Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Because of the removal of the UKTV channels, some people are downgrading their TV packages. I will probably downgrade to the 'free' package once I have a new OTT service in place for UKTV and the other pay channels that I want.

According to this:

https://www.theguardian.com/money/20...nels-uktv-cost

VM are now saying that this entitles them to put you into a new contract!

Has anyone had experience of this? Is this new policy true, as even Sky don't do this?

Maybe it's CS staff talking BS again either off their own back or via orders from management. The customer was also informed that, if she downgraded, her bill would go up by £15!!

One good thing is that Ofcom have told providers that they want them to start writing to customers to inform them that they are coming to the end of their contract to prevent them overpaying.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

I don't know about the legalities but common sense would suggest that if the terms of the contract change it effectively becomes a new contract.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

They wouldn't be overpaying at the end of their contract would they? The price remains the same or might go up to the correct price after loyalty discounts end.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Think I've read on here that any change to your bundle puts you in a new minimum term. I doubt it would apply to premium channelsor add ons etc, just the basic bundle. Probably need Ben to bring his wisdom and clarify though.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Look, Richard, if you think you are so hard done by, change providers. Nobody is forcing you to stay with Virgin Media.

Customer Services may be freed up for the rest of us if you make the right decision. (Sorry!) :D

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

This is a change in policy if it's now the case that changing any TV services now means that a new contract starts, it never used to be the case. All you had to do was give 30 days notice and even this wasnt rigorously enforced until Liberty Global bought VM.

I don't want to be put into a new contract, so may be forced to cancel altogether if they now do his (assuming that this is legal and/or correct). It seems very short sighted to try to keep doing things to force customers to stay, surely it would make better business sense for them to persuade customers to want to stay.

Hopefully Ben will see this and be able to shed some light on this. Either the newspaper has got this wrong or it's a new policy.

---------- Post added at 20:11 ---------- Previous post was at 20:07 ----------

Common sense says that once out of contract a new discount should be negotiated. VM rely on people forgetting to do this, not doing so through inertia or other reasons.

A letter will serve as a very useful prompt to people with busy lives and could well be essential to those with some disabilities.

---------- Post added at 20:12 ---------- Previous post was at 20:11 ----------

I'm growing tired of your unhelpful and snide comments.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

I am not aiming to be unhelpful, Richard, I am just trying to demonstrate to you the futility of your rage. If you are so upset by Virgin Media's treatment of you, change to Sky.

Why can you not bring yourself to do this?

Instead of constantly whingeing and threatening legal action, just take the plunge.

I am sure you will be much happier with Sky.

:erm:

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

It appears that VM may have changed their policy of putting customers into a new contract when TV is downgraded. I am trying to ascertain if this is true of not. Nothing to do with any type of "rage". Where have you got that notion from? How is this "whinging" as you rudely put it?

Once again, as has been explained to you on numerous occasions, I am still in contract and VM will not allow me to leave without penalty. It now appears that if I downgrade that they may try to force me to stay with them for even longer.

Again, as has repeatedly been explained to you, there is no certainty that I will move to Sky. It appears that nothing sinks in that people say to you. As another member recently pointed out, you carry on going round and round and round in circles and coming out with the same things time and again.

You really do appear to revel in causing disagreements by being contrary for the sake of it. Paul has previously told you off for petty bickering with others in the past and I suggest that you take heed.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

No, Richard. This is not personal. I am simply responding to points you make with which I happen to disagree.

I accept you are currently in contract, but you know as well as I do that with the next price rise, you will be able to unshackle yourself.

And yet again, you will fail to do so.

There really is no point in continuing to moan about your supplier when all you have to do is change that supplier.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

But that wasn't what I wrote in reply to you.

You stated that they will be forced to write to the customer near the end of the contract so they don't overpay. What will they be overpaying? If the loyalty or new customer discount has ran out, they'd be paying the going rate of the services that VM offer.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Argue with Ofcom, not Richard. They are the ones saying providers should contact customers when a contract runs out. Sound consumer protection. As we know paying the 'going rate' is vastly overpaying.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

I was taking it up with Richard as he posted it, that's what discussion forums are for. Paying the going rate is paying the going rate, if you are getting a discount then you are getting it cheaper.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

I thought I had?

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

I've always found it is the acceptance of an offer which will tie you in to a new contract - not just changing the tier of the subscription.

It is not uncommon for the charge to go up if you remove something because of the way things are bundled.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

I am out of contract.
I wanted to remove the TV part just leaving phone and BB but I was told the cost would increase as I had bundle.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

What problem is that? VM have always given discounts on bundles, you now longer wanted it so you lose the discount.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

So just take up their offer and don't plug the TV box in

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

That's how I understood it to work, it's fair enough to introduce a new minimum term in return for an extra discount, but not for simply changing packages.

My intention would be to move down to the Player package, but if they're going to start playing games i'll cancel altogether as other TV suppliers are better and/or cheaper, I can do without a landline and I can get cheaper slower BB which would suit me fine.

---------- Post added at 16:23 ---------- Previous post was at 16:21 ----------

Yeah, there's nothing to say that you have to actually use the extra service that attracts the discount. I know of people who have never even plugged in a phone to their VM telephone socket!

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

So what you are saying Richard is anyone can change the terms of any contract and it doesn't become a new one?

Could you explain further.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

The salient point of this thread is to find out if VM are now reintroducing a minimum term or not when customers change TV packages.

This never used to be the case, the only condition was that customers had to give 30 days notice as is still the case with Sky.

It's pointless ringing them to ask, if past experience is anything to go by, i'm more likely to be understood and obtain a correct answer by calling my local Tesco.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

I'm sorry Richard but the salient point seems to be if by changing the terms of your existing contract (upgrade or downgrade) constitutes a change of contract.

Obviously it does and VM now have a policy of implementing it.

What used to happen or what others do is immaterial surely.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

So is it definetly now the case that VM reintroduce a minimum term as part of any new contract created when a TV package is changed?

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Only VM can answer that.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Why don't you ask them?

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

That is the package that I am on and as I don't what Virgin TV as I can get all that I watch via my aerial l wanted to drop VM TV side to save some money but they said I already get a discount, there Is no mention of the discount on my VM bill.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Then cancel the TV and pay the extra. It's not rocket science to see you are getting a bundle discount.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Or even easier, go on to the VM website and look at the prices.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

My understanding when I spoke to them is that downgrading the package does not start a new contract term - but accepting an offer within that new package will.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

It would take a very large leap of faith to think that you would be able to find the correct information by doing that. You're lucky if they understand what your saying and vice versa with that foreign call centre.

Like I said earlier, you probably have more chance of finding out the correct answer by calling Tesco!

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Ask for an email confirming what they have said, and if they won’t, request to s-eaknto a supervisor.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

So not getting a good enough deal is reason to talk shop with him.

Figures.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Following the debacle with the UK TV channels and the seemingly never ending series of price rises (the latest being the £3.50 one I was just notified of) I'm definitely interested in canceling my TV XL bundle and going broadband only. I don't have phone since I didn't want it in the first place - though VM did everything to push it on me even sending one around with the engineer who first came to install my box.

If I can't simply downgrade to a lower service level, like I could with Sky, I'll just cancel altogether and look at other options. The reason I don't want to commit to 12 months at this time is simply because i'm hoping to move house before the end of the year and there's no telling if I can even get VM at wherever I buy, and don't want to pay a cancellation fee due to early contract termination in that event.

Unfortunately, past experience dealing with VM on the telephone has been awful with long waits, diifficulty finding out what I want to know and high call charges from my mobile, so if anyone can simply tell me what the policy is I'd be grateful.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Unless it has since changed you can get a monthly contract with VM according to this link.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.ph...-tv-phone.html

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Thanks - didn't know about that, looks interesting. BB is 'only' 50mbps (I've currently got 100) but would actually be more than enough for anything I do.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Just to follow up a couple of months later - finally got around to removing the telly part of my contract as I literally don't use it any more having long since moved over to streaming and downloading TV shows.

Switched over to a 30 day rolling broadband contract of the same speed rating as my existing broadband so should just be a case of my TV dropping off in a few weeks time whereupon I can get rid of my V+ box .... it's pretty outdated these days plus it seems to be pretty power hungry, will be happy to remove it.


Apart from a very long-winded wait to get to the point where I could speak to a rep you could remove it (just over 30 mins start to finish on my second attempt, my first call seemed to get dropped after 8 mins in) it was pretty easy to get the change done - no haggling which was a relief as I was getting extremely fed up with the 'on holds' and tolerance for someone trying to sell me another TV contract was non-existent.

Should have done it months ago - the savings will more than pay for my Amazon, Netflix and NowTV streaming services and I have access to BT TV to stream to my Chromecast.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Apparently, they are now beginning to phase out the V+ boxes on the network anyway.

You might find that you get a call before your TV service stops with an offer of a good deal to stay (particularly if you also take a landline from them.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

Unless they give me TV and phone for free and retain 30 days rolling status, I'm absolutely not interested.

Their phone package was always rubbish and I just wasn't using the TV with so many streaming options available to me - and I don't want to commit to a longer term contract.

Fair play to them for offering rolling 30-day contracts but really as someone who has been on their service for a decade and was long out of contract, I should just be able to tell them to drop any part of the service I want without having to 'switch' to a rolling contract to avoid being committed for another year.

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

The minimum TV package is free, but you have to pay a £3 per month TiVo fee AND I think you have to have a phone which will attract line rental.

Do they charge you extra for a rolling 30 day BB contract?

Re: Does downgrading put you into a new contract?
 

For 'broadband only', seems to be the same per month for a 12 month contract as a rolling one but if you are taking out a contract for the first time the rolling upfront fee is £65 vs £20 for the 12 month contract.

However, if you take phone as well as BB you get a nice discount with the 12 month contract (£8 a month cheaper) whereas you pay £7 a month more on the rolling.

Don't know if there are hidden line rental charges in there if you take the phone.