Broadband - moving home

JulesGru

My daughter signed a 12 month tenancy agreement in February and a few months later her landlord sold the house and, exercising an escape clause, evicted her in October forcing her to find another place to live. She had signed up to a 12 month broadband contract with Virgin Media so went online to ask them to transfer the contract to the new place which turns out to be in a location that Virgin do not serve. So she's had to sign up to a new contract with BT. Virgin are now chasing her for the 3 or 4 months' of outstanding rental on her contract. She's called them several times but gets politely blanked each time. It doesn't seem fair that she has to pay twice for a broadband service. I know that energy providers can not charge you if you move to a location they do not serve. Does anyone know whether the same is true for broadband providers?

Aylesbury_Duck

I don't think it is.  She signed up for a 12 month contract, the price for which reflected that contract term.  I believe VM either enforce the full 12 month payment or the contract allows them to charge an early termination fee.

Rolling contracts are available for people that want more flexibility.

JJ_Egan

As above she signed a lawful contract not VMs fault she wants to break it , nor that they don't supply some-place else .Contract was for a service to xxx address not any place in the UK .

Needs paying before they hand it off to debt collectors .

( I know that energy providers can not charge you if you move to a location they do not serve. Does anyone know whether the same is true for broadband providers?)

Nope  and multiple posts on here regarding users taking out contracts .

born_again

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services/early-disconnection-fees
>>The Virgin Media network does not cover all of the UK – please use our post code checker by clicking here  to check availability. If you move to a property outside our network area during your minimum period, you may have to pay an Early Disconnection Fee for ending your contract early.  So, before taking a new service, if you think that you may move to a property outside of the Virgin Media network area before the end of your minimum period, one of our 30 day rolling contracts may be more suitable for you.

The Early Disconnection Fee will not be more than the charges you would have paid for the services for the remainder of the minimum period and will be less any costs we save, including the cost of no longer providing you with the services.<<

So they have it covered. 

You could try raising a complaint, or given you were forced out see if the landlord will pay.

mattyprice4004

Virgin didn't make her move - so they're entitled to the early termination fee if they can't supply the service.

Who pays that is up for discussion, but the one thing for certain is that Virgin are correct in asking for the fee.

Gavin83

mattyprice4004 said:

Who pays that is up for discussion, but the one thing for certain is that Virgin are correct in asking for the fee. 

I think you're being polite here but I can't see how it is up for discussion. I'm assuming the landlord invoked a break clause listed in the contract which they're perfectly entitled to do and this doesn't legally mean they're responsible for any out of pocket expenses incurred by the tenant. The only exception would be if it was listed in the contract but I very much doubt it would be. Morally you could argue whichever way you wish but it still doesn't mean the landlord is obliged to pay this termination fee.

However I agree Virgin are correct in asking for the fee. OP, while it's an unfortunate situation I can't see that daughter has any choice but to pay the fee.