Virgin Media - no reward for loyalty

moneytroll

My 12 month contract is (£26 per month) is reverting to some ridiculous £49 per month from end of this month and I notice that new customers always seem to get a much better deal and they don't seem to care if customers wish to stay or not. How do you deal with this? Do you try to negotiate a better deal every year as an existing customer or sign up (your spouse or somebody) as a new customer? The latter is a bother and seems a waste of resources (sending back the equipment etc). Also is there a way to keep the existing phone number if you do sgn somebody up as a new customer? I am seriously considering leaving Virgin. Also their customer service is terrible. Any advice from someone with more experience would be appreciated.

Chino

Have you read this thread?
Haggle with Virgin - our new guide

Or perhaps this one:
Virgin Media retention deals (post your haggling successes)

Aylesbury_Duck

I was facing a similar price hike, from £34 to £49.  In my experience, a polite call to them explaining the situation has yielded results.  As I understand it, you have to be out of contract for 30 days before they'll consider you a new customer.  I simply said I would like to give notice (I am at the end of my contract), I'd buy a data plan elsewhere to cover the month then sign a contract as a new customer for £28 a month.  I left it with them a few days and they called me back and offered me the new customer rate.

You have to be prepared to leave in order to get the best possible price.  There's no point making demands if you're not prepared to see the threat through.

mgfvvc

Suppliers incentivise switching, so I switch. Maybe I should put more effort into haggling, but I can't say that I'm a great haggler and I don't enjoy haggling, so I go with the incentives.

ARTHUR

my 24 month contract was coming to an end with Plusnet, when I got in touch with them their new contract was £4 a month more (fixed price for another 24 months) I just told them that I have had a look online and talktalk was £1.50 a month cheaper than their new price, and I would also save more money through the top cashback site, they immediatly dropped the £4 extra a month and gave me the old price for another 24 months.

its always worth haggling but see what other sites cost to make sure you are not asking for something unrealistic be poilite to them and be prepared to walk away and change company, you can keep your old phonenumber - in fact the new company can do a free check for you to make sure your number will be safe