Frustrations returning equipment
I have encountered numerous frustrations trying to return equipment to Virgin Media: An email informed me of the process and that a returns pack would be delivered to my address. The email stated, "You don't need to hang out at home to receive it either, as it's small enough to be posted through most letterboxes. Or, failing that, we'll leave it somewhere safe for you." It added., "Have we got the right address? If not, please let us know the full correct address by replying to this email and we'll send the returns packaging there."
The package was not posted by the courier but instead left out in heavy rain. The returns cardboard box was so wet it was unusable, having lost all structural integrity. Based on the reply(ing) to this email option I replied that the box was left outside in the rain by courier Yodel, instead of being posted through the letterbox. It was completely soaked and could no longer be used as it had no rigidity. So I was currently unable to return the equipment and to please resend the returns pack. My email was not responded to and no replacement pack arrived.
Two weeks later Virgin sent another email: "We’re just checking in to make sure that you’ve received your prepaid returns packaging in the post. It has everything you need to pack and return our kit, free of charge. You’ll find your instructions inside. To keep things simple, we’ve teamed up with Yodel, so you can take the kit to your nearest drop-off point, which you’ll find here . Remember, if you don’t return our kit to us, (a router and set top box - value £130) a charge will be applied to your account as set out in our terms and conditions. If you need new packaging, click here to order it again."
The link ("If you need new packaging, click here to order it again") does not work.
Virgin also sent a text the same day. I clicked on the link to request new returns pack and filled in all my details (why?) and the 'Bot' confirmed that a pack would be dispatched. I had no confidence that it would arrive.
A week later another Virgin email arrived but no pack had arrived and so I sourced my own box, packed everything up carefully and dropped it at the recommended courier collection point (in the original email) using the returns label that I had managed to salvage from the destroyed package left out in the rain. I got a tracking reference and proof of 'drop off'. The reason I did this is that yet again I was was offered an email link to reorder that did not work and there seemed no point in asking the 'Bot' again via the VM text also received that day. Virgin explained that if the equipment was not back with them in the next 9 days they would place a £130 charge on my account.
I had already formed opinion that Virgin Media does not want the items returned but instead, by making it so difficult to return them in the 'required' manner, would prefer to charge for their non-return.
To save other people from this catalogue of useless automated unresponsive links that do not work and text 'bot' ineffectiveness I tried calling to speak to an actual person. I hoped Virgin Media might slick up their process to actually work and others would not have to invent their own solutions to avoid the company relying on the Ts&Cs to place an unwarranted charge on their account. No suitable option was available from the main menu (or sub menus). I finally spoke to someone in the 'Moving House' team who checked the tracking reference and told me that the £130 charge had been removed from my account.
Literally hours of effort to return equipment over something that could have been easy if either the courier had posted the returns package (as promised) or Virgin had not failed to respond to an email adress that they indicated was monitored, had embedded links that actually worked or a text 'bot' order system that actually delivered.
Apparently my call to (a very pleasant person) at the VM House Move team was registered as a complaint which I have been informed (by email) is resolved: Your complaint was: "Cable -> Billing/Charges -> Equipment Return And here’s what we agreed: Billing -> Extra guidance on billing." Whatever that means? It does not give me any confidence that any of the failures will be fixed.
