Forum Discussion

JFearn's avatar
JFearn
Joining in
21 days ago
Solved

14 day cooling off / new contract issue

Hi, hopefully someone can help me here that knows what they are doing.

So I signed a new 18 month contract in August 2024. Since then with price rises etc.. I'm happy to see that out and renegotiate a better deal at the end or leave. Recently there was an offer for what I thought was a free upgrade in TV box.. the 360 box I believe.

So I took advantage of the generous offer. Not long after that I received details of a new 18 month contract (same price etc). which to my knowledge wasn't mentioned when taking the box.

I spoke on live chat to whoever and told them the situation. Basically saying I had not agreed. Which they didn't seem to understand. At which point I said you know what, here we are.. I'm well within the 14 day cooling off period. Cancel that and let my contract from August 2024 carry on. They agreed.

One hour later I receive yet another new 18 month contract. So back on to live chat explaining the situation again and asking why I've been sent yet another? Only to be told well.. that's what I asked.. (I made it very clear to roll back and saved the transcript). I asked yet again to cancel the contract and roll back to my August one. To which I was told this isn't possible and I would need to take a brand new one. 

I argued that I'm pretty sure under UK law that isn't legal and have raised a complaint. Currently have a complaint ref and are waiting since Tuesday for an update.

I see from past posts that this has been happening to people for a few years now.. why?? This needs to be stopped.

Can anyone please with any common sense, help me out here. Many thanks.

  • John_GS's avatar
    John_GS
    21 days ago

    Good afternoon JFearn 

    Thanks for posting and welcome to the community. Very sorry to hear of this dispute.

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

    Best wishes.

9 Replies

Sort By
  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person
    21 days ago

    AFAIK, the cancellation should revert you to your previous contract with no changes?

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    21 days ago

    From all the reports on here it would seem that VM use many tricks to sign people up for deals they did not want or accept. If you don't get a satisfactory answer soon, in writing, you might need to be proactive and issue the cancellation. Make sure it's clear you are cancelling the new contract and not the old one. 

    I do wonder how many people have unwillingly accepted the unwanted new contracts because they have been defeated by the impenetrable contact system. 

    • JFearn's avatar
      JFearn
      Joining in
      21 days ago

      Yes I've been very clear twice now. That's why I'm at the complaints process. I'm pretty sure it's illegal with what they are doing.

      • John_GS's avatar
        John_GS
        Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
        21 days ago

        Good afternoon JFearn 

        Thanks for posting and welcome to the community. Very sorry to hear of this dispute.

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

        Best wishes.

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    21 days ago

    The complaints process is very slow. You won't get a satisfactory answer within your 14days. 

  • Andy766702's avatar
    Andy766702
    On our wavelength
    3 days ago

    Hi. I'm currently in the complaint process as wrll. I cancelled within the 14 day cooling off period and they initially tried to charge me £2500 they are now saying as I cancelled I would revert to my old contract and oat the remainder 6 months. Nothing in the TandCs says this at all. Still persuong with VM. They have 7 days before I take the matter further a d seek extra compensation for my time and distress caused. 

    • goslow's avatar
      goslow
      Alessandro Volta
      3 days ago

      More info needed and you would do best to start your own topic for your own query. The revert back to the previous contract is mentioned in M8 of the T&Cs (though for fairly specific circumstances in the minimum term

      https://prod.ctassets.virginmedia.com/uploads/Terms_and_Conditions_TV_Fibre_Phone_from_4_February_2024_35cc93ecec.pdf

      and, from memory, it has been mentioned in numerous past topics as well (inc. out of contract changes).