Have I been stiffed by Virgin Media?

Tofudragon

Hi all, some advice needed and I apologise if this turns into a long wall of text.

Some background info.

Early December 2015 I was contacted by a door to door Virgin Media salesman to discuss packages. I'm currently on a full Sky package (TV, landline, fibre internet) but as I said to the salesman I am happy with my Sky TV but dissatisfied with my Sky Fibre speeds especially with being a gamer (huge downloads) and heavy user of streaming services. I told him the max speeds I can get with Sky Fibre in my area was estimated around the 30-36mb mark but I'm usually pulling in between 24-27mb. I regularly use Speedtest by Ookla.

I knew and was told Virgin can supply massive speeds so I was very interested.

I told the VM salesman I couldn't sign up with Virgin Media till Sept 2016 as I'm in a 12 month contract with Sky. He said their prices have increased which I knew about via Sky sending me a letter and he also demonstrated the bill increase using the Sky TV box account menu to show me. He also said that due to them increasing their cost to me a little known rule/law means I can get out of the contract without incurring a cancellation charge. He also said that Virgin Media will contact Sky themselves and sort all this out for me including keeping my landline number the same. I then signed up with Virgin Media for a landline connection and 100mb fibre optic broadband.

I signed and waited for installation.

First clue something wasn't quite right is when I was installed with VM the engineer said did I want to keep my old landline number, I said yes and said this was meant to be sorted by Virgin already. The engineer said sometimes it gets delayed so ring VM customer service to get the landline number swopped over.

Other clue that something wasn't quite right, I have heard nothing from Sky. Nothing about cancelling my landline and internet (I'm keeping my TV package with them) and I was charged my usual bill not long ago.

Earlier today I rung VM to ask why haven't they got me out of my Sky landline and internet contract. They said they cannot do this. I mentioned that the salesman told me they can and it was my condition on signing up with them in the first place. The customer care agent offered no advice and I stated I am going to ring the salesman who left me his number and name - which I have done but call went to voicemail and I left a message.

Question is am I stuck now paying for two landlines and two internet connections? What rights do I have if I have been sold a lie?

Thanks in advance.

Futuristic

Firstly you should never let salesman in, it's likely you could have got a much better deal online through USwitch/TCB etc.

There was a Sky increase and you had 30 days from receiving the letter (OCT/NOV) (which you should have got) to cancel. You are stuffed if you didn't cancel or VM did not initiate the transfer on their end as the line rental increase is now in effect.

Sadly if you don't have any evidence/proof that a line transfer was suppose to occur then you could pretty much be stuffed by VM as well.

JJ_Egan

Probably not a VM employee just some one flogging stuff on commission .

AndyPK

bloody vm salesmen


So are you pleased with the VM speed ?

parttimeskint

Virgin have a 28 day cooling off period. If you are within that window you should be able to cancel virginmedia without any penalties.

AndyPK

well don't miss that one ! No matter what they say to you!

Unless you have seen paperwork from sky in plenty of time.

YOu can always sign up to VM at another time. There are always offers despite what they will say.

Tofudragon

I realise letting the salesman in was a mistake now, at the time I was on a lot of pain medication so I wasn't making the best decisions.

I've dug out my contract, unfortunately I signed it 2nd Dec 2015. Is the 28 days cancellation taken from point of contract signing or when you sign for completion of the installation as that was the 14th Dec 15?

Hoping to hear from the salesman tomorrow otherwise complaining is probably the last arrow in my quiver, just glad I have his name and work mobile number.

It's doubly frustrating as I'm very happy with my speed I get over 100mb and at busier times 55-60mb which is fantastic although if I can't get out of this Sky contract I'd rather cancel than paying an extra £26 a month.

parttimeskint

I think its 28 days from the service going active but not 100% sure on that.

Futuristic

Where do the terms stipulate 28 days for new sign ups?

Like most I'm pretty sure Virgin follow the same 14 day cooling off period.

‘cooling off period’

the fourteen (14) day period in which you are legally entitled (with no requirement to give us a reason) to cancel your order for the services from the latest of (i) the day after the delivery of the equipment, (ii) the service start date or (iii) receipt of the terms and conditions for the services.

http://store.virginmedia.com/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services.html

Either way the OP is out of the timeframe, he can only try plead with Virgin or Sky (whomever to cancel) to reduce the cancellation fee.

parttimeskint

28 day money back guarantee - Available to new customers and existing customers taking a new service.

That was On the website as of 27/12/2015. If the op has the original t&c it should say 28 days as their money back guarantee period and its from activation or receipt of t&c, what ever is latest.

I would phone up virgin media and say you want to cancel as you are still within the 28 day money back guarantee. If they say it's 14 days, advise them it was 28 when you took it out. it has only changed within the last week or so.

My web chat with virgin just now is pasted below.

You: Hi Emma. I notice the money back guarantee is now 14 days.
You: when did that change?
You: It was 28 just before Christmas
Emma: Thank you for visiting VirginMedia.com today!
Emma: I would be glad to help you with the order process.
Emma: I am sorry, I may not be able to commit on that as it's decided by different department.
You: Bit surely you know when it changed?
You: it was 28 just before Christmas as I was going to order then
You: Still there Emma.
Emma: Please allow me a moment.
Emma: I completely understand, however, it has changes on the first week of December, however, it has been updated recently on our website.

I would phone them.

Futuristic

parttimeskint wrote: »

28 day money back guarantee - Available to new customers and existing customers taking a new service.

That was On the website as of 27/12/2015. If the op has the original t&c it should say 28 days as their money back guarantee period and its from activation or receipt of t&c, what ever is latest.

I would phone up virgin media and say you want to cancel as you are still within the 28 day money back guarantee. If they say it's 14 days, advise them it was 28 when you took it out. it has only changed within the last week or so.

OP stated he signed up on the 2nd, it would depend on the 3 points as to when the earliest he received the equipment OR t&c which was probably we before his 14th activation date.

(i) the day after the delivery of the equipment, (ii) the service start date or (iii) receipt of the terms and conditions for the services.

It's worth a try anyways to call and see what they can do.