Signed misleading contract by phone - call recordings

Mmata

At the time our first Virgin Media contract was finishing (November 2018) I've called Virgin to see what they could offer us as we were considering leaving due to the high prices. At the phone, a Virgin employee manage to get us a package (12 months) with more channels, etc for a lower price than we actually would have to pay if we stayed in the same package. Sweet.

However, he advised us that he had applied a discount and we would have to call Virgin back in July to keep the same price. I asked them several times this just to confirm and he always assured me: 'you just have to call at that time before the price rises'. That time has come, and guess what...Now they say there's no discount they can apply. I stated that couldn't be as per the phone conversation that we had. They still say there's nothing they can do.

I feel completely deceived by this...I certainly don't want to pay the new price as if I knew this I wouldn't have signed the new contract. Is there any way of getting the phone call recording? Is it possible to cancel the service since they completely misled me to sign something I didn't agree to?

Neil_Jones

Mmata wrote: »

At the time our first Virgin Media contract was finishing (November 2018) I've called Virgin to see what they could offer us as we were considering leaving due to the high prices. At the phone, a Virgin employee manage to get us a package (12 months) with more channels, etc for a lower price than we actually would have to pay if we stayed in the same package. Sweet.

However, he advised us that he had applied a discount and we would have to call Virgin back in July to keep the same price. I asked them several times this just to confirm and he always assured me: 'you just have to call at that time before the price rises'. That time has come, and guess what...Now they say there's no discount they can apply. I stated that couldn't be as per the phone conversation that we had. They still say there's nothing they can do.

I feel completely deceived by this...I certainly don't want to pay the new price as if I knew this I wouldn't have signed the new contract. Is there any way of getting the phone call recording? Is it possible to cancel the service since they completely misled me to sign something I didn't agree to?

So are you under contract or not? November to July is not 12 months.

There was never any guarantee that you would be entitled to any discount nine months down the line never mind what the employee said, they probably shouldn't have said that anyway.

As to "misleading" - you got a product for a lower price than you would have paid otherwise and you've just said you were told at the time that the price would rise in July. That's not misleading, you were just naive to assume that the discount would be available when July came. There is never a guarantee that a discount would be available at any time.

Mmata

I'm on contract yes.
But I only signed because of what it was said on the phone, otherwise I wouldn't have signed it. That's why I want to get hold of the recording if I can. It was misleading for me as they assured I would just have to call. Yes, maybe naive of me.

SnowTiger

Mmata wrote: »

At the time our first Virgin Media contract was finishing (November 2018) I've called Virgin to see what they could offer us as we were considering leaving due to the high prices. At the phone, a Virgin employee manage to get us a package (12 months) with more channels, etc for a lower price than we actually would have to pay if we stayed in the same package. Sweet.

However, he advised us that he had applied a discount and we would have to call Virgin back in July to keep the same price. I asked them several times this just to confirm and he always assured me: 'you just have to call at that time before the price rises'. That time has come, and guess what...Now they say there's no discount they can apply. I stated that couldn't be as per the phone conversation that we had. They still say there's nothing they can do.

I feel completely deceived by this...I certainly don't want to pay the new price as if I knew this I wouldn't have signed the new contract. Is there any way of getting the phone call recording? Is it possible to cancel the service since they completely misled me to sign something I didn't agree to?

The person you spoke to mentioned 'you just have to call at that time before the price rises.'

Perhaps he was referring to Virgin Media's price increases that come in to effect from September/October. See https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/1147462/Virgin-Media-price-rise-bill-increase-2019-broadband-TV-phone. As the increase is above RPI you can (threaten for a discount to) end the contract early.

I guess the person you spoke to thought at the time (November 2018) Virgin Media would increase its prices in July 2019.

You could ask them to listen to the recorded conversation or/and ask for a copy of it for yourself.

Mmata

Thanks for this!

Sorry, maybe it was the way I wrote. He specifically said to call in July, since the price on the contract would rise from August onward. I will look further into it and try to have get the recording.

PennyForThem_2

If you really want to pursue this you are within your right to ask for the recording of your conversation under General Data Protection Regulation Subject Access Request. I assume you were told your phone conversation would be recorded?

They must provide within a calendar month. Go to the Information Commissioner's site to find out more - how to do this. Google it.