Just another example of shoddy customer service from Virgin Media.
Basically in October/November 2005 I moved from Wellingborough to Branston, Lincolnshire. I phoned NTL (they hadn't been bought out at the time) who arranged for my services to be moved to my new property. On the date of the install, I took a day off work, but no engineer turned up. I phoned up and complained, and was told he was cancelled due to an outstanding balance at my old property.
I therefore paid the outstanding balance, and another engineer was booked. However, he was sent to my old property (useful), so another wasted day off my new job. Finally got an engineer to my new house, who left without getting the broadband working. In short, 2 engineers later it was finally working after I fixed it myself.
Anyway, all seemed great until 2008 when I got 2 letters from a debt collection agency, saying they'd been trying to find me (but NTL/VM knew where I lived, surely???), and that I owed almost £100 for 2 outstanding bills. I disputed this, gave a customer service advisor details of the payment from by bank statement, and was told that was ok, all is cleared. Shortly after more letters arrived, I called NTL/VM again, who denied the previous conversation ever taking place and insisted I still owed the money. I threatened to cancel all of my services if they continued to chase me for this, and heard nothing after that.
Recently I've had no end of problems with my standard tv box, and so after calling numerous times only to be told to take out the card, turn of the box, replace the card, turn on the box etc. finally got fed up and demanded a free V+ box (with no cost to myself). Initially this was refused and I was sent a new standard box, which a couple of hours after installation crashed. Again I demanded a free V+ box, this time telling them that it was either that or all my services get cancelled. They agreed to give me a free V+ box.
The box got installed, all seemed fine again. Then I get a letter detailing the charge for the box. I called VM, who said its a standard letter and I would not have to pay. Then came my bill, with £49 added for the box. Complained, it got taken off the bill. My direct debit went out on time. My next bill comes through (this month), with the £49 again added, together with a £10 late payment fee. Complained again and got it removed.
During the above debacle I also found out that Virgin Media had stealthily extended my contract by 12 months. I complained about this and got a note put on the system to say that I would not be held to it. When I complained about the second bill above, I was advised I'm actually contracted until October 2011 - thats an extra 2 years, and that the guy who put the note on the system is facing serious action for doing so (not something that should have been communicated to a customer, surely thats confidential between employer/employee). And besides, he was doing his job, looking after the customer, unlike the others. Anyway, I'm not being held to the extended contract, only until the end of January.
I got a call from someone the other day in response to an email complaint I sent. I mentioned to this guy that I'll be leaving in January and he asked if it was due to the V+ billing issues. I went on to list all the other problems I've had, including the original billing issue detailed above. He went away and investigated this, then came back and said I do actually still owe these amounts, and must pay them!! This is a guy trying to get me to stay with Virgin Media.
I asked him to send me copies of bills from the period that the charges are for (2005/06), he said he can't do this as they're not held on the system. So how can he prove I owe these amounts? Ok, he sent me by email a short call log from November 2005, along with charges and payments made in early 2006. However the payments made do not match with all the payments on my bank statements, so how do they prove I haven't actually paid the amounts off fully (which I'm quite sure I have).
It appears to me that Virgin Media are trying to get money out of customers whatever way possible. A number of customers on the cable forum (www.cableforum.co.uk) have also had charges that they shouldn't have had.
Suffice to say I am not at all happy with this level of service (or non-service to be more precise). How can Virgin Media chase me for bills that they can't even provide me with?
I have reported this issue to hopefully get Virgin Media investigated over this.
