Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Hello everyone,

I have recently cancelled my Virgin subscription. I have moved to another area, and have opted for Sky.

Anyway, I still have the V+ Box and the original viewing card.

Is it possible to still use this box if I sold it on?

Not sure about the legalities or technicalities, or if the card would still be valid, any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Nope,it belongs to VM.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

It's still belongs to VM. They may hound you for it so I'd hold onto it for now.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

No the box remains the property of Virgin Media and should be returned to them. Ideally they should arrange for it's collection.

Set Top Boxes for cable in the UK can only be used as part of a subscription, and are supplied by the cable company as required by the subscription.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

OK, for argument's sake, let's say I did sell it.

Would it work for another subscriber?

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

No it would not. Virgin Media could also take legal action against you and the person to whom you sold it.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

:erm:

HHMMM a mate of mine cancelled his subscription with VM about 3 months ago and still has his V+ box, despite a couple of calls they have'nt picked it up, they never even said they would pick it up,strange!

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

If you don't return the box - Virgin charge you £250 to replace it, and you still can't then legally sell it on (no matter what Jethro says)

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Yup, just to reiterate BenMcr's point.

Sell it and you will be charged.

Doesn't matter whether it would work for someone else or not (which it wouldn't without a subscription and a payment of the set up fee)

There was a hold on all equipment collection for a while. VM are now collecting again, though, so i'd strongly advise calling them again to arrange a collection time.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Virgin can tell you whatever they want you to parrot down the phone to your ex-subs, but that doesn't make it correct. Under English law if they charge you in lieu of the equipment being returned, they have sold it to you and the equipment becomes yours. You may then do whatever you please with it, including selling it on eBay.

Virgin has taken a ridiculous heavy-handed approach, trying to put the onus on ex-subs to make sure the equipment is returned, when all they have actually done is legitimise a second-hand trade that previously was in all respects unlawful, because previously there was no way you could claim you owned the box.

To adam1516: If you have paid Virgin Media £250 for your V+ box, then it is yours to do with as you please. However you cannot put anything on your eBay listing that might encourage people to believe it will be of any use to them if they buy it, because it won't; we have told you that it won't work for anyone who buys it, so you would be committing fraud.

On the other hand if you haven't paid Virgin for the box, you're not even entitled to sell it and will be arguably committing acts of theft and handling stolen goods as well as fraud.

You have been warned!

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Ok sorry, I should have rephrased - 'legally sell it on as a working V+ box'

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

And good luck trying to recoup your £250.00 by just selling it as a 'BOX' lol.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

well, I did pay £150.00 when I first signed up. Seems to be a fair amount of confusion regarding this matter.

Committing fraud? Sounds a bit far-fetched to me. Anyway, it would be impossible to prove.

I only ask because I have seen quite a few of these boxes for sale on ebay, and none of the bidders seem overly concerned.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

:D:D How useful would that be;
Usefull legal suggestions on postcards or sealed down envelopes to :

I've got a box to sell competition
PO Box 10
Tryebay
HA4 IT
(free betmax tape or music cartridge to each entrant) ;)

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Indeed - it wouldn't happen. However Virgin has still muddied the waters by making it technically possible for someone to own a V+ box, where previously it was not possible. It means someone can claim on eBay that they are the legit owner without it being an obvious lie.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

The £150.00 you paid would have been the set up fee and the T&C's would clearly state at this point that the box still belongs to VM.

its if you then wish to keep the box after your subscription is over, you need to pay the further charge of £250.00

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

I would imagine 99.999% of people buying V+ V boxes or modems have no interest in legal uses anyway

@the op put it in the loft and wait for it to be collected

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Trust me it's not far-fetched. That's the legal situation. Whether you get caught of course is a different matter.

As for the bidders being unconcerned, well they're most likely either ignorant of the fact it won't work and think they might be getting a bargain, or else they're dodgy geezahs who hope to modify the box so that it will work. But we don't talk about such things on this forum. ;)

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Agreed.

However, if the box is still VM's property you will have agreed under your user terms to take the responsibilty to make sure that a collection would be arranged. ie. VM have placed the onus on you to contact them to arrange the collection.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

yeah but we all know of or at least I do of collected V boxes miraculously finding there way into living rooms with no subs to pay ;)

If I was going to steal cable which I do not promote or have any intention of doing I would not use VM equipment

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Haha... no you must be mistaken.
People wouldn't be so dishonest! ;)

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

of course not I personally seen a VM van(with 2 guys of course) doing a repull and installation on a Sunday afternoon installing 2 modified V boxes and charging the guy £300 for the privalidge ;)

do you think they got the boxes off ebay ? ;)

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

I've got hours and hours of recordings on the box. Is there anyway I can extract these recordings?

I did try just plugging in the box to the TV, but no luck.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

no subs means no use :)

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Its amazing how many people sell these boxes on Ebay not knowing Virgin want it back.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

:nono:

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

That's not very helpful.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Sorry thats supposed to be a guy wagging his finger to say no...
wasnt supposed to be what it looks like...

SORRY!!! :erm:

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Common-sense should tell us that once you paid a replacment fee that the box becomes yours (in any court in the land), so it is legal to sell it on Ebay or anywhere else.

At last - someone else whos got common-sense enough to see the difference between what VM 'say' and what's right (lawful)

.

---------- Post added at 17:25 ---------- Previous post was at 17:23 ----------


Brilliant! After all i've been saying found someone who agrees

Only just read this far

.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

The amount you paid was for connection.

You can "own" the box - if VM send you a letter saying you can keep it for a fee (I believe the law regards this transaction as a "sale"). However it is utterly useless. It only works with the VM network and VM won't connect any boxes it doesn't own to their network.

Although the box may have been fully-functional when you last tried it. Any attempt to sell it in such as way as might lead the buyer to believe it would function as a PVR might constitute fraud.

Knowing that it won't function as a PVR (unless VM changes its policy - which is hardly likely), any attempt to sell it would look exactly like an attempt to rip someone off, so what's the point? Any buyer wouldn't be able to use it and would surely pursue for a refund.

Re: Can I sell my V+ Box?
 

Also remember that the serial number (physical and software and card is allocated to your account, anyone else trying to use it illegally well you're thier first port of call ;)