Virgin Media Haggle success

vofnew123

My Virgin Media is out of contract in January. After lengthy (and friendly) conversations with a couple of people, I have got my bill down from £77 to £34!
I have dumped the landline (unplugged for years!) Also got rid of the Tivo box, as I can get everything I need on my smart TV. Upped speed from 250 to 500. I'm very happy!

booneruk

Well done! You have to fight them hard, and even get right up to the point of disconnection sometimes, but haggling can work wonders.

I reduced my package down from a potential £120pm to £61 - but I needed to go as far as telling them to disconnect me after two unsatisfactory offers and a lot of calls. I only really need the internet (WFH), so got myself a 4G sim and router to tide me through. VM eventually came calling  It's a merry little dance we do, but very MSE.

katejo

vofnew123 said:

My Virgin Media is out of contract in January. After lengthy (and friendly) conversations with a couple of people, I have got my bill down from £77 to £34!
I have dumped the landline (unplugged for years!) Also got rid of the Tivo box, as I can get everything I need on my smart TV. Upped speed from 250 to 500. I'm very happy!

I need to try this. I also plan to dump my landline but I do still want to keep Tivo. My tv isn't a smart one. Did you threaten to leave them to achieve this?

vofnew123

Yes. I had quotes on hand from MSE. It took a while but I got what I wanted. 

mpr87

I've also had a bit of success with Virgin today via their online chat.

I'm pretty annoyed with myself as I noticed that my contract appears to have expired months ago and i stupidly hadn't noticed the ridiculous £55 a month that had been going out just for 125mb broadband for the last 6 months. Although they have never contacted me to tell me otherwise or provide renewal offers, it's only when i've logged into the account i've found the renewal offers. 

I logged onto the account and their offer was £35 a month for 125 mb or 250 MB for £39 a month.

i made a point of telling them i was frustrated that my contract had expired months ago and i'd recieved no contact regarding renewing and they eventually offered me a price of £25 per month for the 250mbs broadband. I now feel like that's a reasonable monthly amount but i'm also so frustrated that i hadn't spotted the out of contact price sooner which is an obscene amount of money at £55 a month.

iniltous

I thought Ofcom had stipulated that providers had to contact customers as the minimum term expires  or the price is going up after a discount period so the customer didn’t overlook the increase, however it’s possible they get around this putting the notification somewhere they know the majority of customers won’t look , like your online account…..I wouldn’t be surprised if other ISPs also  use this opaque way to advise customers so they can extract extra cash from their customers.

john1

mpr87 said:

I've also had a bit of success with Virgin today via their online chat.

I'm pretty annoyed with myself as I noticed that my contract appears to have expired months ago and i stupidly hadn't noticed the ridiculous £55 a month that had been going out just for 125mb broadband for the last 6 months. Although they have never contacted me to tell me otherwise or provide renewal offers, it's only when i've logged into the account i've found the renewal offers. 

I logged onto the account and their offer was £35 a month for 125 mb or 250 MB for £39 a month.

i made a point of telling them i was frustrated that my contract had expired months ago and i'd received no contact regarding renewing and they eventually offered me a price of £25 per month for the 250Mbs broadband. I now feel like that's a reasonable monthly amount but i'm also so frustrated that i hadn't spotted the out of contact price sooner which is an obscene amount of money at £55 a month.

My Virgin contract expired end Nov (250Mb + unlimited phone @ £21.76 monthly  ) Initially in September Virgin sent an "Exclusive" renewal offer new contract @ £56 month.
Ignored their "exclusive  offer." Many chats with lower offers etc Eventually called by outbound  VM,  I was not happy about previous  "offers and messing about".and was leaving.for 3(three) home broadband at £17 month  One day before actual termination VM text a renewing offered of 250mbs broadband at £17 or +voice at £25 

At that time in December I was parallel running a 3 (three) unlimited home broadband  30 day trial at £17 month and as the 3 home broad band was running on average 500Mb peaking 1.3 Gb and will only increase in April by £2 i signed up and more than happy. Time will tell if I made the right choice . Ported out my "landline" number to VOIP at £1.50 month using my SIP app on mobile phone for  incoming calls. 

  

Ash_Pole

I've been offered £61.22 by Virgin for Maxit TV, 350MB broadband, and TNT and Sky Sports HD. Does this look like a good deal, or if I haggle could I get a significant discount?

LouiseAH

Virgin Media have offered me M125 Broadband Service for £17.00 a month but will be increasing it in April to £20.50. Seems expensive to me for just a M125 Broadband Service compared to what other deals people have got. I have cancelled my service with them. Any feedback from other board members of what they paid for similar service would be appreciated.

mdet

I'm in a similar situation but I've just failed to get what I wanted.
My contract ended a few months back and I'm now paying £99 for 350MB, TV (not sports or movies) and phone line (that I don't use).  I'm happy to take the blame for not sorting out a new contract sooner, I'm just thinking of my options now.

My house doesn't have a connected BT line but BT have said they can connect me up for free and it will then be £38 (ish) for 500 MB Full Fibre internet.  I'm happy to drop the phone and TV package.

I spent 90 minutes last night on the VM chat bot and they came don to £53 for 350Mb + 100 Channel TV.
I pushed and they offered 125Mb and 250Mb for a few £s less.
I pushed for "Just Broadband" and they offered 350Mb for £56 - £3 MORE than with TV.

My feeling now is just to sign up to BTs deal and get their lines installed.  VM will probably then offer me a better deal but if I actually get BT wires installed then I will have freedom to switch in the future.
VM currently offer £350Mb to new customers for £30/month (not the £56 they offered me).

Does anyone have any thoughts, advice, suggestions ?

FreddieM

I have tried negotiating with VM on line as my contract ended today 4th Feb. I was on £26.11 for 125mb and anytime calls 18 month contract. They have now quoted me £58.69 for the same package. New customers £17 per month. They didn't seem bothered when I quoted what they are doing for new customers. I'll see where it goes as I have now paid the higher price and given 30 days notice. Not convinced that they will offer any better but I have always believed that you don't gamble on anything unless your prepared to lose. Overall I've been happy with them for 5 years but they have no loyalty so I'll see what's around in case they do call me back.