Amount stated in contract

[LexyT]

Hi - I'm after a bit of advice if anyone has been in similar situation please.

I took a loyalty discount to sign up for another contract (Ive been with VM for 8 years) but the amount on the contract (emailed and sent through the post) is ten pounds less than what they are actually taking on DD from my account. They are saying their systems say the higher amount but surely If I have a written contract stating a lower amount, they have to honour that??

I would be grateful for any advice please!

[arcimedes]

I signed up for the big Kahuna a few months ago as it was £4 per month cheaper than my current payment. It took me two calls to 150 to sort it out so I was paying the correct amount. My problem was that I had a V+ box which was free as the when I got a Tivo it didn't do everything and I had a perpetually free Talk 08 bundle. The people I talked to agreed that was correct, it just took a while (2 month) before the billing was straitened out. In my case though the printed contract was wrong but higher than what I should have been paying.

But it wasn't a loyalty discount. However they should have a copy of the contract they sent to you. I would advise phoning again and be sure to talk nicely with them.

[zoombini]

I'm mid signing up for a swap to VM, install is arranged.

The contract states about £8 more than agreed & for a longer period.

I had to ring & check that it's on the system how much I will pay& the period, I was advised that I can just write on the contract the correct terms - I have done this.

Lets see what happens when I return it.
NO way am I going to be beholden to a contract that has a higher fee & period than I agreed to.

[bubblegun]

Originally Posted by zoombini

I was advised that I can just write on the contract the correct terms

LOL, let's see how that stands-up in court!

[DABhand]

Originally Posted by zoombini

I'm mid signing up for a swap to VM, install is arranged.

The contract states about £8 more than agreed & for a longer period.

I had to ring & check that it's on the system how much I will pay& the period, I was advised that I can just write on the contract the correct terms - I have done this.

Lets see what happens when I return it.
NO way am I going to be beholden to a contract that has a higher fee & period than I agreed to.

OH My lord.

I think I know why, this Feb the services go up in price, but however if you got a contract previous to the changes and then they have to honour that for 18 months.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by DABhand

I think I know why, this Feb the services go up in price, but however if you got a contract previous to the changes and then they have to honour that for 18 months.

Any price can be subject to change even if it's under a minimum term.

[qasdfdsaq]

Those changes may however render the minimum term null and void.

[DABhand]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Any price can be subject to change even if it's under a minimum term.

Oh them companies who look for anyway to find a loophole to kill a contract in their favour.

If the cases were ever taking to court, which they wouldn't anyway, the court would find in favour of the customer since they didn't break the contract.

Why do companies think they can do that... it is a bit bad they get let off to do so.

For me the old saying is true, a contract is a contract is a contract, if both parties agreed upon a price for services over certain time frame then... legally they should not be allowed to change that until the contract is over.

Wonder how they would feel if we phoned them up and asked them for a fee for changing the contract, cause they do it all the time for people leaving their services even if the services they provide was extremely bad. It is like they are hypocrites

/end rant lol

[RobboEdin]

Originally Posted by DABhand

Oh them companies who look for anyway to find a loophole to kill a contract in their favour.

If the cases were ever taking to court, which they wouldn't anyway, the court would find in favour of the customer since they didn't break the contract.

Why do companies think they can do that... it is a bit bad they get let off to do so.

For me the old saying is true, a contract is a contract is a contract, if both parties agreed upon a price for services over certain time frame then... legally they should not be allowed to change that until the contract is over.

Wonder how they would feel if we phoned them up and asked them for a fee for changing the contract, cause they do it all the time for people leaving their services even if the services they provide was extremely bad. It is like they are hypocrites

/end rant lol

I absolutely agree with you but you need to read the Virgin Media contract.

It categorically states that they can increase the charges during the contract period and, in return, the customer has the right to cancel the contract with no penalty.

[BenMcr]

I did think of mentioning it - but considering it's in the T&Cs, it comes up every time the cable prices change, and it's on the price change communications themselves I assumed it was common knowledge by now!

[Stop It]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

I did think of mentioning it - but considering it's in the T&Cs, it comes up every time the cable prices change, and it's on the price change communications themselves I assumed it was common knowledge by now!

While true, it somewhat makes a VM contract not worth the paper is it written on, frankly.

A contract should be honoured by both sides. We have to stick to our side of the deal but VM can basically tear it up whenever they like. The mobile operators got in bother for this before, and thus now have to stick to RPI to calculate any prices increases yet VM and Sky seem to have got away with being able to stick it to their customers whenever they like, even with a signed contract.

Saying "We have the right to screw you" in your T&C agreement doesn't make it any better when you guys do, repeatedly.

Edit: I thought you only had 30 days to disagree with a price change otherwise the contract still stood? If upon a price rise it was torn up there and then I would have much less of a complaint.

[BenMcr]

The mobile operators got in bother for this before, and thus now have to stick to RPI to calculate any prices increases yet VM and Sky seem to have got away with being able to stick it to their customers whenever they like, even with a signed contract.

I don't think that's what happened really. OFCOM changed the guidance to say that if you get a price rise on a mobile contract on which you weren't already aware you got the same exit without penalty as fixed services.

Because for Pay Monthly with an included phone it potentially means trying to recover mobile equipment that's worth up to £600 or more then most providers have opted to advise that your contract included a guaranteed price change around the same amount as RPI as part of the contract you sign, rather than a potential price change and a no-penalty exit.

Originally Posted by Stop It

Edit: I thought you only had 30 days to disagree with a price change otherwise the contract still stood? If upon a price rise it was torn up there and then I would have much less of a complaint.

That's correct - there is window to which you can object otherwise you legally accepted the notified changes.

I believe this is standard contract law rather than being specific to Virgin Media.

[qasdfdsaq]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

That's correct - there is window to which you can object otherwise you legally accepted the notified changes.

I believe this is standard contract law rather than being specific to Virgin Media.

Yes but then so is the bit about how you can get out of the contract without penalty if prices rise too much.

The window is a fairly widespread facet where in general if you don't object to something within ~30 days you are assumed to have accepted it. The same goes to items you buy, receive, trade, etc.

[Stop It]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

I don't think that's what happened really. OFCOM changed the guidance to say that if you get a price rise on a mobile contract on which you weren't already aware you got the same exit without penalty as fixed services.

Because for Pay Monthly with an included phone it potentially means trying to recover mobile equipment that's worth up to £600 or more then most providers have opted to advise that your contract included a guaranteed price change around the same amount as RPI as part of the contract you sign, rather than a potential price change and a no-penalty exit.

That's correct - there is window to which you can object otherwise you legally accepted the notified changes.

I believe this is standard contract law rather than being specific to Virgin Media.

It's also why O2 now split the bills so the phone is a fixed cost, and does not get affected by price rises, and the "Airtime" contract is subject to RPI. In real terms during the course of the contract the price of the contract is the same, which I can accept.

Again, it's not "around" RPI, it is RPI as stated in the contracts of O2 and likely all mobile operators now.

Anyway, call me old fashioned but I just feel like when it comes to fixed contracts, that it isn't good enough to give the 30 day window, even if that's all that is legally required. If I broke contract I would be liable to pay the remaining contract, no matter when I did it, and I have no right to do anything about it, yet VM reserves the right to re-write their end of the deal and 30 days later, bang, I'm locked down again.

Legal it may be, shady as hell it is too.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Stop It

It's also why O2 now split the bills so the phone is a fixed cost, and does not get affected by price rises, and the "Airtime" contract is subject to RPI. In real terms during the course of the contract the price of the contract is the same, which I can accept.

It's not why O2 did that to be honest.