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Cancellation Fee

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Hello,

I've recently moved house and currently have an 18 month contract with Virgin Media for my broadband. They don't provide services in my new area so we have had to cancel and take out a new service.

They are trying to charge us £240 as a cancellation fee...are they allowed to do this seeing as they don't provide the service? So I'm not cancelling by choice which I think means they can't charge me

Can anyone advise me on where I stand 

Comments

  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 18,282 Forumite
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    DJSkinny said:
    They are trying to charge us £240 as a cancellation fee...are they allowed to do this seeing as they don't provide the service? So I'm not cancelling by choice which I think means they can't charge me
    Can anyone advise me on where I stand 
    You've chosen to move house, so you are choosing to cancel their service.
    When you started the contract, did you expect to move house during it?
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
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  • mjm3346
    mjm3346 Posts: 47,278 Forumite
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    Check your T&Cs - you choose where to move to so not their issue, BT let you off if they don't provide a service at a new address but that maybe because they are much more likely to have a service in most areas
  • Browntoa
    Browntoa Posts: 49,604 Forumite
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    As above

    Contractual obligations

    You pay
    Ex forum ambassador

    Long term forum member
  • You can try asking if they will waive or reduce the fee but don't hold your breath as you are the one that is breaking the contract.
  • DJSkinny
    DJSkinny Posts: 6 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture First Post Combo Breaker
    Ok thanks for the responses. In relation to contractual obligations I'm pretty sure it doesn't say on my contract I'm not allowed to move house for the duration of the contract? So I definitely think it's a bit of a grey area
  • You can move and take the service with you, possibly at a charge.

    However, the fact remains you are cancelling, not Virgin.
  • cx6
    cx6 Posts: 1,176 Forumite
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    edited 18 March 2022 at 1:21PM
    You sign a broadband contract for a service at a particular address. 

    You could try asking for goodwill, although goodwill and virgin are a bit of an oxymoron 

    https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-8797997/amp/Virgin-Media-charging-cancellation-fee-moving-home.html
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,242 Forumite
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    DJSkinny said:
    In relation to contractual obligations I'm pretty sure it doesn't say on my contract I'm not allowed to move house for the duration of the contract? 
    As long as you fulfil the contract you signed, you can live in a wheely bin if you want. You just keep up payments or pay the cancellation.
  • phillw
    phillw Posts: 5,665 Forumite
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    edited 20 March 2022 at 11:22AM
    Didn't they stop this recently? 

    https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/virgin-media-o2-ends-charges-for-off-net-home-movers/

    Customers will need to provide proof of their new address with a wide range of readily-available documents accepted including mortgage and rental agreements, utility bills, bank statements and driving licenses.

    Can you prove that you're moving to an area that they don't cover? Obviously they will want to check, because otherwise anyone could just pretend that they moved & not even leave the property.
  • From the Virgin website -

    What if I cancel or move home?
    If you cancel during the minimum period, you may need to pay an early disconnection fee, including when you move to a property outside of the Virgin Media Network area – this is because you will be asking to cancel your services early. The Virgin Media network does not cover all of the UK – please use our postcode checker here to check availability. You can find more details on the early disconnection fee and process by visiting the Legal Stuff section of the website here. For the full terms and conditions please click here.
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