MSE News: Virgin Media to hike prices by 13.8% – but you can leave penalty-free

danlightbulb

SaverRate said:

danlightbulb said:

Ok so my live chat exchange with VM resulted in the following message:

"What we can do is once the price rise applies on your account kindly reach out to us on the same chat and we will correct your bills to 33GBP per month. Is that okay?"

So yes, it is ok. But if I do wait until April, I will then have missed the cancelation window.

Do you consider this an acceptable offer?

Nope! Be very careful agreeing to anything like that unless you have it in writing. See my post above

I do have it in writing, on whatsapp live chat (now also screenshotted).

Paolo_S

I was supposed to be on a fixed contract paying £27/m until Dec '23. Then got the price hike email saying that my price will increase by £7 from May '23 (that's about 24% increase). Wasn't happy with that so rang the customer support number and spoke to a person who tried to first sell me an upgrade for more than twice what I'm currently paying, then when I pointed out that I didn't want to pay anything extra, he put me on hold and eventually said that he could waive the price increase so I'd stay on my current £27/month as per my original contract.

I know that VM are meant to be a good company to haggle with, but that basically means that the price increase is optional. If you don't phone them to complain about it you'll end up paying more than you need to. They said to me that they couldn't put it in writing (how surprising), but the price hike will definitely be waived.

Margery_Paul

I am on a deal,costing £84. That includes biggest tv package[does not include movies or sport) basic broadband and anytime telephone and has £10 discount, emdimg in October. Notified that new price will be £15 more,

Cannot find breakdown of cost anywhere. All I am interested in is broadband now. Have Firestick, mobile phones and can get NOW tv. 

What are people’s views on this, Are there providers which are as good as Virgin for broadband?

JamesM_2

Don't be too quick to dismiss a discount from the automated phone system.

I disregarded it and now am unable to get staff to match it. You also don't seem to get offered it twice.

averageguy11

Got my email….contract doesn’t end until sometime in July …in bold print the increase won’t come into effect until then

averageguy11

Margery_Paul said:

I am on a deal,costing £84. That includes biggest tv package[does not include movies or sport) basic broadband and anytime telephone and has £10 discount, emdimg in October. Notified that new price will be £15 more,

Cannot find breakdown of cost anywhere. All I am interested in is broadband now. Have Firestick, mobile phones and can get NOW tv. 

What are people’s views on this, Are there providers which are as good as Virgin for broadband?

…and are they saying the increase f9mes into effect in May? Only mine says not until current offer ends 

FreeBear

Paolo_S said:

I was supposed to be on a fixed contract paying £27/m until Dec '23. Then got the price hike email saying that my price will increase by £7 from May '23 (that's about 24% increase). Wasn't happy with that so rang the customer support number and spoke to a person who tried to first sell me an upgrade for more than twice what I'm currently paying, then when I pointed out that I didn't want to pay anything extra, he put me on hold and eventually said that he could waive the price increase so I'd stay on my current £27/month as per my original contract.

I know that VM are meant to be a good company to haggle with, but that basically means that the price increase is optional. If you don't phone them to complain about it you'll end up paying more than you need to. They said to me that they couldn't put it in writing (how surprising), but the price hike will definitely be waived.

My bill was supposed to go up by £6 in May (~21% increase). Emailed the complaints resolution team telling them that I did not accept the increased cost as I had originally been sold a fixed price contract - One that I expected them to honour for the full term.

Have a reply stating that I will indeed remain on the agreed fix price, so no increase. As this is in an email, they won't be able to wriggle out of it.

Clavers

Received an email saying my £46 pm contract will be increased by 26%.  Disgusting.  Spent 3 hours online and managed to get my £46 DEcreased by 26% until my contract ends in July.  Do these companies not understand that they are contributing to the cost of living crisis with these ridiculous increases?  Will be looking at alternatives when my contract ends.

movingpictures

It's all very well saying customers can exit their contract but I spent 7 hours on the 27th of February between 1400 and 2100 waiting for anything but a chat bot to reply back to on an hourly basis. Is there any way to insure you can actually cancel if they simply refuse to communicate. This  is not a rant but would really like to get it sorted so any constructive advice on how to get it done would be greatly appreciated. 
Like the product/service just want out of the contract as have moved to an area without coverage from them. 

saajan_12

What I don't get is why a fixed term contract isn't binding on VM too. If they can't unilaterally change a contract, why can't you stick to the agreement rather than the only option being to leave? 
(I don't mean what you can negotiate with retentions, but what you legally have a right to).