Virgin holding me ransom due to Corona virus

allkindsoffun

Hi I'm a first time poster, long time advocate of money saving expert. 
I decided to cancel my contract with virgin yesterday due to financial issues which my kids aren't happy with and neither am I to be honest.
My contract with virgin is coming to an end and they are trying to charge me a fortune in my eyes (£55) for a package I pay £26 now. I received a call back today from the retentions team at virgin.
I was asked do I need the internet and I replied my kids do. Then was asked again do you need it. I replied I actually do need it. Then was told that I can't transfer to BT as they aren't installing due to covid 19. I feel as though this is being crisis is being used to force me to stay with virgin. I'm really disappointed that this seems to be a new method of retention.

I could really use some advice wether this is how virgin should be trying to retain customers and what I can do about it?

( I've been a virgin customer for 3/4 years) 
Thanks
Pete

unforeseen

You can't transfer your broadband from Virgin to BT or any other ISP anyway. They are 2 totally different systems.

As you will probably need a telephone line installed (Virgin don't use telephone lines) then technically they are correct because they won't currently install a new line

pphillips

Typical underhand tactics by VM unfortunately.
I would just tell them that you're struggling financially and you can't afford the new price, see how they respond.

[Deleted User]

allkindsoffun said:

I was asked do I need the internet and I replied my kids do. Then was asked again do you need it. I replied I actually do need it. Then was told that I can't transfer to BT as they aren't installing due to covid 19. I feel as though this is being crisis is being used to force me to stay with virgin.

I could really use some advice wether this is how virgin should be trying to retain customers and what I can do about it?

As new installations are not being carried out by BT  and Virgin has it's own physical network rather than using BT lines, there is absolutely nothing you can do unless you want to be without internet. 

With no leverage on your part, it was obvious retention deals would not be offered. You effectively can't leave, so why should they offer you a deal to stay? 

You could "throw the baby out with the bathwater" and cancel anyway, but that risks you losing all service. On the other hand, they may then offer you a deal to remain. 

Remember that retention deals are not a right but a privilege. The vast majority of customers do not have deals, but instead pay the full price (or cancel completely). 

A significant minority  do deliberately negotiate a deal regularly (as Virgin are always keen to reduce their "churn" rate),  but at the current time they really don't need to. 

So you may well have to grit your teeth and pay the increased bill until things return to normal. 

[Deleted User]

pphillips said:

Typical underhand tactics by VM unfortunately.

"Underhand"? Seriously? 

All of the ISPs are currently adopting this stance. As I said earlier, why should they offer "retention" deals to customers who currently can't leave anyway? 

Personally, I believe this is short term gain but in expectation of long term loss. The long term ramifications on the economy of the Covid19 emergency will soon mean many people will genuinely  be struggling financially. Whether this means cheaper pay TV and internet services or simply a less crowded market remains to be seen. 

A_Lert

You do have alternatives. Mobile broadband - an unlimited data plan can be a lot less than £55 a month, just make sure tethering and hotspot are OK. No physical installation required. Satellite broadband is also available, though currently it's expensive and slow, and you can install the dish yourself.

JJ_Egan

OP you decide to cancel nothing wrong with that its your choice .You are misleading with your thread title .

cranford

You could try again with  the text service that VM are running at the moment.
You can txt the number 07533051809 with your problem and someone will get back to you.
VM have a help community forum that you could post on to see if you can get any help. https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/custom/page/page-id/CommunityHubForums
Postings on there are often replied to by VM staff or forum members.
Is it possible that you can cut down on the VM services that you use and just take a 50mbps BB service?

pphillips

Moneyineptitude said:

pphillips said:

Typical underhand tactics by VM unfortunately.

"Underhand"? Seriously? 

All of the ISPs are currently adopting this stance. As I said earlier, why should they offer "retention" deals to customers who currently can't leave anyway? 

Personally, I believe this is short term gain but in expectation of long term loss. The long term ramifications on the economy of the Covid19 emergency will soon mean many people will genuinely  be struggling financially. Whether this means cheaper pay TV and internet services or simply a less crowded market remains to be seen. 

In my view, yes. I don't think it's right for the retentions department to try to intimidate their customers 
I understand that customers are not entitled to retention deals but VM are also not entitled to customers.
If the OP wants to switch to mobile broadband temporarily, then who are VM to try and stop this.

unforeseen

In my view, yes. I don't think it's right for the retentions department to try to intimidate their customers 

It's not intimidation to baldy state the truth without dressing it up in warm fluffy words to pander to sensitive egos

matteds100

Ditto the OP. I am in the same boat, called today after my 1st year contract is coming to an end and they are trying to double my cost from £29 to £58. I have a TV and BB package, but I only wanted the BB - never used the TV. They said that I should make sure I could get service elsewhere before cancelling. They were decent about it and offered me £38, but certainly the ball is in their court. It's just too much to pay for a BB service for me. That said, I already have an openreach line to my property and I'd be surprised if it couldn't be activated remotely and automatically. I will investigate the other options.