Virgin Media retention deals (post your haggling successes)

MACKEM99

Just had an email saying I am now out of contract.  Does that put me in a better position?

Thanks.

M99

PZ19

MACKEM99 said:

Just had an email saying I am now out of contract.  Does that put me in a better position?

Thanks.

M99

Yes..you should negotiate a new deal

IM

IM said:

IM said:

Just spent a painful hour on the phone to VM retentions, with someone who didn't speak English as a first language and who didn't really seem to have any knowledge of Virgin products and bundles...

I'm long out of contract, but have finally been kicked out of my stupor by the latest price rises.

Have been paying £133.84 (due to go up to £142.34) for 200 meg broadband and 'Full house' TV (that includes movies plus Sky and BT Sport channels in HD).

The initial offer was a reduction to £104/month - which eventually came down to £94.75, but I'm not sure that the latter was a like-for-like.

I gave up in the end, saying I needed to discuss with my wife.

Coincidentally (or not), when I've looked at the Sky website and created a TV-only package with Sky and BT sport in HD (but no movies) it was coming in at £76 - which when added to VM's price for broadband-only at 200 meg of £28, comes out at £104...

What I am learning is that it is impossible to properly compare deals - and that the headline offers aren't what they seem... It's 15+ years since HD TV launched, and pretty much every set sold since then will be compatible, yet everyone hides the add-on you have to pay for HD channels.  

Anyway...

Part of me is thinking I ought to strip back to just the broadband and go down the IPTV route, but I'd rather not.

So, based on the experience of my fellow forumistas, what is the target I ought to be setting myself for broadband of 100+ meg plus a TV package including HD sport?

I'm not entirely bothered by retaining the movie channels (I'd be happy to pay for individual films, on-demand if I have to) and just wish I could ditch the channels (kids, music, shopping etc.) that I never use but which come bundled by default.

So.... Had another hour or so on the phone to India just now...

I said that I'd been offered £94.75 as a like-for-like earlier in the week, and wanted to know if that was the best they could do...

It was not. She could offer me £112.

When I said that the opening gambit I'd been given on Monday was £104 which had come down to £94.75 she said that each agent is given different offers, and suggested calling back again and I might "strike it lucky". 

Have put my cancellation request in now, so will cross my fingers that I get a call from someone with a vague idea of what they are doing,

For reference, below is my current package...



And this is probably the closest I've found to a match for what I actually want (and there is £110 cashback on Quidco at the moment).
I'd lose the movies, but would be happy to PPV the ones I want. Theoretical broadband speed is lower - but did a speed test whilst I was waiting for Virgin, and by actual was <15 meg.

Not that I'm doubting the efficiency of VM, but...

How long should it take for the email confirmation of my request to cancel take to come through?

If the woman I spoke to on Friday pressed the button at the end of our conversation, I'd have thought I'd have had something through by now.

victor2

IM said:

Not that I'm doubting the efficiency of VM, but...

How long should it take for the email confirmation of my request to cancel take to come through?

If the woman I spoke to on Friday pressed the button at the end of our conversation, I'd have thought I'd have had something through by now.

My cancellation came through the following day - but it was wrong as they'd cancelled the broadband but left the phone in place. I then called to correct that and was told it was just a mistake by the first person who cancelled it incorrectly. He said he would cancel the wrong cancellation and put in the correct cancellation. Never got any confirmation of that as retentions called me later that day and I accepted their offer, thus cancelling the cancellation, and the incorrect cancellation before it!

The bodged cancellation still shows as the latest update on my online account, as it was incorrectly dated as being done in the future, next February. The agreed contract does show below it though, correrctly dated.

I did log a complaint about it all and they did confirm that my contract is the one I agreed with retentions, but if my broadband ceases in February, I'll know they've screwed that up as well.

And you doubt them?!

They still sent me an email for feedback on their customer service afterwards. They got some!

IM

Well....

Just had a call from a very nice man from Virgin Media.

Straight off the bat, no quibbling offered me a deal to stay as-is in terms of packages for £71 - and is sending a device to improve my wi-fi which I'd mentioned was flaky.

Could have upgraded to a newer box (360?) but that would have meant losing everything I've got saved on the current one, so I declined.

By my reckoning, that's a saving of £856 a year. 

kingwheeler

leew said:

Agree with JamesN, you shouldn't be paying over £20 for M100, cancel if you still can and wait for a better offer , it WILL come!

Is this really an achievable price? The new offer for customers of M100 is £26.99 isn't it? You think they'll give it for less?

I'm on day 2 of trying to get through via the automated system. Fri I lost more than 2hrs over 4 calls that all got cancelled on their end, normally after about 30-45mins

martinjohn

rang and message offered the automatic discount (i.e. the 4.25 that it is going to go up by soon), i selected 1 to accept the offer.

said i will get an email to confirm this offer. i have not received yet, anyone else get the email, how long does it take to arrive?

vanillaspice

martinjohn said:

rang and message offered the automatic discount (i.e. the 4.25 that it is going to go up by soon), i selected 1 to accept the offer.

said i will get an email to confirm this offer. i have not received yet, anyone else get the email, how long does it take to arrive?

I posted the same thing a couple of days ago on the 28th January after I accepted the automated discount, and didn’t get a response. I got my email confirmation today.

only_mee

In contract till later in the year, this rise means I can give 30 days notice..yes, without penalty?

martinjohn

only_mee said:

In contract till later in the year, this rise means I can give 30 days notice..yes, without penalty?

it said on my email "If you want to, you can change or cancel your package at any time before 15/02/2022, without paying any cancellation fees. Visit virginmedia.com/pricechange1 to find out more."
im guessing your email / letter says the same....