Watch out Virgin mobile BUSINESS users

NIKON1

We have a problem, and so could millions of other people.

I am a single father of three disabled sons, and have been for eighteen years. My youngest who has severe learning difficulties amongst other things has found it impossible to find work, so I decided last year to try and turn a hobby into a business.

My son and I started JRS Photography, it is a small but we like to think professional photographers offering everything from portraits to commercial work. Our only income is my sons disability allowance and my working tax credits.

To advertise we had 20 T shirts, 10 Polo shirts and 4 fleeces made, along with car door signs. The total cost was £300, all of my sons DLA and my tax credits for a month.

Last month in error VIRGIN MOBILE deleted my number, my son lost his phone, they should have deleted his sim and sent him a new one but they deleted in full my number, the one printed aon all of the above.

We have been told that whilst they admit it was their fault and have offered us £50 compensation, NO and I repeat NO Virgin mobile is to be used for business.

LOOK at the small print, yes they are correct it is there,

4.2 Use of the Services: The Services will be available to you provided you:
(j) do not use the Services for commercial or business purposes.
We have lost more money than we have made, and have to find a way to have the printing done again.
Let this be a hard earned lesson to you all do NOT use VIRGIN MOBILE if you use the phone for business, it can be could off if they find out and you will not be covered in any way.

Jeremy Rundle JRS Photography

stugib

That's precisely why there's business contracts.

mije1983

Unfortunately this is correct for all providers, not just limited to Virgin. If you wish to have a contract that would cover business losses for errors made by the provider, you will need to take out a business contract. The fact they have offered you even £50 is a good thing.

It's the same with landline accounts. There is no compensation for losses incurred during any downtime for a personal account, usually just a credit for the time you went without.

Hopefully you can get over this, and good luck with your business venture.

philatio

Yeah, its not small print. If you run a business you need business contracts.

Shame.. but there you go.

ThumbRemote

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Should be titled Watch out business users make sure you take out a business contract .
Please stop leaching off home users .

Please explain how they are "leaching".

Azari

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Please stop leaching off home users .

They are not leeching off anyone.

The extra cost of a business contract is specifically so that the provider can provide what is effectively insurance against consequential loss.

It's the business user who may lose out if they are on a personal contract, not personal users.

The warning is apposite because when starting a business many people will be unaware of the necessity of ensuring certain services are 'industrial strength': Phone contracts and car insurance, to name just two.

NIKON1

Thank you all,

If JJ Egans brain had been engaged he would have noted that I and my disabled son had started our own business, in fact we could BOTH be claiming benefits, him JSA and ME IS for looking after a disabled son, instead we are trying to stop "leaching" off tax payers by working.

Also in case he forgets people like me also PAY our monthly bill for the phone it is not FREE

Considering I have started a small business at 60 with a disabled son with learning difficulties, am registered with the tax office and have public liability and indemnity insurance I think we have done well. Perhaps instead of burying it in the small print, ALL companies could make it clear NO BUSINESS USE.

The chap from Virgin said at a guess 30% of users are probably businesses and unaware of the terms.

Cycrow

NIKON1 wrote: »

Considering I have started a small business at 60 with a disabled son with learning difficulties, am registered with the tax office and have public liability and indemnity insurance I think we have done well. Perhaps instead of burying it in the small print, ALL companies could make it clear NO BUSINESS USE.

but why should companies display NO BUSINESS USE ?
they are not stopping businesses from using them. If a business wants to use a consumer phone contract they can.

Its just that proper business contracts include additional protection.

NIKON1

NO, the chap from Virgin clearly stated "Our contracts are for personal use only and if we find a person using a number as a business it will be terminated"

tomtontom

NIKON1 wrote: »

Thank you all,

If JJ Egans brain had been engaged he would have noted that I and my disabled son had started our own business, in fact we could BOTH be claiming benefits, him JSA and ME IS for looking after a disabled son, instead we are trying to stop "leaching" off tax payers by working.

Not sure what you mean by this - you are claiming benefits?

Unfortunately the mobile could be the least of your problems. HMRC regularly review WTC claims to see if your self employment is commercially viable, they expect you to earn NMW x 35. If you're not making anything they could cancel your claim, and ask you to pay back what you have already been paid. Speak to someone at the Jobcentre or CAB to get further advice on this.

vuvuzela

NIKON1 wrote: »

Thank you all,

If JJ Egans brain had been engaged he would have noted that I and my disabled son had started our own business, in fact we could BOTH be claiming benefits, him JSA and ME IS for looking after a disabled son, instead we are trying to stop "leaching" off tax payers by working.

Also in case he forgets people like me also PAY our monthly bill for the phone it is not FREE

Considering I have started a small business at 60 with a disabled son with learning difficulties, am registered with the tax office and have public liability and indemnity insurance I think we have done well. Perhaps instead of burying it in the small print, ALL companies could make it clear NO BUSINESS USE.

The chap from Virgin said at a guess 30% of users are probably businesses and unaware of the terms.

To be fair to JJ Egan, he said you were 'leaching' (spelling error as well) off Virgin Mobile customers, not taxpayers. I don't think he was correct in that assertion either, but it's a salutory lesson to read what you sign up for *before* you sign a contract.