Virgin Media defrauding customers

[paulcookson2]

've been a customer of Virgin Media for about 20 years. The prices have increased substantially and my contract had expired so I phoned them to try to renew the package. Sounds like it should be fairly straightforward ? Two and a half hours later, after encountering a catalogue of incompetence, I think I have finished on the phone but I am deflated, frustrated and downright angry. I feel like I immediately need to go to the nearest pub and have several stiff drinks in rapid succession. The Virgin Media staff are friendly and try to help but can't do anything that isn't on their script. I had to speak to several different people - even though they transferred me, I had to repeatedly go through the security questions. The customer service is so absolutely abysmal, I barely have words to describe it.

It just got even worse. Having agreed a new monthly price over the phone, Virgin Media confirmed it by emailing me a pre-contract document detailing all of the services AND the price. I checked the document and price was the exact price we had agreed. All sorted. you may think ?

Alas no, 58 minutes later, they emailed me again saying - all sorted - we've attached your new contract. On checking the contract, the price was now £13 per month higher than 58 minutes earlier.

I can only conclude that either it is a deliberate policy to overcharge or maybe it is just that Virgin Media are a complete and utter shambles.

Since writing the review above, I've read through some other Virgin Media reviews on here and I don't appear to be the only person who has had the following sequence of events :-
a, agreed a monthly price over the phone
b, received 'pre-contract documents via email which reads 'Attached are your Contract Information & Contract Summary documents. Please make sure that you are happy with the agreement you are entering into'
c, received a further email which reads 'Thanks for making those changes to your Virgin Media package. We've attached your new contract reflecting these changes'
This would be fine if the monthly price they ask you to check to 'make sure you are happy' was the same price as the contract.
If they don't sort it out, I will definitely be consulting my solicitor because I think that agreeing contract terms with a customer in writing and then issuing that contract at a different higher price is possibly illegal.

Virgin Media may well reply to this along the lines of 'this is not the level of service we aim for'. They may even write the more disingenuous 'we are sorry you feel that way' which blames the customer for 'feeling that way' rather than just saying 'we messed up and we will fix it and reimburse you for all the time we've made you waste'

Reading through many of the Virgin Media replies on Trust Pilot, they repeatedly say 'this is not the level of service we aim for'. If that is the case, time and time and time again, why don't they do something about it ?

[paulcookson2]

I've been a customer of Virgin Media for about 20 years. The prices have increased substantially and my contract had expired so I phoned them to try to renew the package. Sounds like it should be fairly straightforward ? Two and a half hours later, after encountering a catalogue of incompetence, I think I have finished on the phone but I am deflated, frustrated and downright angry. I feel like I immediately need to go to the nearest pub and have several stiff drinks in rapid succession. The Virgin Media staff are friendly and try to help but can't do anything that isn't on their script. I had to speak to several different people - even though they transferred me, I had to repeatedly go through the security questions. The customer service is so absolutely abysmal, I barely have words to describe it.

It just got even worse. Having agreed a new monthly price over the phone, Virgin Media confirmed it by emailing me a pre-contract document detailing all of the services AND the price. I checked the document and price was the exact price we had agreed. All sorted. you may think ?

Alas no, 58 minutes later, they emailed me again saying - all sorted - we've attached your new contract. On checking the contract, the price was now £13 per month higher than 58 minutes earlier.

I can only conclude that either it is a deliberate policy to overcharge or maybe it is just that Virgin Media are a complete and utter shambles.

Since writing the review above, I've read through some other Virgin Media reviews on here and I don't appear to be the only person who has had the following sequence of events :-
a, agreed a monthly price over the phone
b, received 'pre-contract documents via email which reads 'Attached are your Contract Information & Contract Summary documents. Please make sure that you are happy with the agreement you are entering into'
c, received a further email which reads 'Thanks for making those changes to your Virgin Media package. We've attached your new contract reflecting these changes'
This would be fine if the monthly price they ask you to check to 'make sure you are happy' was the same price as the contract.
If they don't sort it out, I will definitely be consulting my solicitor because I think that agreeing contract terms with a customer in writing and then issuing that contract at a different higher price is possibly illegal.

Virgin Media may well reply to this along the lines of 'this is not the level of service we aim for'. They may even write the more disingenuous 'we are sorry you feel that way' which blames the customer for 'feeling that way' rather than just saying 'we messed up and we will fix it and reimburse you for all the time we've made you waste'

Reading through many of the Virgin Media replies on Trust Pilot, they repeatedly say 'this is not the level of service we aim for'. If that is the case, time and time and time again, why don't they do something about it ?

[paulcookson2]

've been a customer of Virgin Media for about 20 years. The prices have increased substantially and my contract had expired so I phoned them to try to renew the package. Sounds like it should be fairly straightforward ? Two and a half hours later, after encountering a catalogue of incompetence, I think I have finished on the phone but I am deflated, frustrated and downright angry. I feel like I immediately need to go to the nearest pub and have several stiff drinks in rapid succession. The Virgin Media staff are friendly and try to help but can't do anything that isn't on their script. I had to speak to several different people - even though they transferred me, I had to repeatedly go through the security questions. The customer service is so absolutely abysmal, I barely have words to describe it.

It just got even worse. Having agreed a new monthly price over the phone, Virgin Media confirmed it by emailing me a pre-contract document detailing all of the services AND the price. I checked the document and price was the exact price we had agreed. All sorted. you may think ?

Alas no, 58 minutes later, they emailed me again saying - all sorted - we've attached your new contract. On checking the contract, the price was now £13 per month higher than 58 minutes earlier.

I can only conclude that either it is a deliberate policy to overcharge or maybe it is just that Virgin Media are a complete and utter shambles.

Since writing the review above, I've read through some other Virgin Media reviews on here and I don't appear to be the only person who has had the following sequence of events :-
a, agreed a monthly price over the phone
b, received 'pre-contract documents via email which reads 'Attached are your Contract Information & Contract Summary documents. Please make sure that you are happy with the agreement you are entering into'
c, received a further email which reads 'Thanks for making those changes to your Virgin Media package. We've attached your new contract reflecting these changes'
This would be fine if the monthly price they ask you to check to 'make sure you are happy' was the same price as the contract.
If they don't sort it out, I will definitely be consulting my solicitor because I think that agreeing contract terms with a customer in writing and then issuing that contract at a different higher price is possibly illegal.

Virgin Media may well reply to this along the lines of 'this is not the level of service we aim for'. They may even write the more disingenuous 'we are sorry you feel that way' which blames the customer for 'feeling that way' rather than just saying 'we messed up and we will fix it and reimburse you for all the time we've made you waste'

Reading through many of the Virgin Media replies on Trust Pilot, they repeatedly say 'this is not the level of service we aim for'. If that is the case, time and time and time again, why don't they do something about it ?

[RT123]

I’m a customer but sorry to see you’ve had this experience - I do believe you have.a 14 day cooling off period in which you can cancel the new contract.

[paulcookson2]

Thanks, I appreciate your reply. My last experience with them on the phone took up half my day so I'm having to arrange to take a half day off work and get mentally prepared before I telephone them again.

[CantStandVM]

Get your solicitor to do it. 

[unisoft]

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@paulcookson2 wrote:

Thanks, I appreciate your reply. My last experience with them on the phone took up half my day so I'm having to arrange to take a half day off work and get mentally prepared before I telephone them again.

---

A member of the VM forum staff may be able to help - it may take 3 days but they are usually quicker. You do have a cooling off period as well...

[japitts]

There is a statutory 14days "change of mind" right of cancellation on all distance-selling contracts in the UK (with certain - irrelevant here - exemptions)

If considering the legal avenue, any judge or solicitor worth-their-salt should be advising you to use an ADR scheme first, and treat court action as a last resort. VM's complaints procedure allows for escalation to ADR after 8 weeks or if deadlocked previously.

Forum staff can sometimes intevene outside the complaints process.

[Mum1212]

This happened to me.

This is where you need to STOP assuming that the calls are recorded and your requests logged.

They are going to lie about anything they like and log whatever they like as - a recent DSAR request that I made has evidenced - they delete all complaints and logs. The complaints team even delete the complaints that you all log. They file everything as resolved just to get their bonus.

(1) go on Twitter (set up a specific account) and log the issue as Virgin Accounts team are lying #virginmediaHelp and @HelenMilner the group CEO and @lutzSchueler CEO. Make it public. Also include #ofcom. Use a pseudonym Eg DadCookson1111. They will contact you within 24h. You need to write your complaint 5 times as a response to the junk they keep posting on twitter.

(2) TODAY Make a DSAR request  DatasubjectRights@virginmedia.co.uk. You do this by email. They will ask for ID. Request all your information and transcript recordings of recent calls.

(3) con tact of com and log it there (keep a copy of your complaint and just paste it)

(4) notify the Information Commissioner ICO, online, if the DSAR content (available within 28 days) is not made available.

(5) print and keep the original agreed contract and start a complaint with your bank - under the direct debit guarantee they cannot take money you have NOT agreed to from your account. This is a safe bet, as it is documented and the DD guarantee is upheld by all banks.

(6) contact your MP. 

(7) they might fob you off with the ombudsman in a few months - use them - they can deal with accounts

(8) if they send you to libertyglobal - unfortunately, that is the stage I have reached - they are useless and I need to take them to the small claims court unless someone on this community group can resolve matters. 

They have wasted hours and hours of my time. It is shameful. They are in breach of contract - so you are within your rights to cancel the entire package. I recommend Starlink - on offer at costco. But it is £80pm after the 3M free and £180 for the satellite.

Good luck.

(2)

[John_GS]

Hi @paulcookson2 

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community.

I am sorry to hear of the confusion over the package change.

I'll send you a PM now to assist further.