Virgin Media Contract Issues

musntgrumble222

Bit of context. My mother (85) has Alzheimer's but is still independent and lives alone (support nearby, although i don't live nearby). I have power of attorney on finance/health. 

I manage her Virgin Media account but her contract ended recently and her monthly payment has gone from around £20 to £56 and an additional activation fee (£30+). I've been in contact with Virgin numerous times (via Chat, ringing is difficult). I'm under the impression that they rang her up, even though I have specified them not to because of her condition, and she agreed to change the contract (although she obviously doesn't remember this), and Virgin have been giving me contrasting stories on this. 

She only needs TV and phone. Her new contract has broadband (she's 85 and never used the internet). They told me that she was under contract and would have to pay the remaining balance to get out of the contract. 

I put in a complaint which was supposed to be answered in 28 days. Nearing the end of this time i received an email (11 Nov) saying the issue had been resolved. Nobody had spoken to me or called me about this. When i spoke (chat) to Virgin again they couldn't give me a reason why this had happened. So i registered a new complaint. 

Yesterday i received another email stating the issue had been resolved. It hadn't. I spoke to them last night (chat) and they said i was due a phone call and that someone would contact me in 15-20mins. Never happened. So i got back onto chat (and the pain of going through the security questions with a bot) again. Someone said they'd ring back in the next hour. Again nothing happened. 

This service is a disgrace. It's really difficult as i don't live near my mother. I never involve her in these matters as it really upsets her and with her Alzheimers causes her distress. 

Previously she paid for just TV and phone calls and only watched the mainstream tv programmes (BBC, ITV etc). It seems that you now have to have Broadband with any package. It's easy to say just dump Virgin (if i could) and go with someone else which i would if i lived close to her but she doesn't need any distractions. She's been with Virgin for 16 years. (this was in the email they sent me). 

I'm considering going to the Ombudsman about this but would welcome any advice. 

littleboo

if she only watches mainstream TV, why does she need a TV package at all? All that is free to view through an aerial and unless its ancient, her TV will have a suitable tuner. She could get phone from BT and ditch Virgin if you can solve the contract issue.

prowla

Virgin are a pretty awful company to deal with.

My record with Virgin is that you have to make several calls and most of them will tell you anything they can to placate you (I've had one where the operative told me that the person on the previous call had lied to me), until you get one who is of any use.

However, all of the companies are shifting away from POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) to IP-based services which run over broadband; I expect that has been Virgin's driver for the change on their part.

Tthere is a cooling-off period in new contracts, though; the advice to ditch them and go BT & Freeview is well worth considering.

Billxx

Virgin Media customer services are shocking - if you can move to another provider.

jlfrs01

Sorry but I'm struggling to see what the complaint is exactly about because in one paragraph the OP is saying they want to cancel the contract but in another write they won't because of the impact on their mother. If it's shoddy customer service then absolutely, Virgin has well-documented form but I can't see a complaint to the Ombudsman on the grounds they're switching to VOIP services to replace analogue landlines. BTW, there will be some impact for customers because unless they already own a Virgin Router, presumably one will be winging it's way to the OP's mother for installation.

musntgrumble222

jlfrs01 said:

Sorry but I'm struggling to see what the complaint is exactly about because in one paragraph the OP is saying they want to cancel the contract but in another write they won't because of the impact on their mother. If it's shoddy customer service then absolutely, Virgin has well-documented form but I can't see a complaint to the Ombudsman on the grounds they're switching to VOIP services to replace analogue landlines. BTW, there will be some impact for customers because unless they already own a Virgin Router, presumably one will be winging it's way to the OP's mother for installation.

The main complaint is that they  upgraded my mum's contract without consulting me and contacting her (against my wishes). Selling her add-ons that she clearly doesn't need. An upgraded TV package for example. She will agree to anything because she doesn't understand and vulnerable - hence the power of attorney which Virgin are aware of.  The customer service has been appalling. Different stories, no explanations. 

jlfrs01

musntgrumble222 said:

The main complaint is that they  upgraded my mum's contract without consulting me and contacting her (against my wishes). Selling her add-ons that she clearly doesn't need. An upgraded TV package for example. She will agree to anything because she doesn't understand and vulnerable - hence the power of attorney which Virgin are aware of.  The customer service has been appalling. Different stories, no explanations. 

If you had previously written to Virgin with a copy of the LPA and expressing your wish the only contact is with you then that could be cause for complaint, as could selling an upgraded package if it wasn't appropriate. In either event, to go to the Ombudsman you'd have to go through Virgin's formal complaint procedure and if at the end of that you're still dissatisifed, it is at that point you can open a case with the Ombudsman but you will need ample evidence to prove wrongdoing on Virgin's part.

In the original post, you mentioned the new package included Broadband - what else is included in the package that you consider to be overkill?

What choice is Virgin now offering customers who only want TV and phone in terms of current packages on offer? If there's one which is more suitable then could you ask to switch to that perhaps.