Moving house and Virgin has started a new contract without my consent...

Hello,

I have been a loyal and satisfied customer of Virgin Media for a number of years. In July 2025, due to personal circumstances, I planned to move back in with my parents, as a short-term agreement. Knowing this, I called Virgin to cancel my 18 month contract which was due to expire Feb 2026. They explained that the fee to disconnect early was very costly and so they suggested that I suspend the broadband for 3 months whilst I was moving back in with my parents. Their suggestion was that I then cancel prior to the new contract start date (Oct 2025), at which point the disconnection fee would be a lot cheaper. I thought this was a reasonable option so I said yes to going ahead with this (confirmed on July 15th 2025). 

As it happens, a friend was staying on in the previous tenancy and she offered to continue to pay for the original 18 month contract, due to end in February 2026. This would mean I would no longer pause the broadband contract and then cancel prior to October 2025 and instead just continue on with the 18 month contract and pay monthly as I had been doing in the years I have been a loyal customer to Virgin before. I called Virgin back on July 15th 2025, to say I no longer wanted to go ahead with the plan with moving house that I had discussed earlier that day and instead make no changes to the contract, just continue on until Feb 2026.

Nothing about my package was to change, and I certainly had no wish to sign up to a new contract. I received an email with a new contract, but assumed that this had been cancelled, given I had a conversation with customer service later that same day, explaining I no longer wanted to go ahead with this.

I discussed this with Virgin Media customer service and this was agreed without issue. At no point during this process was I informed of any changes to the terms of my agreement with Virgin Media, specifically that a new 18-month contract would be generated at the new address. As far as I knew, things would continue as normal, with the original contract, due to expire February 2026.

Today, I have contacted Virgin Media after having been notified that there is a missed payment on my account. I was shocked to learn that Virgin Media have created a new 18 month contract on my parent's address, without my knowledge. They have suggested that I owe them £243.50 up to this date and then a further bill of approximately £1000 to 'disconnect' this service early. The purported contract was supposedly sent via email on July 15th 2025, however, given I had called them later that day (15th July) to terminate this contract, I was appalled to find that this had in actuality, not been cancelled as I had believed. This oversight feels misleading and deceitfully designed to lock me into a prolonged agreement without my explicit consent. 

Additionally. I am shocked to have been informed by the customer service team, that there is no 'validation' as to whether I consented to a new broadband contract or not. Notwithstanding that I have continued to pay in a timely manner for the broadband on the original contract, it is additionally presumptive to assume that one can access broadband at two different addresses with only one router (which has remained at the original address for the entirety of the contract). Nonetheless, Virgin Media expect me to pay out over £1000 for broadband which was set up without my consent, has never been connected for use, nor has it been utilised, particularly given that the router remains at the original contract's address.

I am disappointed by the lack of transparency and clear communication regarding this significant change in contract terms, especially from a company that is meant to be a reputable service provider. Had I been informed of the initiation of a new 18-month contract, I would have been in contact far sooner to rectify the error which Virgin Media themselves have made.

Furthermore, my attempts to seek clarity and resolution have been met with considerable resistance, involving being passed around various departments. I spoke to one man from Virgin Media, who helpfully agreed with the case I presented to him and informed me having looked at the transcripts from my conversations in July, that he would waive all costs associated with this new contract. He transferred me to the billing department, reassuring me that they would help to waive the costs. However, when I spoke to a customer service assistance in this new department, she informed me that there was 'no evidence' and 'no transcripts' from my conversations and that I would owe the full bill amount. It seems absurd that members of the customer service team cannot come to an agreement with each other, let alone be able to access the same information regarding my case. When I stressed that I didn't agree to anything and that is the issue here, she remarked that there was nothing she could do to help, but to get her manager to call me back another day. 

I have no doubt these calls were recorded, both in July and today. I have submitted a subject access request, as it seems pertinent given the level of service being provided, as well as the consistent and blatant misuse of customer trust. 

I stated that I will be disputing this case and will take the matter further - it is unethical, unprofessional and should not be allowed to continue. 

I look forward to my conversation with the manager from the billings team which I have scheduled for this Wednesday 17th December, however, I have no doubt based on the customer service offered to me up to this point, that this conversation will not bring me any resolution.

I have sought legal advice - whilst I am ready and willing to resolve this between myself and Virgin Media, I am prepared to take this matter to the Ombudstman, Ofcom and Trading Standards. In the meantime, the broadband in the address of my original contract has been cut off, which customer service have also failed to resolve. 

It is not surprising to me to see many others in this position (https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/New-contract-without-my-permission-after-house-move/td-p/5388210)

New contract set up without my consent after moving house | Virgin Media Community - 5661259

Moving House - Put on new contract without my consent | Virgin Media Community - 5517140

And to see that Virgin has historically been the most complained about telecoms provider this year because of customer service.

Any advice on next steps on how I can get this resolved much appreciated.

Thanks in advance