Virgin Media retention deals (post your haggling successes)

den169 · 4 October 2018 at 8:17PM

fondue wrote: »

Yes, its on top. Around £16 per month. How did you get out of paying it?

They offered it the first time then iv'e insisted on it each year since,Even though i was told last year oh you won't get that again i did when retentions rang me.Gonna cancel again tomorrow see what they come up with.

y_geordie · 5 October 2018 at 8:45AM

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

Have any super bargainers out there managed to snag a great deal from Virgin for BB only? I'm currently on 100meg for £22 per month although going up to £25 with the price increase.

I'd need a new line if I move away from Virgin but not too bothered about competing with the "100meg" that Virgin supply me because to be honest at peak time I get about 30meg anyway.

Comparing on MSE or elsewhere I can get TalkTalk 36Mb fibre for (effective) £19.17 per month. So the plan is to ring Virgin and cancel and then through retentions try and get them to the £20 a month price point. Possible?

I left immediately when price increase letter arrived (I was paying £35 for 100MB with phone and basic TV but never plugged TV in as in another room). They tried to say as my price was not increasing for another 5 months until end of contract I couldn't cancel but I pretended I was stupid and said I didn't believe them unless they sent me confirmation in a printed letter rather than email. They got annoyed with me and allowed me to cancel after 30 days.

Two days later retention team called me. Apparently haven't used landline for 3 months so they offered me £21 for 100MB BB only for 18m contract. So I took it. Hope there is no price rise in that time.

The_Flying_General · 5 October 2018 at 5:50PM

The_Flying_General wrote: »

I had a call from Retentions whilst I was at work, so missed it. Rang the number back just to check and got a pre-recorded message so tried the usual ‘thinking of leaving’ option and asked if they could help or put me through or even leave a note on my file to say contact after a certain time. No was the flat response to all and I’ve heard nothing since.

I’m happy to keep Virgin if they come up with a sensible price. Any ideas of how to tell Outbound retentions to call when I’m actually home?

Well we’re into the last 48 hours. 4 missed calls during working hours despite my telling them several times and them noting a preferred time to call in the evening when I’m actually able to take calls, and one call I picked up by sheer fluke when out of the office and which disconnected after 20 seconds (seems to be a problem judging by other comments).

It seems someone in Retentions is eager to talk - so why is this so damned difficult?!

The_Flying_General · 6 October 2018 at 4:01PM

Finally sorted it out - although it took a stop in my local Virgin shop whilst out, and who dialled straight into Retentions when I explained about the 4 calls - yes they can do that, but they keep it quiet for obvious reasons.

Despite all that, no deals on offer for the General house - even the Virgin staff in the shop said £69 for Fun TV, phone and 100mb BB was a rip off, and that the offer of £53/6 months and £57/12 months was still a poor deal.So I said to go ahead with the cancellation which takes effect tomorrow with the staff nodding away as I spoke to Retentions.

They did then come back with an offer for BB only - 100mb for £29.50/6 months and £33/12 months, although just a 12 month contract. Decided to go with that as it’s better than anything I could get anywhere else, will need decent BB to stream TV and by the time the 18 months is up my area is likely to have Gb FTTH courtesy of CityFibre and I’ll hop to that. As for the TV and phone unlikely I’ll go back if streaming works out. So for the sake of meeting me half way now and keeping a long term customer happy, they opted for the short term win and a long term loss. Great business sense. I would be interested to learn why I couldn’t get a deal as a 10 year customer when others are getting them though. Did I miss a trick somewhere?

y_geordie · 7 October 2018 at 11:49AM

The_Flying_General wrote: »

Finally sorted it out - although it took a stop in my local Virgin shop whilst out, and who dialled straight into Retentions when I explained about the 4 calls - yes they can do that, but they keep it quiet for obvious reasons.

Despite all that, no deals on offer for the General house - even the Virgin staff in the shop said £69 for Fun TV, phone and 100mb BB was a rip off, and that the offer of £53/6 months and £57/12 months was still a poor deal.So I said to go ahead with the cancellation which takes effect tomorrow with the staff nodding away as I spoke to Retentions.

They did then come back with an offer for BB only - 100mb for £29.50/6 months and £33/12 months, although just a 12 month contract. Decided to go with that as it’s better than anything I could get anywhere else, will need decent BB to stream TV and by the time the 18 months is up my area is likely to have Gb FTTH courtesy of CityFibre and I’ll hop to that. As for the TV and phone unlikely I’ll go back if streaming works out. So for the sake of meeting me half way now and keeping a long term customer happy, they opted for the short term win and a long term loss. Great business sense. I would be interested to learn why I couldn’t get a deal as a 10 year customer when others are getting them though. Did I miss a trick somewhere?

I got 18m BB only for £21/mth (see above). Best thing you can do is actually quit but before you do that ask when you will get cut off (around 30 days). Then start looking around but don't sign up yet. Within a couple of days Virgin will call you. Unless you actually quit they won't take you seriously.

The_Flying_General · 7 October 2018 at 12:47PM

I got 18m BB only for £21/mth (see above). Best thing you can do is actually quit but before you do that ask when you will get cut off (around 30 days). Then start looking around but don't sign up yet. Within a couple of days Virgin will call you. Unless you actually quit they won't take you seriously.

I did cancel and had 4 calls from Retentions all of which were whilst I was at work or they dropped out after 20s. Today was the cut off day and that offer was best and final from Outbound Retentions not Customer Services. I hadn’t found anything better broadband wise (40mb is max download on an Openreach based network here) and I don’t have time to spend hunting for a completely new set up, so I viewed it acceptable until CityFibre Gb FTTH comes online.

As I said at the end of my comment, some people seem to be able to extract bargain basement deals and others don’t, even having put in a cancellation. I’d love to know why the inconsistency, but it’s one of the reasons I ditched everything else. Even the assistants in the shop agreed with that point.

den169 · 7 October 2018 at 1:23PM

Well just rang to cancel and was told yours isn't going up because it was taken out in May.Recorded it on my phone just incase.

Ascerco · 8 October 2018 at 3:02PM

First year price was £33 per month. I had a letter saying it was going up to £48 per month. One phone call of 7.22mins inclusive of all the buttons press 1 for x etc and it’s back to £35 for 12 months. Happy with that happy with the service. Annoyed you have to make a call but certainly worth 7.22 mins of my time.

ceegee · 9 October 2018 at 2:17PM

I have been with Virgin Media for many years, as I don't really understand technology and I can't haggle and wouldn't know how to go about changing. Also, i have the landline, TV and broadband all together, which is what I want. However, my new price is £61 per month, which seems to be a total rip off. I don't do fancy things, just watch TV, browse the internet, send a few emails and make phone calls (no international stuff)..

How can I get them to reduce the monthly price? I am not a confident or assertive person, but I know that I am being ripped off. I couldn't cope with the upheaval that changing suppliers would entail, so I have to get my Virgin Media charge reduced. It will be hard enough to make the initial call, so how should I appproach it with them? Any kind advice would be welcome and much appreciated.

Thank you.

AlexDao · 9 October 2018 at 3:04PM

Hi all,

my player bundle (100 broadband, player TV, talk weekend) @ £30 a month is coming to an end at the end of november.
I cant recall if I received any letters about a price increase but I was just after some advice.

I only really need broadband as dont really watch TV or use a homephone (both are actually unplugged!)

What should I aim for re a broadband package? (broadband and phone if necessary)?

Seems like some people here have a sub £20 broadband only package and that would be ideal I think but anyone with other packages or thoughts?

Thanks!

Virgin Media retention deals (post your haggling successes)

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