New Virgin Media terms - will you be cancelling your contract?

dhokes

Virgin Media are changing their terms soon so that you can’t cancel if they change their prices mid contract.

Details:

We usually change our prices each year – writing to let you know how much they’re going up and giving you the chance to cancel. From April 2024, we’re doing things differently, so any price rise to your package will be made at the same time every year. This’ll be linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) rate of inflation plus an additional 3.9% – which means the amount of any increase will be clearer, sooner.

To do this, we need to change our Legal Stuff. The key features of our new rules are:
* The monthly subscription price for your services will increase every April, starting from April 2024
* It’ll go up by the RPI rate of inflation plus an additional 3.9%
* This increase will apply to the monthly subscription price you’re paying at that time and also (if applicable) to the monthly price payable after subsequent expiry of any applicable offer or discount
* The RPI rate will be the amount that’s announced in the preceding February of that year, so you’ll be able to work out the exact increase from that date
* If the RPI rate is 0% or less, your price will increase by 3.9%
* We’ll publish the relevant RPI rate on our website as soon as it becomes available
* As this annual price increase is provided for in your terms, there’s no right to cancel because of it from April 2024
* These rules will also apply to any optional add-ons you’ve chosen in addition to your core package, excluding Netflix Add to Bill , Disney+, Lionsgate+ or Stream entertainment subscriptions. These excluded add-ons, as well as admin charges (e.g., paper billing) and any out-of-allowance charges (e.g., non-inclusive calls) you incur, will continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions in respect of price changes as applied before this change to your terms and conditions

These changes to your terms and conditions will come into effect from 1st November 2023, even though the first price rise they relate to won’t be until April 2024. To see your new terms and conditions, along with our FAQs page, head to virginmedia.com/pricing-terms-2024

Will you be cancelling your contract? Will you be switching to another supplier, if so, who? Does anyone know if Sky have similar terms?

If I want to have either Sky Sports Football or TNT Sports, I guess my best option is to leave at the end of my Virgin contract and switch to Sky to get their ‘new customer’ deal and keep switching between the two providers?

garrehsponges

The terms actually look more favourable IF the below "representive examples" is accurate:

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/how-to/pricing-terms-2024

Scenario 2
Lisa signs up to a new contract in August 2023 with a subscription charge that costs £40 a month for the first 18 months with a standard price from month 19 of £50 a month. If the RPI rate announced in February 2024 is 5% (example only), Lisa’s monthly subscription charge would increase in April 2024 by 8.9% (5 + 3.9%). Lisa’s monthly subscription charge would increase from £40 a month to £43.56 a month (£40 +8.9% = £43.56). Lisa’s standard monthly charge from month 19 would also increase from £50 a month to £54.45 a month (£50 + 8.9% = £54.45)

This examples shows price rises are calculated based on contracted/discounted price.

In my experience that's not how it worked last year when Virgin Media tried to hike our contract. They calculated the rise relative to the standard base price, so in effect from the perspective to the customers contracted price:

Example: £15/month contract (with discounts, standard price £60/month)
Assuming 10% hike:
Increase relative to contract price: 15 * 1.1 = 16.1, or £1.10 hike a month (+10% increase)
Increase relative to standard price: 60 * 1.1 = 66, or £6.00 hike a month (+40% increase)

The later is how Virgin calculated our last mid-18 month contract hike - which is a 40% increase from the customers perspective (21/15 = 1.4 = 40%)

It's yet to be seen if they will honour it, but as it's clearly written in terms they should.

It's definitely a step backwards though with the inability to cancel contract if they hike - can thank Ofcom for that, as they pretty much opened the door, as long as prices provided up front was clear.

FreeBear

garrehsponges said: In my experience that's not how it worked last year when Virgin Media tried to hike our contract. They calculated the rise relative to the standard base price, so in effect from the perspective to the customers contracted price:

They attempted to increase my price by a substantial amount back in the spring. Told them I was going to cancel the contract and go else where. In response, they offered to keep the price the same. In may, they went ahead and charged me an extra £6/mo. Another formal complaint logged.... Now getting a £6 credit applied to my account each month on top of a £17 discount. A pretty sure bet that their RPI+3.9% will be applied to the package price before taking in to account any credits & discounts.

FYI - That bit about price rises isn't new. It was introduced back in April of this year.

I will be leaving for pastures new when my contract expires in a couple of months. If they want me to renew, I'll be driving a hard bargain - 125M for £21/mo with free weekend/evening calls, and no price rises during the contract period.

Now that my area has been cabled up by CityFibre, I have my eye on a number of providers offering speeds ranging from 60M up to 500M (with varying prices too).

strandedinaber

I've literally just moved to Virgin Media and am pretty happy with the service but strongly considering cancelling. I suspect everyone else is making the same changes though!

chrisw

I'd love to cancel, if only on principle, but despite living in the middle of a large town, it's the only provider I can get with speeds over 67 Mbps so I'm stuck with them.

MuckChucker

Cancelled yesterday via Whatsapp (a blessing of a service considering the state of their CS). The only offer suggested during the exchange was to increase bundle cost by 55% . There are some really good deals on TCB so I may sign backup in the wifes name but they've left a bad taste in the mouth. Sky have a tempting offer for 500mbps fttp and Stream @£46pm with a £50 voucher + £120 cashback. It's just that I'm reading this Sky Stream Puck device is pretty rubbish so I'm in thhe process of digging for opinions. . .

BeerSavesMoney

MuckChucker said:

Cancelled yesterday via Whatsapp (a blessing of a service considering the state of their CS). The only offer suggested during the exchange was to increase bundle cost by 55% . There are some really good deals on TCB so I may sign backup in the wifes name but they've left a bad taste in the mouth. Sky have a tempting offer for 500mbps fttp and Stream @£46pm with a £50 voucher + £120 cashback. It's just that I'm reading this Sky Stream Puck device is pretty rubbish so I'm in thhe process of digging for opinions. . .

I’ve had Sky Stream earlier in the year, only cancelled to reduce costs. The picture quality was fantastic and those with major issues seem to be connected to a poor quality WiFi connection or have a slow/unreliable internet service. 

I had mine wired and didn’t use WiFi, I ran into a few issues with certain apps not loading or functioning correctly, mainly Netflix but apart from these occasional issues it was great.

edit: They have an offer on at the moment as well which includes 9 months free broadband if you order Sky Stream

MuckChucker

BeerSavesMoney said:

MuckChucker said:

Cancelled yesterday via Whatsapp (a blessing of a service considering the state of their CS). The only offer suggested during the exchange was to increase bundle cost by 55% . There are some really good deals on TCB so I may sign backup in the wifes name but they've left a bad taste in the mouth. Sky have a tempting offer for 500mbps fttp and Stream @£46pm with a £50 voucher + £120 cashback. It's just that I'm reading this Sky Stream Puck device is pretty rubbish so I'm in thhe process of digging for opinions. . .

I’ve had Sky Stream earlier in the year, only cancelled to reduce costs. The picture quality was fantastic and those with major issues seem to be connected to a poor quality WiFi connection or have a slow/unreliable internet service. 

I had mine wired and didn’t use WiFi, I ran into a few issues with certain apps not loading or functioning correctly, mainly Netflix but apart from these occasional issues it was great.

edit: They have an offer on at the moment as well which includes 9 months free broadband if you order Sky Stream

Yeah I saw that deal - (26*18)+(48*9), it's cheaper for me to go for the £46pm deal though and that's before the cashback comes into it. I am tempted. Let's see what retention offers VM come with, I can definitely get it cheaper than Sky but I do fancy a change

taximikey

I called to cancel and they seemed to suggest that even with the contract change as my account was new they wouldn't be changing the price in April - not convinced. Also, as per my other threat, I have been unable to cancel my O2 sim that's part of my bundle. 

FreeBear

taximikey said: I called to cancel and they seemed to suggest that even with the contract change as my account was new they wouldn't be changing the price in April - not convinced.

Unless you have it in writing, your package will increase in price by RPI+3.9% in April.

Been caught one already by being offered one "deal" verbally, and getting something else - Complaints team conveniently unable to find any notes or recordings of the discussion.... Now, all communication is in writing.

FreeBear

Trying to cancel is turning in to a nightmare.... Contract states that 30 days notice is given. Done that via email and now with their online chat system. They say that the cancellation can not be accepted as it is more than 60 days away.

My response is "You have acknowledged notice has been given, that you can not process it is not my problem".

Will wait to see if Virgin try to charge me beyond the date given.