if I knew about the debt I'd have paid it.

No need to talk crap or give me a smart answer, especially no need when I never once said it wasn't fair to pay for the full 12 months. They were fine about it when I said i couldn't get their services in my new area, maybe because I was two months away from the end of my contract.

Loads of replies and no stupid ones till now, suppose it had to happen sooner or later.


If I knew of the debt I'd have paid it, even if it was an error on their side I'd still have paid it. Why would I risk ruining our credit reports for the sake of £110? Don't be stupid

Anoneemoose

Kaimoo wrote: »

When did I say 'that' wasn't fair???? Exactly

It's not fair they've told me it's fine to end the contract due to my circumstances, why else would they tell me they would be in touch to collect the equipment.

What's not fair is they've billed me £110 without sending me a bill, also no default notice I've even asked for a copy of the default notice which hasn't arrived.

It's simple, if I knew about the debt I'd have paid it.

No need to talk crap or give me a smart answer, especially no need when I never once said it wasn't fair to pay for the full 12 months. They were fine about it when I said i couldn't get their services in my new area, maybe because I was two months away from the end of my contract.

Loads of replies and no stupid ones till now, suppose it had to happen sooner or later.


If I knew of the debt I'd have paid it, even if it was an error on their side I'd still have paid it. Why would I risk ruining our credit reports for the sake of £110? Don't be stupid

Are you sure they didn't 'send' you a bill? How do you normally access your bills? Because most of ours are done on line. If yours were too, then chances are your final bill would have been available to view. Which I assume you didn't do.

Also, (although I don't particularly agree with this), most service providers are not covered by the consumer credit act so are not obliged to send a default notice.

I feel the fault lies with you for not checking everything thoroughly when you moved. Yes, they might have allowed you out of the minimum term (which was goodwill), but that doesn't mean you don't have a final bill to settle

I also feel that your opinions and emotions regarding the situation are a little dramatic and clouded based on what you believe is right and just. Regardless of what you feel about things, they are allowed to charge you if you move to an area with no service because it is not their fault you have done this. However, FWIW, I do think VM are being a little unreasonable if they know the circumstances.

Buzby

So much mis-information and conjecture...

BOTH BT and Sky report to CRA's. A quick look at their terms of service confirms this and from memory this has been the case for the last 6 years, so hardly a recent innovation.

Heroic gestures apart, claiming that you were told you could leave 'was fine' proves nothing. Even if the staffer said there would be no penalty (which they didn't) their omission does not provide God get-out you seek. Indeed, I expect the ombudsman to make soothing noises whilst explain they do not become involved in billing disputes (which this is).

Clearly the reason to move was forced on you, however the responsibility shifts. You tell the LL you have early termination charges and seek his agreement to pay it. If you did not, then why not? Thee is no lack of blame here, but VM are correct, if you gave the relevant notice (still 30 days) a final bill with the remaining obligation is generated.

IF it isn't paid, you know the result. So protestations of wide-eyed incredulity won't get you far with believing what you feel should have been the outcome.

James_B.

Kaimoo wrote: »

When did I say 'that' wasn't fair???? Exactly

You've posted again and again how it's not right that you have to honour the contract to which you agreed. You do seem to struggle with the concept that both sides are bound by it, so it's quite funny that you are now suggesting that other people are stupid here.

Learn to understand what you are signing up to in future, pay what you ow, and move on. You are only ranting at this point, and are completely in the wrong on the morals and the legality.

Kaimoo

They said that's fine it's not an issue as long as I return the equipment and they'd be in touch to collect it.


Sky might report to the cra but I've never heard of them doing so or bt.

They did not sent me a bill, they did not send me a a default notice and no I never used their online billing service. If I had received a bill I'll say it again I'd have paid it even if I disputed it, I'm not going to refuse to pay £110 that's nothing and I certainly wouldn't risk damaging our credit report for the sake of it.

I've emailed asking for transcript of the phone calls which will prove I left on good terms and they were meant to call back about the equipment but never.


Other option we have got with a mortgage is just save up the full amount, which would probably take half the time it would take for a mortgage to be paid off.

I think I've had enough answers at the beginning of this post, vm never once wrote to me after my move or to my old address after I moved so I can't pay a bill I knew nothing about.

I'm sure I won't be the last this happens to, my husband credit checks people before he carries out work for them sometimes up to £4000 a month so he needs to make sure they can afford to pay so maybe he can get a report on ourselves it'd be cheaper than paying for two credit reports per month

Anoneemoose

Kaimoo wrote: »

They said that's fine it's not an issue as long as I return the equipment and they'd be in touch to collect it.


Sky might report to the cra but I've never heard of them doing so or bt.

They did not sent me a bill, they did not send me a a default notice and no I never used their online billing service. If I had received a bill I'll say it again I'd have paid it even if I disputed it, I'm not going to refuse to pay £110 that's nothing and I certainly wouldn't risk damaging our credit report for the sake of it.

I've emailed asking for transcript of the phone calls which will prove I left on good terms and they were meant to call back about the equipment but never.


Other option we have got with a mortgage is just save up the full amount, which would probably take half the time it would take for a mortgage to be paid off.

I think I've had enough answers at the beginning of this post, vm never once wrote to me after my move or to my old address after I moved so I can't pay a bill I knew nothing about.

I'm sure I won't be the last this happens to, my husband credit checks people before he carries out work for them sometimes up to £4000 a month so he needs to make sure they can afford to pay so maybe he can get a report on ourselves it'd be cheaper than paying for two credit reports per month

And still you're missing the point. Did VM ever send you bills or did you (not it would seem) view these online? If so, it will have been there.

Once again, they do not have to issue a default notice.

You also say they never called back about the equipment - why didn't you query this with them sooner?!

Bluntly, you are in the wrong here as well and need to check what you're getting into before you sign a contract.