Grandparents ripped off by Virgin broadband 7 April 2022 at 1:52PM in Broadband & internet access 10 replies 344 views

never_growin_up

Hi all,

My wife's grandparents have been seriously taken advantage of by Virgin. They've been with them for years for their Internet. Their bills had been going up but they're a bit naive and assumed they were paying the going rate.

They're paying £75 per month for 350mb broadband!

This is a couple who are nearly both 80, who are getting by on state pension. They watch the odd YouTube video and send a handful of WhatsApp messages, but Virgin have them on a broadband connection they could operate a small business on. It's disgusting. 

Virgin allegedly have a policy of reviewing the accounts of vulnerable customers, but this account has a do not contact notice so they couldn't be contacted to arrange a review. I don't believe they were ever notified that Virgin had cheaper packages available in any way, but I don't have a decade of bills to check to be sure.

I can get them cheaper broadband, that's not a problem. I don't know how I check if their old BT Internet line is in order? I guess the new provider can advise.

But most importantly I think they are owed a refund for the laughable amount they have been overcharged by Virgin for a connection they barely use. What are their options? Ofcom? Small claims?

Any advice appreciated 

QrizB

Your wife's grandparents are grown adults. They have entered into a contract willingly, and have been supplied the service they requested. I'm can't see any clear grounds they would have for a claim.

You can suggest to them that they switch to a cheaper service.

Neil_Jones

never_growin_up said:

Hi all,

My wife's grandparents have been seriously taken advantage of by Virgin. They've been with them for years for their Internet. Their bills had been going up but they're a bit naive and assumed they were paying the going rate.

They're paying £75 per month for 350mb broadband!

This is a couple who are nearly both 80, who are getting by on state pension. They watch the odd YouTube video and send a handful of WhatsApp messages, but Virgin have them on a broadband connection they could operate a small business on. It's disgusting. 

Virgin allegedly have a policy of reviewing the accounts of vulnerable customers, but this account has a do not contact notice so they couldn't be contacted to arrange a review. I don't believe they were ever notified that Virgin had cheaper packages available in any way, but I don't have a decade of bills to check to be sure.

I can get them cheaper broadband, that's not a problem. I don't know how I check if their old BT Internet line is in order? I guess the new provider can advise.

But most importantly I think they are owed a refund for the laughable amount they have been overcharged by Virgin for a connection they barely use. What are their options? Ofcom? Small claims?

Any advice appreciated 

Not "seriously taken advantage of" at all, more likely a case of ending up on the wrong package at some point.

It is not the provider's responsibility to see their customers are on the right tariff, its the customer's responsibility to check they are on the right package for them.

As for "refund" - on what basis exactly?   They're grown adults, they know what they're paying, if they didn't want to get off it that's up to them.

[Deleted User]

never_growin_up said:

Virgin allegedly have a policy of reviewing the accounts of vulnerable customers

When did they let Virgin know they were vulnerable? And in what way? People in their seventies aren't automatically classed as vulnerable.

They'll need to demonstrate that Virgin refused to help whenever they said they were vulnerable, or refused to cancel/change their package when asked,  if they want to go pursue a refund through any route.

kazwookie

Have they spoken to virgin, while you or your wife are there, and asked for a cheaper rate / an account check?  If not they need to do that asap

never_growin_up

Section 1.2 of Ofcom's Treating vulnerable customers fairly guide states:

One of Ofcom’s priorities is to make sure broadband, phone and TV customers, especially vulnerable customers, are treated fairly. We want vulnerable people to receive a high level of customer care to help them to manage their communications services effectively, and to help them get the right deal for their needs at a fair price. So, we put in place rules – specifically General Conditions C5.1-5.5, which came into force in October 2018 – requiring providers to have policies and procedures in place to make sure vulnerable customers are treated fairly.

So it does seem that the provider has a duty to protect vulnerable customers from unfair pricing. 

Age is identified as a characteristic of a vulnerable customer in section 1.4 of the guide

Anybody can face circumstances that lead to them becoming vulnerable - temporarily or permanently. This might include physical or mental health problems, specific characteristics such as age or literacy skills, or changes in personal circumstances such as bereavement, job loss or changes in household income. The Covid-19 pandemic and the steps taken to protect public health in response have increased the potential for customers’ circumstances to change suddenly, making them more vulnerable.

Full guide for anyone interested https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0034/198763/treating-vulnerable-customer-fairly-guide.pdf

kazwookie said:

Have they spoken to virgin, while you or your wife are there, and asked for a cheaper rate / an account check?  If not they need to do that asap

Yes they offered to reduce them to the 100mb service for just £50 per month. I told them that I'd seen Vodafone for £20 per month on this site, and they warned me that Vodafone don't give Ofcom protection, which contradicts the info this site gives. I know who I trust there...

LycanGav

never_growin_up said:

Age is identified as a characteristic of a vulnerable customer in section 1.4 of the guide

Anybody can face circumstances that lead to them becoming vulnerable - temporarily or permanently. This might include physical or mental health problems, specific characteristics such as age or literacy skills, or changes in personal circumstances such as bereavement, job loss or changes in household income. The Covid-19 pandemic and the steps taken to protect public health in response have increased the potential for customers’ circumstances to change suddenly, making them more vulnerable.

Full guide for anyone interested https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0034/198763/treating-vulnerable-customer-fairly-guide.pdf

kazwookie said:

Have they spoken to virgin, while you or your wife are there, and asked for a cheaper rate / an account check?  If not they need to do that asap

Yes they offered to reduce them to the 100mb service for just £50 per month. I told them that I'd seen Vodafone for £20 per month on this site, and they warned me that Vodafone don't give Ofcom protection, which contradicts the info this site gives. I know who I trust there...

"Might" is the key phrase there. You would have to prove that their age makes them vulnerable. What you would be asked to demonstrate is a capacity issue, and likely would be expected to provide evidence of this being communicated to Virgin prior to a contract renewal. This would then constitute Virgin taking advantage. Otherwise, as brutal as it sounds, it's just sour grapes. Plenty of 80 year olds are perfectly capable of managing their utilities and bills without needing protection forced on them.

However, another path to pursue may be lodging a complaint and then seeking a gesture of goodwill from Virgin in order to resolve. It won't be anything close to the amount you believe (incorrectly in my opinion) your Grandparents have been overcharged, but going to the Ombudsman will result in you being told to go whistle dixie (again, in my opinion).

victor2

Assuming they are not in contract, just a rolling 30 day notice arrangement, do the usual "trick" of giving notice to leave and wait for the retentions people to call (usually within a day or so of giving notice). They should come up with a reasonable deal to stay with them. Just make sure Virgin have your parent's phone number (if they don't have a Virgin landline) and they're not opted out of marketing info.

Of course that means you probably won't be there when the call comes, but if you instruct your parents to only accept something less than £50 per month for 100Mb and phone line with talk weekends included, then that may sort it out. Do be prepared to leave just in case Virgin don't call with an offer, but it is widely reported that they generally do.

They should get email confirmation of any offer they accept and they'll have a 14 day cooling off period, so you should be able to review what they've accepted in your absence. It should appear in the online account too.

matelodave

How does one define a "Vulnerable Person",  when speaking to them over the phone of getting them to fill in a form. What happens if they don't actually contact you and just let the contract or whatever run on, which sounds much like what has happened in this case.

Do you ask them, what if they say no.

Do you anticipate that they are because of their age, in which case many, including me (I'm 75) would be pretty insulted

Do you guess because perhaps they sound a bit doddery.

Do you tell them that they cant have what they want because you think it's inappropriate for their age even though that's what they asked for.

I'd feel pretty annoyed if someone suggested that I cant have boxed sets, fast broadband or even F1 if they considered that I was too old or "Vulnerable".

IMO if you feel that your parents or grandparents, auntie or uncle etc need some help, then surely it would be more appropriate to try and help them out yourself rather than criticising a supplier. However that said, I'd probably give my kids a flea in their ear if I felt they were interfering in my business or viewing choices.

That opinion might change in the future when I get old and doddery but by then I might still be paying for highspeed broadband, and exotic channels on my TV, who knows. However my kids wouldn't moan about the supplier ripping me off, they'd just think I was a silly B

wild666

Only last week I had someone at my door trying to sell me a  FULL FIBRE package at £60 plus a month. A neighbour coming in from work asked the person about it and when she asked what company it was with he was reluctant to say but when pressured he finally said TALK TALK and she asked him the monthly price he said £30 per month but she pushed him further and finally got that it was £60 after the first 12 months of a 24 month contract, £900 over two years. I had just renewed the contract with my provider for 24 months at £27.50 a month saving 50p a month and it included a new router.  

Neil49

In the opening post the OP states that the account had a "do not contact" flag against it. That means what it says but he appears to imply that Virgin should have contacted them. 

As the saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it.

Just get them a better deal and move on.