Combining two accounts

[DrXerox]

For a number of years I have had two separate accounts with Virgin Media. One for landline and another for TV and broadband.
This meant that I paid two separate direct debits every month.
The problem I had was trying to log onto Myvirginmedia. I could never see anything 'phone related.

I contacted Customer Support at the beginning of June and asked for the two accounts to be combined. Seems I was in a fairly unique situation. It was a struggle but we got there!
They sent me paperwork showing what the "new" bundle costs are going to be. It is basically just the two costs combined and is what I expected.

I have just received my latest bill and it's a lot more than I was expecting!

There is an extra charge of £49.72 which is described as "changes to bundle". I have just spoken to CS who have told me this is a one off admin charge as I changed bundles. Not strictly true as I just combined two accounts. It is not described as an admin charge on the bill.

I just want to know if anyone else has been through this? Is it truly and admin charge or a mistake on the bill? If I'd known there was going to be a £50 charge to add two accounts together I wouldn't have bothered! And I've never heard of Virgin Media making admin charges before.

[MalteseFalcon]

They can do. Certainly when I had TiVo added the £49.95 installation fee was added to the following months bill. Don't know about your situation, but I would maybe get in touch with them via Twitter. They can resolve things quickly and easily and actually explain it better than some people can over the phone.

[BenMcr]

I posted this over on Community Forum for the same query http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/...1892832#M46168

I can only go by general process, but there isn't normally an admin charge to combine the two.

However, what generally happens is that the TV / BB account is merged onto the telephone one. So at transfer, any pending bill for TV / Broadband is cancelled and any outstanding balance from that account is transferred.

Overall you shouldn't end up paying more in the month than if you had continued with the separate accounts, but it could take two months to average out e.g. you pay less this month than you would, and make up the difference next month.

[DrXerox]

Thanks for your prompt reply.

I have paid the correct amounts so far, be it on seperate bills.

The bill this month includes the admin charge and I was told this was an extra so next month will be the bundle charge as expected. So I will have paid £50ish more.

If next months bill is reduced by the admin charge, then I could understand that. But that is not what I have been lead to believe.

Also if it comes off next months bill, its not an admin charge but the accounts just catching up with themselves, as you suggest.

(I have also posted this on the other forum. )