Help! in a Broadband pickle

atravellingpang
atravellingpang Posts: 1 Newbie
in Broadband & internet access
I'm currently with BT paying £52.49 a month, out of contract. Tried to join Vodafone but they couldn't confirm download speed so went with Virgin for £40 a month plus £75 bill credit effectively making it £33.75. Then realised Virgin don't help you leave your current provider and managed to confirm with Vodafone a decent download speed who contacted BT on my behalf so went with them for £27 a month.
BT Retention called and offered me £19.99 so decided to stay with them. Canceled my Vodafone order. Then tried to cancel Virgin but as am outside '14 day cooling off period', I will be charged EDF of £260. Spoke to BT and they won't cover it as it wasn't part of the deal that was agreed with Retention team.
I want to claim that Virgin can't charge me as I'm not using their service (technically correct as haven't connected to them yet) however have done research/read Virgin's T&Cs and contract start date is the date my kit arrived or when they made 'service available' to me. I've just see my first bill and it's £119 (first and second month plus installation fee) and no bill credit in sight!!
HELP. I want to leave Virgin.
How can I get out of my contract?
How can I recover some of these charges?

Comments

  • AndyPK
    AndyPK Posts: 4,241 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    don't sign for the router. or collect it.

    Complain there is no bill credit and use as an excuses to leave?
  • couriervanman
    couriervanman Posts: 1,667 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
    No help now......but you should have phoned BT first to see what they could offer
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 5,186 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Of no help to the OP I'm afraid but this is why if I'm switching, I don't try to cancel in cooling off periods regardless of the belated retention offer from the existing supplier. It's far too much hassle with too much to go wrong.
  • Biggus_Dickus
    Biggus_Dickus Posts: 1,636 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    I’m no legal expert but on the face of it Virgin are well within their rights to invoke their £260 cancellation fee. They’ve already invested a considerable sum in you, as a new customer. Router, engineer/installation visit, admin etc.

    If you stay with Virgin (£33.72/month) you’ll pay £405 + £39?? installation fee = £444 for the first 12 months.

    BT will charge you £240 for the first 12 months.

    You have a choice;...stay with BT and hope you can ‘negotiate’ your way out of your Virgin contract;...a risky strategy perhaps!

    Or,... cancel your new BT contract (assuming you still have time!) and bite the bullet by staying with Virgin;...it’s going to cost you an extra £204? over the coming year but I assume (perhaps wrongly) that the Virgin fibre broadband will be faster and more stable than your local FTTC broadband offerings; i.e. BT, Vodafone etc.

    Assuming you purchased Virgin’s 110Mbps package perhaps you can, even now, negotiate a cheaper deal by dropping down to their cheapest 55Mbps broadband package.

    I’ve been a Virgin fibre (Broadband only) customer for 8 years and my service has always been excellent, tbh,...but it isn't cheap. However, I have no knowledge of how stringent Virgin are when it comes to letting new customers ‘off the hook’ so to speak.

    Good luck,...I have a feeling you’ll need it.
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