Goodbye Virgin Media!

DinkyStars

Finally, I can say ‘Goodbye’ to Virgin Media. I have been waiting for this price increase for the last year after a mis-selling experience by their outbound retention team in January 2020 which damaged my credit file and caused undue stress, the complaint went on for months due to Virgin Media / Mobile incompetence and eventually was resolved by CISAS who compensated me, and the hard credit search was eventually removed along with a defaulted account from the mis-sold Virgin Mobile account. The first I knew of the mis-selling was when I had a bill for £10 from Virgin Mobile telling me they were taking payment via DD which had been set up without my permission – I didn’t supply bank details during the call the call handler must have copied them from my Virgin Media Account.

Had my email this afternoon to say price was going up by £5.75 per month but for me this would not take effect until my contract ends at the end of July. However, it did state I could cancel with no charges. Straight on the phone. The automated system instantly offered me a discount of £6 for the next six months which would bring my £41 a month package down to £35.

It took 28 minutes before I could speak to someone who I might add was very friendly and understanding and tried to get a better discount for me (but I knew I wouldn’t take any offer) after asking me why I wanted to leave. I explained it was not the price increase that was the issue but the very poor customer service and mis-selling I experienced this time last year with them. She couldn’t offer a discount, but could give me a new 18-month contract but this would increase the price to £53 a month… (it would be going to £88 at the end of July when the current 18-month contract ended)

Sometimes saving money is not the answer, I prefer good honest service and the Virgin Media Complaints Team couldn’t offer that at all last year. Yes, there is never an issue with the service for me from Virgin Media, but I would rather ditch them on principal than stay with a company who caused me months of problems and didn’t even apologise.

I will now seek out a new BB supplier knowing full well my speeds will not be as good, but rather a super slow speed than remain with Virgin Media.

Word of warning for those taking up new retention deals, be careful what you agree to, my mobile SIM which I clearly stated I didn’t need was supposedly free last January and thrown into the deal when in fact it wasn’t, there was a hard credit search done without my permission for Virgin Mobile, and then a separate account added to my credit file for Virgin Mobile, which when I didn’t pay the £10 (for something supposedly including in my BB / TV Package) caused a default on my credit file for three months. I could barely ever speak to one person who understood me or spoke English in their call centres abroad and the more I tried to resolve it the more problems it caused, and I am never rude or aggressive to people working in call centres.

CISAS resolved it the Virgin Mobile account and hard credit search were removed and I was given £300 compensation from Virgin Media. And that was only awarded because I continually recorded all calls I made to prove how staff lied and promised call-backs and changes which never happened.

DRP

Sorry to butt in on this thread, but it is related somewhat.

Having missed the right to cancel period by 1 day , for want of not checking my emails in time.... do i have any leverage to insist they allow me to cancel?

I assume not, but does anyone have any experience of this? 

many thanks

HaroldWren5

DinkyStars said:

Finally, I can say ‘Goodbye’ to Virgin Media. I have been waiting for this price increase for the last year after a mis-selling experience by their outbound retention team in January 2020 which damaged my credit file and caused undue stress, the complaint went on for months due to Virgin Media / Mobile incompetence and eventually was resolved by CISAS who compensated me, and the hard credit search was eventually removed along with a defaulted account from the mis-sold Virgin Mobile account. The first I knew of the mis-selling was when I had a bill for £10 from Virgin Mobile telling me they were taking payment via DD which had been set up without my permission – I didn’t supply bank details during the call the call handler must have copied them from my Virgin Media Account.

Had my email this afternoon to say price was going up by £5.75 per month but for me this would not take effect until my contract ends at the end of July. However, it did state I could cancel with no charges. Straight on the phone. The automated system instantly offered me a discount of £6 for the next six months which would bring my £41 a month package down to £35.

It took 28 minutes before I could speak to someone who I might add was very friendly and understanding and tried to get a better discount for me (but I knew I wouldn’t take any offer) after asking me why I wanted to leave. I explained it was not the price increase that was the issue but the very poor customer service and mis-selling I experienced this time last year with them. She couldn’t offer a discount, but could give me a new 18-month contract but this would increase the price to £53 a month… (it would be going to £88 at the end of July when the current 18-month contract ended)

Sometimes saving money is not the answer, I prefer good honest service and the Virgin Media Complaints Team couldn’t offer that at all last year. Yes, there is never an issue with the service for me from Virgin Media, but I would rather ditch them on principal than stay with a company who caused me months of problems and didn’t even apologise.

I will now seek out a new BB supplier knowing full well my speeds will not be as good, but rather a super slow speed than remain with Virgin Media.

Word of warning for those taking up new retention deals, be careful what you agree to, my mobile SIM which I clearly stated I didn’t need was supposedly free last January and thrown into the deal when in fact it wasn’t, there was a hard credit search done without my permission for Virgin Mobile, and then a separate account added to my credit file for Virgin Mobile, which when I didn’t pay the £10 (for something supposedly including in my BB / TV Package) caused a default on my credit file for three months. I could barely ever speak to one person who understood me or spoke English in their call centres abroad and the more I tried to resolve it the more problems it caused, and I am never rude or aggressive to people working in call centres.

CISAS resolved it the Virgin Mobile account and hard credit search were removed and I was given £300 compensation from Virgin Media. And that was only awarded because I continually recorded all calls I made to prove how staff lied and promised call-backs and changes which never happened.

Sometimes the best thing is to vote with your feet. I agree that when customer service is bad, even if they pay you to stay with them, you wouldn't. 

Hotspur2018

I envy anyone who has recently left virgin media . I find I’m unable to leave and just don’t know what to do.

PZ19

Hotspur2018 said:

I envy anyone who has recently left virgin media . I find I’m unable to leave and just don’t know what to do.

Why? 30 day notice and that’s it.

Jenni_D

PZ19 said:

Hotspur2018 said:

I envy anyone who has recently left virgin media . I find I’m unable to leave and just don’t know what to do.

Why? 30 day notice and that’s it.

As long as they're not in a minimum contract period.  

PZ19

Jenni_D said:

PZ19 said:

Hotspur2018 said:

I envy anyone who has recently left virgin media . I find I’m unable to leave and just don’t know what to do.

Why? 30 day notice and that’s it.

As long as they're not in a minimum contract period.  

The price increase gives people a window to leave even if in contract

Jenni_D

So you're assuming that @Hotspur2018 has actually received the price increase notification?  

cx6

Hotspur2018 said:

I envy anyone who has recently left virgin media . I find I’m unable to leave and just don’t know what to do.

Call them up. Tell them you want to leave and ask what the termination fee is (this should not exceed what you would have to pay anyway). Pay it, send back the stuff if required.