Please Help me with Virgin conundrum?

zuliano

My story is that, my mum is elderly has got dementia, and more and more responsibility is on me as I am the only child, and carer, to look after har affairs, bills, etc and mum herself of course.. And it is overwhelming because I have my own psychological issues, and when it comes to figures and such I ALSO find myself overwhelmed, so places like this can hopefully be of support. Though please be gentle with me:)
We are in financial difficulties with more going out than coming in.

I will try to break it down what I am asking for help with as easy as I can:

I was shocked to see bills from virgin, £70 odd to more and more £80 odd, and then the final straw was last bill of over £98 where it is said that telephone charges were £38!!! I was gobsnacked because I seldom use the phone (I do not own a moblie phone and only ricg from a landline)

All I can assume is it was me in that month period trying to sort out my mum's affiars in her account and find out what direct debits are coming out.

So first question:

will I be able to ask for a get a complete itinerary of all the calls that clocked up £38 quid? I am REALLY frightened of using the phone at the moment. I mean eg numbers like the CAB where you have to listen to a robot for AGES. Is that also fleecing us?

So anyhow, I phoned Virgin and said there HAD to be a dramatic reduction in my mum's bills, and was straightaway offered a new deal, of 'unlimited calls' and a a box upgrade (its been fitted and is their new TIVO one) and he said the rental for this new package would be £64 odd (we also have a desktop computer and virgin broadband) . Then he suddenly offered me a deal of £61 odd, but after he talked with his --must have been manager--he came back and said no it has to be the £64 odd deal

Because I am so overwhelmed with everything, I cannot remember if he said that the deal WAS made then and there, or is there something I have to do. Do you think it will be automatic as soon as the new box has been activated. As far as i know I didn't receive any email confirmation of this new package. Should I phone them up to check? Is Virgin's 150 number still free???:eek:

They said you have a 14 day cooling off period where you can come out of the 12 month contract.

Anyway, what do you think?

zuliano

My brain goes cross eyed trying to understand fact and figures. I mean IF Virgin are offering me a 'deal' that 'brings downb' our bill to £64 odd a month with free unlimited calls that works out to over £ 768 a year, where here Martin says that these providers charge far below that http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband?_ga=1.237158595.272525564.1471959390#skybb and quoting Virgin charging about £444 per year?

Check your broadband and line rental cost now – people on standard deals typically pay BT £468/yr, TalkTalk £302/yr, Sky £329/yr and Virgin £444/yr. The deals below can bring it down to £64 over a year after half price line rent and £50 credit

SO HOW WE WOULD BE PAYING OVER 64 PER MONTH WHICH WILL BE WELL OVER £700 QUID A YEAR???

AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE?

This is all crazy to me and if your not in the know, and not business-headed, it is very daunting to try and understand this. We have been with 'Virgin' way before from the bgining when it was Cable&Wireless, then NTL and then Virgin

We have telephone covered, plus TV cable, plus desktop computer broadband. Please, we need help to understand this

zuliano

UPDATE:

Have just phoned Virginmedia and found I only have ONE day to change my mind about contract!!!!

However, I have managed to to get the month bill down from £64 odd per month to £55 per month for 6 months and then will go up to £58 per month

:j ...??

eddddy

Virgin Media seem to be quoting a very expensive package.

According to their website, you could get their "Player Bundle" which seems to cost:

£12.00 a month
for 12 months then £26.00 a month
+Virgin Phone line £19.00 a month
18 month contract
£14.99 activation fee

Plus £8 per month for "Talk More Anytime" (unlimited anytime calls to UK landlines and UK mobiles, plus calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers)

So I make that £39 per month for 12 months, then £53 per month - including calls.

See: http://www.virginmedia.com/shop/bundles.html


But you can probably get cheaper deals from other providers. Go to http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband (and scroll down).

FunTime

If you stated that a new box was fitted, then it's clear that a deal was done.

Personally I would cancel the whole thing. If your mum has dementia, I don't think she needs a TIVO box.

Cancel all and start again from what you actually need.

Internet and phone needn't cost more than £25 per month.

zuliano

eddddy wrote: »

Virgin Media seem to be quoting a very expensive package.

According to their website, you could get their "Player Bundle" which seems to cost:

£12.00 a month
for 12 months then £26.00 a month
+Virgin Phone line £19.00 a month
18 month contract
£14.99 activation fee

Plus £8 per month for "Talk More Anytime" (unlimited anytime calls to UK landlines and UK mobiles, plus calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers)

So I make that £39 per month for 12 months, then £53 per month - including calls.

See: http://www.virginmedia.com/shop/bundles.html


But you can probably get cheaper deals from other providers. Go to http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband (and scroll down).

How are most people expected to cope in this insane wheeling and dealing world. I THINK I have just got them to give me a good deal, and then you come along to tell me it is still expensive?
Are you sure that deal is not for NEW customers who they seem to treat with more respect than loyal ones?

I asked what the £64.69 package was paying for (BEFORE she reduced it to £55)

she said:

Phone line rental -£17:99

Phone package -£8.00

large TV pacik (all channels + Tivo box) - £25-50

50 ng Broadband -(she said we get discount for all 3 services) -£10:50

and 'Call Reject' - £2.70

all = £64-69

We cancelled the call reject (because it doesn't world)

Then she got bill down to £55.00 for 6 months , which will go up to £58.00

And this by changing channels package to include less channels

This will all be activated, she said in 30 days.

But I only have one day to cancel existing contract!

Then s

zuliano

FunTime wrote: »

If you stated that a new box was fitted, then it's clear that a deal was done.

Personally I would cancel the whole thing. If your mum has dementia, I don't think she needs a TIVO box.

Cancel all and start again from what you actually need.

Internet and phone needn't cost more than £25 per month.

but we have internet and phone and TV...?

AndyPK

Generally cancel the TV. You don't need expensive TV from virgin.

Do you have an Ariel on the roof/loft? That can be used for your TV.

As you don't have a mobile, it's worth paying £8 month to get free calls. (but this excludes mobiles).

150 calls are free

If you have done a deal already then you have 14 days? to cancel it/change your mind.

To me you should be paying (as a guide)

phone calls BB
19 + 8 + 25 = £52

This is still very expensive (virgin are).

Look here for cheaper deals if you have a BT phone line:
https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/packages/

If you have a BT , I would recommend, EE or Sky.
Tell Virgin that is what you are doing to do, (and how much it costs, write it down. This will help virgin drive the price down further)


Also use the link to sort your gas and elec. You will be using the heating soon.

Ian011

Make sure you have the phone package that has inclusive calls at anytime, not the one that covers only weekends or evenings and weekends. The deal with anytime inclusive calls works out the best value for money for anyone making more than ten to fifteen minutes of calls per week. Once you have the anytime inclusive deal, you can make as many calls as you like to certain prefixes at no further cost.

Check that the deal covers calls to geographic numbers starting 01 and 02, non-geographic numbers starting 03 and mobile numbers starting 071-075 and 077-079. When calling these numbers always hang up and re-dial before 60 minutes has elapsed. If you do not, the remainder of the call will be charged.

Be sure to avoid calling numbers starting 070, 084, 087, 09 and 118. These are premium rate. The good news is that government departments, public services, customer services and financial services are no longer allowed to use these numbers. Most organisations have changed their numbers. Check official websites for the new numbers. The new numbers usually start 03 or 080.

Calls to 080 numbers are free-to-caller.

AndyPK

Inclusive calls to mobiles is very expensive with virgin.

duchy

Tv £38 with box sets less without (say £20 for. New customer)
Line rental £17.40
unlimited calls to uk landlines and mobiles £8
Broadband probably free or £5

That's before any new customer deals so you'd inevitably pay less
That's Sky who if Virgin try to stich you up with termination charges will rebate them up to £100 on phone and BB.

Virgin are not cheap