New contract rip off
 

Hi,
Increased my broadband speed from 2MB to 10MB last week. Only because my broadband was running at dial-up speeds.

Yesterday a new welcome pack arrived, when I compared the new contract with my original I found my contract number had changed and I had a new contract date??

On phoning customer services, I was told I was on a new 12 month contract because they had given me more discount for increasing my speed. At no time was I informed about renewing my contract or agreed to a new contract.

Original discount £10.50 new discount £11.50, you do the maths.

New customer signing up £15 a month for the first 6 months then £20 month after that. On my bill broadband £25 adjusted to £20 with discounts. If Virgin want to give me a new contract then offer me the same as new customers or just leave my original contract and discounts alone.

What I would like to know if this is common practice for Virgin?????

Re: New contract rip off
 

Yes, it is.

Re: New contract rip off
 

You rang up and changed your contract and a change of contract means a new 12 month deal.

Re: New contract rip off
 

I rang up to increase the speed of my broadband; my original contract was to have their broadband, TV and phone service in my house. That hasn’t changed just the speed on one of the services. How can they justify giving me a new contract without notification or approval from me? That must be breaking some law, if not just common decency to a customer that’s been with them for a long time and never missed a payment.

Re: New contract rip off
 

Your original contract included broadband up to a specific speed.

Re: New contract rip off
 

Yes you should have been told/asked but you still have time to change your mind probably so its your call

Re: New contract rip off
 

I have been on the phone today to lodge a complaint and will be onto them tomorrow to get it changed back. The slow speed was down to a faulty modem, I now have a sleek new black number that solved the original problem:). So it’s back down to 2MB for me if they still want to tie me in for another 12 months:(.

Thanks for all the feedback….

Re: New contract rip off
 

Yep. some might call it deceit, dishonesty or fraud. they should be telling you about whether you are entering a new contract. not keeping quiet and hoping you sign the papers without realising.

---------- Post added at 12:57 ---------- Previous post was at 12:54 ----------

If that was the case then what happens when they give you a free upgrade. he's contracted to receive a broadband service not a speed.
if it's the speed that he's contracted to then it gives it more welly if you had any complaint of not receiving the contracted speed.

Re: New contract rip off
 

He's contracted for a broadband service up to a specific speed.

If VM choose to give him a free upgrade without amending the contract that's up to them. If he elects to request a change to the terms of his service (the speed) then VM are entitled to request an additional contract period at that point.

Your mobile phone company will insist that you are locked in to a new contract if you go for a new/upgraded handset at the end of your contract period, this is often 18 months.

The difference is that Virgin don't appear to be very good at telling people that this is the case, and that's where they fall down.

Re: New contract rip off
 

In the past you could upgrade via your account online. there was no new 12 month contracts entered into from doing that. you could upgrade online but not downgrade.

The 12 month contract thing has to be a new thing. another thing they haven't got around to telling customers yet that is a new policy which is an amendment to their contracts.

People can say that they should be telling you and it's ok you can still cancel it, but there's thousands of people who have fell into this trap. the trap of Virgin keeping their mouths shut on purpose.

EDIT

I've just gone through the process of upgrading my speed I'm currently on.
You have to agree to the terms and conditions before the order goes through.

Terms and Conditions
Finally, it is important you read the following terms and conditions. Click at the bottom to accept.
Broadband Upgrade Terms and Conditions

Upgrades to Virgin Media's Broadband: Size L service via this site are only available to Virgin Media Broadband customers ('Existing Customers').

Existing Customers will be required to receive Virgin Media's Broadband: Size L service for at least two months, at the quoted monthly price, following the date of order. After this period they may downgrade to Virgin Media's Broadband: Size M (by contacting Virgin Media customer services).

Existing customer's minimum contract term commitment will continue to apply following an upgrade to the Virgin Media Broadband: Size L service.

As set out above. Customers' use of the Broadband: Size L service will be subject to Virgin Media's Broadband standard terms and conditions of use - see www.virginmedia.com.
Are you happy with these terms and conditions?
If you are, click 'Yes'. But remember, when you do, you'll be deemed to have accepted the additional terms above, and we'll make the change to your account.

Yes
No


No mention of a new 12 month contract. and I'm already out of contract.

I click on No and the next page is
You must agree to the terms below before we can upgrade your service from Size M to Size L.

They just won't accept No :LOL:

Re: New contract rip off
 

You still can, but you will pay more than if you agree to a new contract

e.g BB M to XL is £19 'full price' upgrade
BB M to XL with the new bundle price is £11 more

It's been slowly brought in since September 2007. Now all bundles are 12 month terms

They certainly should be

Any agent that isn't telling someone it is a new 12 month is not doing their job - company rules (and the law) say the agents HAVE to tell you that you will be starting a new 12 months

Re: New contract rip off
 

Yup, lets not start a conspiracy theory here people.

It appears that this certainly is the case, although why this is the case is beyond me as all staff receive training and briefings on all bundles that are available. Even the sales system that the staff has to use encourages staff to inform the customer of the length of the contract.

---------- Post added at 13:35 ---------- Previous post was at 13:33 ----------

This is out of date now and needs to be altered. There is no longer a downspin option to Broadband:M.

Re: New contract rip off
 

In the meantime before it's altered we'll all upgrade on the acceptance of the current terms of acceptance. both us and Virgin agreed to said terms. only to get a new contract in the post that we didn't originally agree to a couple of days prior.

Re: New contract rip off
 

Looks like it.... :td:

Needs to be looked at and changed ASAP

Re: New contract rip off
 

It appears that this certainly is the case, although why this is the case is beyond me as all staff receive training and briefings on all bundles that are available. Even the sales system that the staff has to use encourages staff to inform the customer of the length of the contract.


You ARE joking of course try asking them about the analogue packages that some of us are stuck on.... They have no idea.

I recently upgraded my TV & was surprised to find that when I plugged my cable box in the auto tune feature found several channels that were / are not available when switching to the box alone. Upon enquiring as to why this might be I was told they were not available on my TV package, when asked what package they were on they line went dead after a brief pause.

Re: New contract rip off
 

No i wasn't joking - altho im unsure as to why you've quoted me there as your post appears to have nothing to do with what I was talking about?

Upgrading from one analogue package to another won't generate you into a new contract - which is what we're talking about at the moment...

And if someone hung up on you then you spoke to an idiot. But you will find that new training isn't handed out on dated packages that are no longer sold and are soon to be disabled anyway so that's probs why the idiot hung up.

It might actually be worth starting a new thread with the question about the channels that you shouldn't have received, though?

Re: New contract rip off
 

Except it wasn't requested, it was imposed without consent.

If, however, you change your service level but not the phone they will not.

Re: New contract rip off
 

If a customer has been placed into a contract without being advised then they can cancel within the right to cancel and go back to the closest available pricing to their previous package - they will know that they're in a contract as the on the first day of the new contract date a letter will be sent to advise them of this.


Usually the case, however there are instances where they will recontract you on your current phone if you can coax a nice tast discount out of them. (Also depends on the mobile company)

Re: New contract rip off
 

Right to cancel, upgraded on the internet Friday 6th no speed increase by Sunday so got in touch with VM call centre, nice man there said it had not been upgraded yet and he would sort it out.

Saturday 14th a new welcome pack arrived with new contract dated from Saturday 7th, telling me I have SEVEN WORKING DAYS? Where are my seven days the letter has taken 6 days to get to me? I just feel like VM are using cheap backhanded deceitful sales tactics, have all there sales team come from selling double glazing or time share.

At least when I take out a new phone deal I get a nice new phone approximately £100 worth, so I don’t come away feeling like I’ve just been shafted. Twice this year I have altered my phone tariff, no change in my contract with them, just glad I didn’t swap my mobile over to virgin.

Re: New contract rip off
 

And yet again, it is not VM policy to tie you into a contract without telling you

If an agent has done so, they need to get pulled off the phone and beaten around the head with a stick until they learn to tell people

I would certainly make a complaint

Re: New contract rip off
 

Good deal on the mobile :tu:

Its not underhand beacuse if everyone does their job properly you'll be informed of the contract on the phone. I was just making the point that if you haven't been advised on the phone at least you'll get a letter to let you know :)

---------- Post added at 18:54 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------

Have had this conversation at least 6 times in the last week! lol...

Re: New contract rip off
 

No offence, but the "overseas" call centre staff tell you NONE of this. They make out they are doing you a big favour when in fact they are shafting you. I never thought the demise from NTL to Virgin would be so quick.

Re: New contract rip off
 

I didn't even think that VM gave out contracts, we have a verbal agreement with VM, and we have been with VM for a few years, Although we signed one, when we started, that was it, you can 'verbal contracts' not unless it is a new thing that they are bringing out.

Re: New contract rip off
 

The written contract thing is a legal requirement under the Distance Selling Regulations if you start a new 12 month term

Re: New contract rip off
 

Don't know if this is of any use

http://www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_res...lation-periods

Re: New contract rip off
 

Hi all,
Just a quick update, Virgin admitted they were in error trying to impose another 12 month contract term. The contract has been removed and the £11.50 discount has stayed because my old £9.50 discount is no longer on the system. So I keep my 10MB and no contract, win win:).
Would have been sad:(: to lose the speed now I’ve had chance to play about.

Thanks for all the replies.

Re: New contract rip off
 

you never go back once you got 10mb or faster (nor can you any way) if you download a lot far faster (as long as you do it after 9pm or get STM'ed at 4pm so speed comes back at 9pm) you have to download 1.4gb between 4pm-9pm

Re: New contract rip off
 

Good. now they just need to cancel all the other contracts they tied the person in with without them knowing.