Virgin Media Horror - Please READ -

To be honest after doing some research on internet I now strongly believe this has nothing to do with crap agents. This issue is diffidently to do with a company setting out to deceive it's customers.

Although I had a horrible adviser on the phone but this is not my main concern as it could be to do with lack of training or bad day at work. My main concern is the Virgin Media's handling of the issue. I have now dig deep into this and there seem to be quite few other people who has had similar experiences.

But we must understand that a lot of people out there won't even realize this actually happened to them until it's too late to cancel.

Thanks

[chuzzlemonkey]

Originally Posted by Mr_SEO

To be honest after doing some research on internet I now strongly believe this has nothing to do with crap agents. This issue is diffidently to do with a company setting out to deceive it's customers.

Although I had a horrible adviser on the phone but this is not my main concern as it could be to do with lack of training or bad day at work. My main concern is the Virgin Media's handling of the issue. I have now dig deep into this and there seem to be quite few other people who has had similar experiences.

But we must understand that a lot of people out there won't even realize this actually happened to them until it's too late to cancel.

Thanks

Seriously this isn't the case. The staff are more than aware of what contracts enter you into a new contract, so if they've put you in a contract without informing you, that's not the company trying to be deceptive, that's an individual not doing their job properly.

Honestly, this is fixable. I have no idea why (if you're still within your 7 day cooling off period) they can't just re-authorise your old contract end date.

Originally Posted by chuzzlemonkey

Seriously this isn't the case. The staff are more than aware of what contracts enter you into a new contract, so if they've put you in a contract without informing you, that's not the company trying to be deceptive, that's an individual not doing their job properly.

Honestly, this is fixable. I have no idea why (if you're still within your 7 day cooling off period) they can't just re-authorise your old contract end date.

Hi, As I said they can reauthorize my old contract but they say the discount I used to get, I would not get it anymore hence I would have to pay £55 per month instead of £27 per month.

Anyway I just think this should have never happened in the first place and anyone who is thinking about switching to Virgin Media should know that this is how Virgin Media would treat their customers. They might save a few quid, but look at me, I'm having to spends hours in writing letters to them and phoning them.

And then I spoke to 3 agents, all of them confirmed this. Do you still think it's the agents' not the company???? No I don't think so....

Virgin Media has started to renew their customers' contracts without advising them. If they have done it to me and then 3 of their customers services agents admitted it without apologizing, then I think this is actually their policy.

[chuzzlemonkey]

Originally Posted by Mr_SEO

Hi, As I said they can reauthorize my old contract but they say the discount I used to get, I would not get it anymore hence I would have to pay £55 per month instead of £27 per month.

Anyway I just think this should have never happened in the first place and anyone who is thinking about switching to Virgin Media should know that this is how Virgin Media would treat their customers. They might save a few quid, but look at me, I'm having to spends hours in writing letters to them and phoning them.

And then I spoke to 3 agents, all of them confirmed this. Do you still think it's the agents' not the company???? No I don't think so....

Virgin Media has started to renew their customers' contracts without advising them. If they have done it to me and then 3 of their customers services agents admitted it without apologizing, then I think this is actually their policy.

Your contract was renewed without you being told because one customer service rep made a balls up. Which shouldn't have happened and is very poor service!

Virgin Media are not renewing existing customer contracts without informing them.

I won't be drawn on an argument with you, as i know you've had a really poor experience. But believe me you're wrong. Sorry.

[MrB]

It appears that Mr SEO has been badly advised, and that calling customer relations is not resolving the issue. In cases like this, the best approach would be to put in a formal complaint (form on website) as that is a different team (or is there someone on the forum that has the ability to escalate it)?

You would think it straightforward - if you have 7 days from upgrade to cancel and go back to your previous package, anyone would logically assume it would be at the same price as it was before you upgraded.

I can appreciate that after 12 months of a contract if you push for a better offer, then tying you in for another 12 months may be appropriate (only just though - as all installation costs etc have been recovered). However, starting a contract again whenever you upgrade a service within the term would appear overly harsh (and will likely dissuade some people from adding to their services, and thus a loss of revenue to VM).

MrB

[chuzzlemonkey]

Originally Posted by MrB

It appears that Mr SEO has been badly advised, and that calling customer relations is not resolving the issue. In cases like this, the best approach would be to put in a formal complaint (form on website) as that is a different team (or is there someone on the forum that has the ability to escalate it)?

You would think it straightforward - if you have 7 days from upgrade to cancel and go back to your previous package, anyone would logically assume it would be at the same price as it was before you upgraded.

I can appreciate that after 12 months of a contract if you push for a better offer, then tying you in for another 12 months may be appropriate (only just though - as all installation costs etc have been recovered). However, starting a contract again whenever you upgrade a service within the term would appear overly harsh (and will likely dissuade some people from adding to their services, and thus a loss of revenue to VM).

MrB

The reason this customer is unable to go back to the previous pricing he had is that the offer he would have had previously no longer exists and there is no way of reapplying the deal.

Customers are more than welcome to upgrade a service within a contract and won't have to renew their terms, however, if they agree to renew their terms a better price for the upgrade may be given.

In this instance a formal complaint will resolve the issue, however, any customer service rep with common sense should have seen that the original price needed to be honoured up until the original contract date if cancelling under the original 7 days cooling off period. If this had to be applied using courtesy credits then so be it.

[Tarantella]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

No - you only enter a new contract if you change bundles or add new services.

Price changes do not start a new contract

Thanks for that prompt answer.


What happens if I'm on a 2mb bb and phone contract for a year and at the end of that year I decide to drop the phone part of the contract?

[chuzzlemonkey]

Originally Posted by Tarantella

Thanks for that prompt answer.


What happens if I'm on a 2mb bb and phone contract for a year and at the end of that year I decide to drop the phone part of the contract?

If you're on 2mb at the moment and drop the phone you're monthly rate will be £20, £21.25 if you don't pay by ebilling.

(taking into account the 1st May changes)

[jason8472]

when does the 7 day cooiling off period start with virgin, i ordered broadband through the phone line last friday, does the cooling off period start on the day i ordered or when i receive the modem and router? If it starts on the friday and the modem arrives say 8 days later and i have a poor connection am i stuck with a poor service for a year?
thanks in advance Jason

[chuzzlemonkey]

Originally Posted by jason8472

when does the 7 day cooiling off period start with virgin, i ordered broadband through the phone line last friday, does the cooling off period start on the day i ordered or when i receive the modem and router? If it starts on the friday and the modem arrives say 8 days later and i have a poor connection am i stuck with a poor service for a year?
thanks in advance Jason

Hi Jason.

Any cooling off period will start from the installation date. If you're taking a new service i'm pretty sure you'll get 28 days cooling off anyway.

[jason8472]

its a new installation, if you can call it that, iv paid a £30 installation fee but the modem and router is delivered for self installation, il not argue that. Its just when does the cooling off period start. the chap i first spoke to said 28 days but the 2nd time i rang to order the broadband i was told i had 7 days cooling off period. im just unsure who was correct and when the 7 days starts and is it 7 days or 7 business days? thanks for the reply Jason

Originally Posted by chuzzlemonkey

Hi Jason.

Any cooling off period will start from the installation date. If you're taking a new service i'm pretty sure you'll get 28 days cooling off anyway.

[BenMcr]

You have a legal minimum of 7 days from order date - but Virgin extend this to 28 days from the day of installation/activation

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/mone...guarantee.html

[chuzzlemonkey]

Is this the same for national ben?

[BenMcr]

Ah - didn't see it was through the phone - No they don't! National customers only get the 7 days

http://www.virgin.net/allyours/faqs/index.shtml

[jason8472]

Is that 7 business days? im still waiting on the modem and router, it should be 7 days from receipt of the equipment, if i get poor speeds then i wont be able to cancel if the equipment comes after the 7 days.
How can this be fair on the customer? 7 days on receipt of the equipment is fairer as you get to try the service.

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Ah - didn't see it was through the phone - No they don't! National customers only get the 7 days

http://www.virgin.net/allyours/faqs/index.shtml