Virgin Media Failed to Notify me of "New" Contract

jasonwatkins

Early last month, I was talking to Virgin about getting access to more of the music channels and, to cut a long story short, the person I was speaking to managed to do it by apparently applying his "personal" discount to enable him to add the channels.

What he failed to tell me is that it would mean a brand new 18 month contract.

I've only just realised this when I went to check my contract status so I filed a complaint with Virgin and asked them to go back and listen to the call again, which I'm waiting to hear back from.

I imagine the most likely outcome is that they'll just roll back these changes and my original 18 month deal will stand which runs out next September.

I was wondering if it was worth trying to argue my way out of the contract without penalty though ?.    I accept that I should have probably checked my contract status after the fact as I would have likely been in any "cooling off" period back then but it did make me wonder if it's worth giving it a try at least.

Neil_Jones

As a general rule this will be an upgrade and an upgrade usually involves a new contract at a discount.  No such thing as a free lunch after all.  If there was mention of cooling off period that should have told you something.but sounds like we're three/four/five weeks down the line.

No pay TV provider that I'm aware of does extra music channels on their own, they're usually part of one pack/bundle or another.

ItsComingRome

jasonwatkins said:

Early last month, I was talking to Virgin about getting access to more of the music channels and, to cut a long story short, the person I was speaking to managed to do it by apparently applying his "personal" discount to enable him to add the channels.

What he failed to tell me is that it would mean a brand new 18 month contract.

I've only just realised this when I went to check my contract status so I filed a complaint with Virgin and asked them to go back and listen to the call again, which I'm waiting to hear back from.

I imagine the most likely outcome is that they'll just roll back these changes and my original 18 month deal will stand which runs out next September.

I was wondering if it was worth trying to argue my way out of the contract without penalty though ?.    I accept that I should have probably checked my contract status after the fact as I would have likely been in any "cooling off" period back then but it did make me wonder if it's worth giving it a try at least.

You're not going to get out of a contract you've decided you don't want by them making a mistake.  You're entitled to be put back in your original position, nothing more.

If you don't like being beholden to the contract you agreed to, don't agree to it in the first place.

jasonwatkins

Neil_Jones said:

As a general rule this will be an upgrade and an upgrade usually involves a new contract at a discount.  No such thing as a free lunch after all.  If there was mention of cooling off period that should have told you something.but sounds like we're three/four/five weeks down the line.

No pay TV provider that I'm aware of does extra music channels on their own, they're usually part of one pack/bundle or another.

Well the main ones I do watch are all free to air on any standard Sky Box - The Box, Kerrang e.t.c.. but Virgin do charge extra for access to these.

ItsComingRome said:

jasonwatkins said:

Early last month, I was talking to Virgin about getting access to more of the music channels and, to cut a long story short, the person I was speaking to managed to do it by apparently applying his "personal" discount to enable him to add the channels.

What he failed to tell me is that it would mean a brand new 18 month contract.

I've only just realised this when I went to check my contract status so I filed a complaint with Virgin and asked them to go back and listen to the call again, which I'm waiting to hear back from.

I imagine the most likely outcome is that they'll just roll back these changes and my original 18 month deal will stand which runs out next September.

I was wondering if it was worth trying to argue my way out of the contract without penalty though ?.    I accept that I should have probably checked my contract status after the fact as I would have likely been in any "cooling off" period back then but it did make me wonder if it's worth giving it a try at least.

You're not going to get out of a contract you've decided you don't want by them making a mistake.  You're entitled to be put back in your original position, nothing more.

If you don't like being beholden to the contract you agreed to, don't agree to it in the first place.

You're assuming I've "decided I don't want" the contract when I've clearly stated that I accept that the most likely outcome is that the changes will just be rolled back.

If I'd been told in the first place that it would have meant a new 18 month contract, I wouldn't have agreed to the upgrade.

Jenni_D

jasonwatkins said:

Neil_Jones said:

As a general rule this will be an upgrade and an upgrade usually involves a new contract at a discount.  No such thing as a free lunch after all.  If there was mention of cooling off period that should have told you something.but sounds like we're three/four/five weeks down the line.

No pay TV provider that I'm aware of does extra music channels on their own, they're usually part of one pack/bundle or another.

Well the main ones I do watch are all free to air on any standard Sky Box - The Box, Kerrang e.t.c.. but Virgin do charge extra for access to these.

ItsComingRome said:

jasonwatkins said:

Early last month, I was talking to Virgin about getting access to more of the music channels and, to cut a long story short, the person I was speaking to managed to do it by apparently applying his "personal" discount to enable him to add the channels.

What he failed to tell me is that it would mean a brand new 18 month contract.

I've only just realised this when I went to check my contract status so I filed a complaint with Virgin and asked them to go back and listen to the call again, which I'm waiting to hear back from.

I imagine the most likely outcome is that they'll just roll back these changes and my original 18 month deal will stand which runs out next September.

I was wondering if it was worth trying to argue my way out of the contract without penalty though ?.    I accept that I should have probably checked my contract status after the fact as I would have likely been in any "cooling off" period back then but it did make me wonder if it's worth giving it a try at least.

You're not going to get out of a contract you've decided you don't want by them making a mistake.  You're entitled to be put back in your original position, nothing more.

If you don't like being beholden to the contract you agreed to, don't agree to it in the first place.

You're assuming I've "decided I don't want" the contract when I've clearly stated that I accept that the most likely outcome is that the changes will just be rolled back.

If I'd been told in the first place that it would have meant a new 18 month contract, I wouldn't have agreed to the upgrade.

So why did you ask/state this?

jasonwatkins said:

I was wondering if it was worth trying to argue my way out of the contract without penalty though ?.    I accept that I should have probably checked my contract status after the fact as I would have likely been in any "cooling off" period back then but it did make me wonder if it's worth giving it a try at least.

That's what ICR was responding to, and to me it also reads as you looking to exit the original contract rather than the new contract (which will likely roll back to the original).

jasonwatkins

Yes it obviously does read like that, although, at the time, I was just wondering about it as a possibility.

Still, it's moot now since i've subsequently paid the early termination fee and cancelled it all together/