I've been a customer for 13 years and have appreciated the excellent service. In April of 2023 I spoke to a Virgin Media sales agent via the chat function on the website. That chat and subsequent calls to agents have left me with the impression that I am being lied to by Virgin Media sales agents. A very strong criticism to make and one not done lightly.
I was offered a new package that retained all the services that I've had for the last 13 years. It was called Maxit TV. I specifically checked with the online agent that it still came with Sky Sports, BT Sports and Sky Movies. I did this three times in the chat. The agent also added 1GB fibre, upgrading what I had which was 360 Mps.
I signed that new contract which totalled £77 (not including taxes) on that same date. I have a copy of that signed contract from that date which I can send.
In May 2023, the expired agreement amount of £144.49 was direct debited from my account. I rang Virgin Media about this mistake and was informed that there was no contract in place and the £77 had been "an offer". The agent kept repeating that it was an offer and it was now £87. I informed the agent I had a contract for £77 per month. For over 30 minutes he refused to concede that there was a contract in place and the agent continued to repeat that the contract I signed on the 17th April was an "offer". Eventually he agreed that there was a contract for £77 and that the amount of I was overcharged would be credited. He also said a new modem would be sent for £35 (even though I have the most updated modem already). The call ended with his promise of £77 per month.
Several minutes after the call ended I received a new "offer" via email and this had £87 on it. I called back and had to repeat everything from the previous call. As this call continued, this second agent lied and said I had asked for Sky Movies and Sky Sports to be removed. I had not at anytime said this in any chat or call.
As the call continued he agreed that the £77 contract would be in place and all services retained.
About an hour after this call, a new contract was sent to me for £87 and with the services of Sky Sports and Sky Movies removed. This was done without permission from me and is in breach of Virgin Media's own contract I signed in April.
Each of these calls where each agent ended up lying and adding new information that had not previously been discussed was upsetting. In every call the frustration was amplified by the agent repeating the same misinformation. It felt distinctly as if I was on a call to a scam centre and not Virgin Media.
I called Virgin Media once again to make a complaint which is offered on the website as an option. Interestingly, there is no complaint option on the phone menu. Nonetheless I spoke to an agent and made the complaint. He insisted a manager would call me. I asked for a Complaint Reference Number, he said it wasn't available. A manager did not call and I received the revised contract terms above with the channels removed without me requesting it.
What is the aim of all of this misinformation and confusion? Is it a tactic to bewilder customers? Is it to retain customers or lose them? Right now, I want to leave.
