Switching from Virgin Media

Andrew_Chance

Here is the story. I currently have Virgin Media for Broadband and phone usage. In September I changed what service I had with Virgin by removing TV. So from having Phone, TV and Broadband I reduced what I was paying for to just phone and Broadband. I still felt that I needed to shop around for a better deal, and decided to go with EE. I signed up with EE and it looks like I can get a good deal Phone and Broadband even if the Broadband speed is less.

This is the first switch that I have made for my internet connection in years, staying with Virgin for quite some time. I got the service desk call from Virgin enquiring why I was leaving. I told them I had decided to go with EE. To begin with they were quite helpful stating that I needed to contact them to cancel their service and book a date for the end of service, which I had not done, and which they handled on the call.

So here is the stinger: Because I reduced the service in September to just Phone and Broadband, Virgin have stated that I am under a new contract. Which is odd because I checked my correspondence from Virgin and I can not find a new contract letter. It looks like the contract was sent via email and not letter. Because of this new contract Virgin is going to be charging me £205 early cancellation fee, unless I stay with them. Is Virgin really allowed to employ monetary strong arm tactics to try and force customers to stay in contract with them?

pmduk

No, but it's common for customers to enter a new contract when amending their line-up of services.

Just wait for the next price rise and use that to get out free.

JJ_Egan

As above and that goes for most ISPs .

AndyPK

fairly normal.

Cancel the EE order, within 14 days

Andrew_Chance

WOW! That is amazing. If I had not tried to manage my expenditure by changing the supplied services, then I would not have incurred an early leaving fee. If I had switched rather than changed, being outside the contract end date, I would not have been charged for switching. All ISP providers would do the same.

As consumers, how have we allowed this business model to go unchallenged?

But it does seem that staying with my current provider would be the cheapest option.

Cornucopia

In the past, EE have asked me (as an existing mobile customer) whether they can buy out my early transfer penalty from Home Broadband and transfer me. So, it might be worth contacting them again (which you'll need to do anyway) and see whether they might make that kind of offer to you.

This model of a regular periodic transfer window with good deals being renegotiated at a fixed renewal point is now common across several different industries, and whilst it can definitely work against customers' interests, there's always a suspicion that canny MSEers (and other canny customers) possibly do quite well out of it.

onomatopoeia99

Andrew_Chance wrote: »

As consumers, how have we allowed this business model to go unchallenged?

It's a consequence of the manic switchers and those that incite them, like this site.


Consumers didn't allow this business model, the expert moneysavers incited it.

anotheruser

If you didn't receive the contract and they can't supply it (IE, send it to you paper form, or email it)...

AND

if you didn't explicitly agree to a new contract or they didn't inform you it would be a new contract during the telephone call, then it isn't a new contract.

Broadband companies try and hide behind the "it's usual in the industry" but facts are facts. Just because it's usual, doesn't mean it's a fact or a new contract.

I challenged one company on this and they backed down within 10 mins after realising they would not be able to provide a copy of the telephone call, and they couldn't email me a copy of the so called new contract.

Push them for this and see what happens.



However, have noted that Virgin will automatically take off the £X rise if you call them and go through the menu options to say you're going to leave.
HOWEVER, this means after the 6 months, the price willrise and you won't be able to stop it that time as it is a "special discount" not simply a "putting off a rice rise" - meaning you won't get a letter advising it'll go up.