Virgin Media Broadband Price and Contract Query

frontman

Hi,

I've been with Virgin Media since 2010 for phone line and broadband.

Price has been creeping up over the last few years so called them today to review my account.

Two main things came from the chat with them:

1. Price for my broadband package on their site (Vivid 200, for new customers) is £22 for 6 months then standard price of £32 after that.
   1. I am being charged £44 per month for the same service and they say that I am not entitled to pay £32 per month that new customers would after their initial promotion.
2. If I downgrade a step to Vivid 100 (standard price of £24 per month to new customers after initial 6 mth promotion) I would be paying £30 and subject to a new 12 month contract.

QUESTION: Is charging existing customers a higher standard price than advertised perfectly legal?

2nd QUESTION: Why should changing my tariff result in me having to agree to a further 12 month contract extension? Is that also perfectly legal? Just to change your package??

Any general advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

mattyw831

2nd QUESTION: Why should changing my tariff result in me having to agree to a further 12 month contract extension? Is that also perfectly legal? Just to change your package??

All companies do this. Perfectly legal. Its a standard practice. It's not an extension so to speak. Its a new contract because it has changed.

QUESTION: Is charging existing customers a higher standard price than advertised perfectly legal?

Again, its legal. As far as I'm aware, it is your responsibility to do something about it. Unfortunately, this is where alot of people get caught out.

However, I am assuming you are out of your initial 12 month term. So you are in a position to haggle for a better deal. Ring them up and tell them you are going to leave. They will offer you a better deal (but not their best deal). Always refuse their 1st offer and they will put you through to their cancellation team who have the authority to make you a better deal. Just be adamant that you will leave if you don't get what you want. Just don't be unreasonable. Any new deal will start a new 12 month term.

Just as an example, I'm was with Sky Broadband and phone. Once the 12 months were up. I phoned them and got free line rental, free sky fibre unlimited and 12 months basic sky tv package for £10 per month all in for 12 months. Once those 12 months are up, I will call them again before the price rockets to its standard price. I am paying alot less now but getting more from them

The short of it is, they want your money and they will reasonably do what it takes to keep it that way.

Give it a whirl, see how you get on. You have nothing to lose

frontman

I did speak to first stage retention's team and got a kind of deal, but it wasn't very good, it was the equivalent of £6 discount per month if I go from Vivid 200 to Vivid 100.

I want at least 100Mbps on broadband so this leaves Infinity 2 from BT as the only option. Just very disappointed in the response from Virgin on this.

mattyw831

Just curious why you will go from vivid 200 to 100? What they offered you wasn't a deal but a downgrade.

Be firm with them, but fair. and ask to be put through to the end stage retention team or whatever they are called. Only they can make the best deals. You have no reason to be paying more than new customers for the same service now you are out of your initial 12 month term

frontman

I need min. 100Mbps broadband, 200Mbps has come via various "free" speed upgrades, but I never needed 200Mpbs.

Currently I pay £70 p/m for phone and BB and this is just too much.

When you consider phone lines are £18 p/m plus a couple of cheap phone add ons, this makes Vivid 200 £44 p/m. Vivid 100 is £24 p/m (on their site). I would just like to have the Vivid 100 package for £24, instead I'm being offered it for £30 p/m for 18 mths, then £36 p/m after that, plus I'd be on a new 12 month contract.

Without wanting to sound like a whingy consumer... how is this legal practice?

If you went into a restaurant, sat down and ordered, then later added a dessert and they charged you more than the cost on the menu, would "oh, that price is for customers who hadn't come in the restaurant yet" be acceptable? Why are VM allowed to do this? Even if I do stay I cant change packages without having to commit 12 more payments to them. This doesn't seem right.

mattyw831

Ok. According to their current prices Vivid 100 Is £14 per month for 6 months then £24 for the next 6 months. So you would be paying £32 plus line rental for 6 months then £42 after that on a 12 month contract. There is no good reason for them to deny you this if this is what you want as you are out of contract.

When you call them, tell them what you see on their website and they have to put you on it. Never deal with the 1st lackey you speak to on the phone. And as an existing customer, you can haggle a discount on top of that. They cannot put you on an 18 month term when its clearly advertised as a 12 month term. But as I said, its standard practice that the contract restarts as a new 12 month term as the terms have changed There is no getting round that one.

If you go elsewhere like BT, then you will be put on a minimum 12 month contract anyway. So I'm not sure what the difference is.

Call them again and let us know how you get on.

frontman

I'll give actually cancelling a go and see if that gets to anyone else. Many thanks for your help!

visidigi

You gotta cancel to gt the deals - jut now EXACTLY what you want when they call you back and if you like the offer take it - they wont call again usually...