Haggle with Virgin - our new guide

GoodyUK

Checked my current package which was ending next month, Mix TV and 100 Fibre. Have been paying £30/month and it was set to go up to £56.

I called to cancel yesterday and they offered £42 for the same package and then another a bit more expensive with BT Sports (which I don't need). Cancelled on the call and got the 'Disconnecting your Virgin Media services' email through.

The retention team just called (less than 24 hours) and offered £28/month for the same package, which I'm happy with. Already have Netflix for TV and mainly want it for the Fibre as Virgin are the only company to do it in my area. Saving £2/month isn't much but better than £56/month!

MOONGAZER

My contract with Virgin is up 7th Jan, and my bill has already increased pro-rata as from 24th Dec. I did haggle last Jan to £62. This went up in July to £66. On the bottom of my itemised bills it states increase will be from 7th Jan 2020 to £81. I was told last year that when this date is due to give them a ring and haggle again. Have just done that and the snotty bloke at the Disconnections call centre, (I couldn't get a word in edge ways), said I had the new contract as it was on the bottom of the bill. This is crap as the new bill is now £85 per month, (the increase from July) not £81. It now includes the line rental as well, £19 (I used to pay £196 for 12mths), so he says I am getting a better deal than new customers! Told him its a lot of money and I would explore other suppliers. Didnt offer a bean off - is this the new face of Virgin Media??

pphillips

MOONGAZER wrote: »

My contract with Virgin is up 7th Jan, and my bill has already increased pro-rata as from 24th Dec. I did haggle last Jan to £62. This went up in July to £66. On the bottom of my itemised bills it states increase will be from 7th Jan 2020 to £81. I was told last year that when this date is due to give them a ring and haggle again. Have just done that and the snotty bloke at the Disconnections call centre, (I couldn't get a word in edge ways), said I had the new contract as it was on the bottom of the bill. This is crap as the new bill is now £85 per month, (the increase from July) not £81. It now includes the line rental as well, £19 (I used to pay £196 for 12mths), so he says I am getting a better deal than new customers! Told him its a lot of money and I would explore other suppliers. Didnt offer a bean off - is this the new face of Virgin Media??

I think you have to remember that Virgin Media is perhaps the most inconsistent company in existence. If you spoke him on a different day you'd probably get a different response, the same goes if you speak to a different person or department.

MOONGAZER

Do agree that Virgin is inconsistent in the call-centre. My phone bit of the contract is for Talk More Anytime and Multi Talk 1,000 - the bloke said they don't do this anymore,( but as I have had it before, I still get it). This allows me to talk for 59 minutes and then redial without being charged, including to my brother who lives in France - and we can talk for a couple of hours a week!! I also have the Full House TV and VIVID 100 optical fibre. I have looked in vein at comparison sites, (which I do every year for all insurances, etc), but with alternatives to Virgin, I get completely confused and cant get the equivalent to what i have with Virgin. Is it just me??
(Do you think that I am getting an OK deal at £85 - to be £90 in July- the only discount they offered me is the £5 that I have had previously).

pphillips

I doubt you'll find something exactly the same if you went with Sky or BT - I think these are the only two other companies that offer a TV, phone & broadband service. At the end of the day it all depends on what is most is most important to you.

DeeHarbs

Am with Virgin tv full house, internet M200 and phone Talk more anytime and pay £103. No sport or movies. Extra box upstairs. Feel I am paying too much. Contacted them and they said no discount available even when I said I would cancel. Just said give 30 day notice. Not in a contract. What should I do?

pphillips

Two options:
1. Persist in contacting them to attempt to renegotiate / request a discount.
2. Cancel and see if they contact you with a better deal - you can still reverse the cancellation provided you do so before they disconnect your services.

MOONGAZER

DeeHarbs wrote: »

Am with Virgin tv full house, internet M200 and phone Talk more anytime and pay £103. No sport or movies. Extra box upstairs. Feel I am paying too much. Contacted them and they said no discount available even when I said I would cancel. Just said give 30 day notice. Not in a contract. What should I do?

I had the same response when I called, and yet previous years have successfully reduced the cost. I rang disconnections originally and had a 'don't give a toss' reaction when I said I would shop around and see what Sky had to offer. He just said 'fine it's up to you what you do', which it is - but this is the guy that is supposed to keep my custom???? It seems that if you have the £5 loyalty discount you have to be satisfied with that despite the increase last July and no doubt another this year, I thought this industry was very competitive. Yet another organisation that was great at first, but once an American owner gets involved, (just like ASDA), you are shafted.

pphillips

The industry is very competitive when it comes to new customers but Virgin Media think they can trap their existing customers into accepting higher prices because at the moment, their broadband speeps are unrivaled.

JJ_Egan

)s because at the moment, their broadband speeps are unrivaled.)
Not really true is it .