Forum Discussion

Servalan's avatar
Servalan
On our wavelength
26 days ago
Solved

Reduced package but still being charged full amount

I changed my package at end of contract as follows:

 

Quick recap of what you now enjoy:
Your new package now includes:
Phone: Weekend chatter 
We've removed:
TV: Mix TV - TiVo Monthly Fee
Phone: Talk Weekends 
Here's how your changes take effect:
Service changes were made to your account on 26th April 2025 
These changes will take effect* from 26th April 2025 
Your next bill will be £81.25✝ and will be created as normal on 25th April 2025 
The following bill will be CR £36.75✝ and include all credits and adjustments based on when the changes took effect, this is due 23rd May 2025 
Your new monthly bundle cost thereafter is: £37.00✝.

However the 26 Apr bill is £95.00, so what's going on? 

The new contract starts 26 April, and this new bill also dated 26 April covers 16 May to 16 June so it must be incorrect.

I suppose I need to phone them to sort it out but it's annoying I have to because I've got the new contract and it clearly states the new price. 

Looks like one department isn't talking to another department.

Servs

  • Servalan's avatar
    Servalan
    7 days ago

    The 15th has come and gone and no money has been taken from my account!

    Strange as it has always been on the 15th. And the email confirming the new amounts says the 15th.

    I have not touched the Direct Debit, it is still in place, with 'next payment due 15 May 2025.'

    ???

     

13 Replies

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  • Molly_T's avatar
    Molly_T
    Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
    26 days ago

    Hi Servalan 👋 Welcome back to the community forum!

    Thanks for taking the time to post, and raise these concerns about your billing. 

    Based on the information provided, it may be that your first bill on the new contract has included service charges for 1 month in advance. However, we'd need to take a proper look at the account and printed bill so we can investigate what's happening and offer further guidance and support. 

    I will send you a PM to confirm a few details and take a closer look. You can find this in your Inbox 📩 in the top right corner of the page. Thanks for your patience in the meantime! 🌞

  • Servalan's avatar
    Servalan
    On our wavelength
    23 days ago

    Update... I phoned Virgin and they told me my new contract is in place but I would still be charged £95, this would be credited on the next bill.

    I challenged this as I was told it would be £81.25 and they agreed to amend my payments to:

    May £47.50 
    Jun £0
    Jul £24.83
    Aug onwards £37.00 

    I have an email confirming this.

    As for my cancelled service still working, they assured me that it has been disconnected, and that there must be an error in the system, and to 'check every day' to ensure it is disconnected. Strange! I will keep an eye on this and get in touch if it's still working in a week.

    • Steven_L's avatar
      Steven_L
      Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
      22 days ago

      Thanks for coming back to us and for the explanation. Are you happy to update us in a weeks time or would you like us to carry on investigating via the private message conversation?

      Kind Regards,

      Steven_L

    • Martin_N's avatar
      Martin_N
      Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
      20 days ago

      Thank you, we will await your update. 

      ^Martin

  • Servalan's avatar
    Servalan
    On our wavelength
    20 days ago

    I will also let you know if the charges outlined above are  correct or if 95 quid is erroneously taken from my account.

    Just a thought, would it be worth canceling my direct debit while all this is going on? I really can't afford to have 95 quid taken from my account this month, so if I cancel the direct debit I can pay another way such as via card over the phone.

    Once I am reassured that the correct charges are in place I can then set up the direct debit again. 

    Can you blame me for being so cautious!?

     

     

    • goslow's avatar
      goslow
      Alessandro Volta
      20 days ago

      The evidence from many past topics on here is that cancelling your direct debit with VM (when VM is expecting to be paid via direct debit) is never a good idea. This is also true even if you subsequently make payment by another means.

  • Servalan's avatar
    Servalan
    On our wavelength
    20 days ago

    Ok that's sensible I won't do it.

    I am just very wary of being charged the wrong amount!

    But I have an email confirming the amounts that should be taken so I have evidence. 

    Hopefully it will be okay, we shall see...

     

    • Kath_P's avatar
      Kath_P
      Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
      20 days ago

      We're here to pick up any updates and will look further into things, should the need arise. 

      In the meantime, enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend 😊

      Many thanks, 

    • unisoft's avatar
      unisoft
      Knows their stuff
      19 days ago

      The one thing I can say with certainty is that VM probably have the best procedures in private companies at TAKING money OR passing to debt collectors.

      As goslow says, do NOT cancel the DD as they give them excuses to charge even more and make it bulk up ready for a debt collector letter/visit. Unfortunately, you have to let them help themselves and then go after them, throwing a reasonable (under law) administration fee of £25 for your time. They won't pay it though, too many people not empowered to process decisions by top team management.

      Your only real power is at end of this contract by actually giving 30 days notice. Then they will likely contact you with a super offer (at this stage, outbound retentions normally get the contract correct) or walk off and be happy with another provider - whether that be an ISP on BT Openreach FTTP or an ALTNET (VM absolutely loathe ALTNETS as VM's NexFibre has had to ramp down FTTP roll out to new areas suddenly because the ALTNETS are starting to eat their customer base away as in IT news yesterday from Mike Fries himself on ISPREVIEW web site).

      You can see if an ALTNET is in your area by going to https://bidb.ukand entering your post code. If it's an ALTNET like NETOMNIA/YOU FIBRE, they give symmetric speeds (that is UPLOAD speed is same as DOWNLOAD speed), no in contract price rises, and ability to get new customer deal pricing when you renew contract. Most ALTNETS are symmetric speed too and far cheaper. If TV is required, you can just get Sky Stream from Sky for that as it works with any ISP unlike VM Stream/Flex, or use the NOW TV app for a limited set of channels. Most give a router or let you use your own and one off installation of the FTTP cable to the house is usually free. Most also have UK support teams too. For those that want a fixed static IP address that is routable over the internet, many ALTNETS also offer that for a small charge, and many have IPv6 support, unlike VM.

      Finally, if you are on VM's legacy FTTC network (that is coaxial cable to the hub), then the latency will be far superior on any FTTP network and it will feel much snappier and faster. This is because it does not have the overheads of DocSIS that VM has on its FTTC network (HFC) which adds latency.

  • Servalan's avatar
    Servalan
    On our wavelength
    19 days ago

    Thanks but I did all the contract renewal stuff within the correct period, I wanted to continue with internet and phone only and cancel the TV service. They did offer me a TV bundle but I insisted I cancelled the TV service, as I never, ever use it. So they did agree to internet and phone only going forward.

    I am perfectly happy with their internet service, I do not see the need to change. 

    My only problem is the erroneous billing, which might or might not be sorted, I will find out!

    I am not cancelling the DD I was wondering if it would protect me if I did, but it seem that it would cause yet more problems, so it stays.

    The TiVo box has now stopped working, except for programmes I have recorded onto the hard drive. I was advised not to send it back as it is obsolete - so in the bin it goes! 

  • Servalan's avatar
    Servalan
    On our wavelength
    7 days ago

    The 15th has come and gone and no money has been taken from my account!

    Strange as it has always been on the 15th. And the email confirming the new amounts says the 15th.

    I have not touched the Direct Debit, it is still in place, with 'next payment due 15 May 2025.'

    ???