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HELP! Virgin's messing with my head (and credit record)

Hi I'm new to the site and hoped you consumer champs could help me out.

I had virgin at my ex's and moved at the end of Jan to my new address. I arranged to have my contract continue here and was set up on 13 Feb. I referred my ex and we were each meant to get £50 off but this never happenned, but that's the very least of my worries.

I stupidly agreed to get a phone line as this would be cheaper than not. Please note that I never use a landline and do not have a handset. When I got my first bill (March) call costs came to £160-odd. I called virgin who sent out an engineer. The engineer confirmed that the calls did not come from my house (cross line). The phone bill was cancelled and I thought all was sorted.

In April I got another huge phone bill. Called virgin and they said they's send an engineer out. Before the engineer came out, my credit limit was exceeded (due to £180 phone bill) so I was disconnected. When I called virgin to reconnect they refused and further said they would not send an engineer out until my service was running. I was forced to pay £51 (on top of the £27 which is the actual cost of my service). The customer relations person also said that she had called the number and I answered the 'phone!!!!!!!!!!!

The engineer came on Saturday 14 May and confirmed that there was no way I could've made the calls, he's written something about D sides and E sides at the exchange on the slip of paper he gave me.

I called virgin back for a refund of my £50 and was promised a call back within the hour. Still waiting.

I've just checked my credit score and virgin's put a note that I'm £90 in arrears on there.

My question is, how do I sort this out? Virgin won't communicate in writing, it's all via phone calls - I've been on the phone to virgin for at least 10 hours since February. I keep getting passed from pillar to post, I've been called a liar (by the person who said I answered the phone I was disputing), my credit rating's being affected by their incompetence and they say I can't cancel my contract without being charged. HELP!! I just want to leave or be compensated and get an apology or something. ESPECIALLY with them messing with my credit rating!!!

Thanks, and sorry to go on :-(

Comments

  • Widelats
    Widelats Posts: 3,773 Forumite
    I can only give you my opinion and what i would do.

    Go to the bank or online, and cancel the direct debit to Virgin for everything you have. When they get in touch with you (and they will) tell them it was like talking to a brick wall and that you sorted it out on your own sice they were not capable of doing so, and that your more than willing to go to court for your imagined phone calls bills and that you would like this customer relations person to go to court too and testify that they called you.

    I do not know if my way would work, that is certainly what i would do though, 100%.
    Owed out = lots. :cool:
  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,610 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I wouldn't cancel the DD, it could make things worse.

    There's the Virgin Media forums you could try posting on.
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Cancel the DD and you have broken the contract .VM may well talk to you or just pass the debt to a recovery agency and trash your credit record for the next six years .
  • Rev
    Rev Posts: 3,165 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Widelats wrote: »
    I can only give you my opinion and what i would do.

    Go to the bank or online, and cancel the direct debit to Virgin for everything you have. When they get in touch with you (and they will) tell them it was like talking to a brick wall and that you sorted it out on your own sice they were not capable of doing so, and that your more than willing to go to court for your imagined phone calls bills and that you would like this customer relations person to go to court too and testify that they called you.

    I do not know if my way would work, that is certainly what i would do though, 100%.

    If you did this all that will happen is VM will send a letter saying you've not paid. They won't call for you to triumphantly tell them to take you court. And even if they did they'd ignore that anyway.

    They'll send a few letters telling you what you owe and asking you to pay then they'll simply sell the debt to a debt collector.

    In the mean time you're credit file will be completely trashed for the next 6 years.
    Sigless
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