Contract Renewal

Hi davidmcmaster34,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the community.

Sincere apologies for the differences within your new package, I'd imagine when you first took out your prior package is before the venture to TNT occurred as now it is an additional service.

To clarify was this purely completed online? Also is the complaint regarding this matter still open?

Regards,

sounds like falsehood to me when first VM tell you that you can have * the same great package for the same great price * ....for a limited time .... sign you and renege on the deal ... why ? after having told you .. what a shambles ! let us know how eventually what happens .... good luck buddy 😊

I had the same email from Virgin Media last week, my contract is up in May and the email stated renew now without the hassle of going elsewhere and contacting us.  I had been paying £75 for what was the Ultimate Volt package.  At no time did it mention that TNT Sports was now an add on channel and would not be part of the new deal.  So I renewed and received the contract and itemised breakdown.  On Saturday 24th February, I went to TNT Sports channel 1 to watch a football game, and to my surprise is wasn`t available?  Knowing that I had a 14 day cooling off period I rang Virgin Media and explained to the operator what had happened.  Fair play to the operator and Virgin Media they accepted that the offer of a like for like package from my previous package should be honoured.  I received an email showing what had been taken away, TV: Maxit TV - Sky Sports and Cinema Collection - Sky Entertainment & Cinema Ultra HD
Phone: Talk More Anytime

And what had been added,  

Reading the previous messages it seems to be that Virgin don't make it perfectly clear what is being offered within the new deals, as has already been said "like for like" should mean you are getting exactly the same as before. I have just been gearing myself up for the 18 monthly "pantomime" of contract renewal negotiations as mine ends this month. Expecting to go through the usual process of  multiple automated menu options, chats with overseas call centre agents pushing a particular package etc etc I was pleasantly surprised to come across a new menu option saying they can text me a renewal offer. Opted for that and it came up with a monthly price £30 below my renewal price at contract end for the same package. Clicked on the link and the draft contract showed everything before and after as the same (500mb broadband boosted to 1gb under volt, Maxit TV + sky sports and sky cinema + netflix standard (volt), talk anytime landline, wifi max).  What they do not make clear, however is whether TNT Sports is included (it took a fair bit of searching before I found out that TNT is included in Maxit TV - as it's now a premium channel add on it would have been helpful if the contract docs confirmed it was included). I also have 2 V6 boxes but there is no mention of the boxes in the contract docs - again it would have been helpful if that was stated as I still want 2 and most definitely don't want them converted to 360 boxes. Just for peace of mind maybe I should write to VM within the 14 day cooling off period setting out what I think I am getting so there can be no doubt.

Further to my previous message it seems they haven't provided like for like in the new contract despite the original offer suggesting that would be the case. I have just spotted that they want to charge £10 per month as an add on for Standard Netflix, whereas within the original contract it was included as part of the Volt deal! I still have an O2 Mobile contract so surely Standard Netflix should still be included in the package. There was no communication to say it was being removed or why!  

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

The issue is with the lack of information given out at the ordering stage.

For me this was the sequence of events:-

1) Initially I had the contract coming to an end email which set out in 2 columns what I had under the contract and what I would have after the contract ended. This was fully detailed and both columns were identical with the sole exception of the monthly price. It included  confirmation that I have 2 V6 boxes, Maxit TV and Netflix Standard as an inclusive part of the package.

2) In view of the large price increase I telephoned retentions to see what possibilities were available. After a series of automated menus I came to one saying I could receive details of current offers if I accepted a text. I agreed to accept the text.

3) The text provided a link and tap to get started, which I did.

4) The link took me to a page which said "Ready to Renew? Sign in and renew your contract today so that you can keep enjoying our services without interruption".  That's all that was in the message - no mention anywhere that it would entail changes to the package - just renew the existing one. If they meant something different then clearly the message was confusing.

After signing in it took me to a page headed "Lets take a look. were going to check your package and find you a better deal". It then listed the current package showing everything I have, including the Volt broadband boost, Maxit TV (which includes TNT Sports), Netflix Standard etc - all within the basic package price.  After that it said "Your Offer" and detailed that they could bring the price down by £30 and "Your contract will be renewed for another 18 months" Again no mention whatsoever that this would entail changes to the package, removal of items or included items now being charged as add ons. I therefore clicked to accept, believing I was continuing the same package for a further 18 months.

5) It was only after the contract documents came through that previously unexplained changes had been made and Netflix was being charged as an add on. There was also no mention in these contract documents of the boxes - whereas in the previous contract it specified that the package included 2 V6 boxes.  I am therefore wondering what other changes they might have failed to mention and why the new contract document is in much less detail than previous ones (ie no mention of the boxes etc). Surely if a customer is committing to an 18 month contract the contract document should show in full what services are being offered as part of the deal and not be so vague in many respects?

Hi,

Yes I clicked on the consent as I understood the offer to be based on the package remaining unchanged apart from the price. The offer was phrased as follows :- " Your Offer. So, you currently pay £147.96 (that's the figure after the previous contract end - I had been paying less than that ) and we can bring that down to £117.96 which is £30 a month less. Sound good? Your contract will be renewed for another 18 months."  That was followed by the options "yes I'll take it", " Not quite right" and "I don't want to take this offer".  That is the full text of the offer.  There was nothing at all to suggest any of the terms or items included   were changing from those in my previous contract. I think any reasonable person viewing that offer would believe they were getting everything given under the previous contract and it was just being extended for 18 months on the same terms but at a new price level.

After I agreed to go ahead they then sent the contract documents which, in my view, showed that the offer had been misleading. For the first time the Netflix Standard was shown as an add on and the £117.96 was shown as £107.96 plus £10 add on. At no previous point in the correspondence or in the offer had there been any indication whatsoever that the terms were being changed and that Netflix was no longer an inclusive element of the package and charged at an extra £10. I qualify for Volt benefits so do not understand why they have changed that, so surely the contract price should be £107.96 including Netflix, as before.