Ofcom has today opened an own-initiative investigation into Virgin Media’s compliance with its contract termination and complaints handling/facilitating appropriate access to ADR obligations during 2022/23, following complaints received from consumers.You can help Ofcom in its investigation by letting them know all about your cancellation experience with VM here.None of this will come as a huge surprise to those who have battled with offshore CS, endless retention conversations, abrupt call terminations, and the extraordinary expediency of being required to resort to snail mail to beg for a cancellation.More background here.

An excellent find Cardiffman282.For anyone who has read these forums for any significant time, this is long overdue.The OFCOM links need to be signposted on all future topics complaining about VM's sub-standard complaints and cancellation processes.

Complaints from people who cant cancel there contracts. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-66174785

Tried cancelling yesterday via web chat. Bot asked a series of questions, then put me in a queue for a human. 20 minute wait, had to keep refreshing my screen. Eventually got through to a human, who asked me the same questions I had already answered. Explained I wanted to cancel. Asked my why, I explained my position. No reply for 10 minutes. Had to answer my front door, when I got back, the chat had been ended because I didn’t respond to the next question quickly enough.Started again, same questions, another 20 minute wait for a human, same questions again, had to take an urgent phone call, came back <10 mins later and had been disconnected again.Started again, same process again, but this time I never got through to a human, whilst waiting in queue, authentication error and chat was reset.Gave up, came back again in evening, this time My Virgin Media was down for maintenance, so didn’t even get to start.Next day (today) started the process again, this time by phone.Automated call handling, enter account number, confirm identity, 3 characters from memorable word, what do you want to do, chose 4 I’m thinking about leaving.On hold music waiting for a human. 25 minutes on holdPut through to India retentions.Q: Why do you want to leave?A: Out of contract, bill has gone up to £126, too much, want to cancelQ: I can offer you a new 18 month contract, same bundle, same discountA: No thanks, I’m planning on moving house in next three months, don’t want a new contract.Q: I can offer you a new contract and you can then transfer when you moveA: I don’t know if new house is cabled, but if it is, I would want Ultimate Volt @ £85 per monthQ: We can’t offer that, only available for new customersA: Ok, then I’d like to cancel please, and I may consider signing up as new customer in futureQ: Let me consult with a colleague12 minutes on holdQ: I’m sorry I can’t offer anything else, I will transfer you to disconnections team25 minutes of hold musicUK Based Retentions answered. Explained I wanted to cancel, explained I wasn’t interested in new 18 month deal, just want to leave in 30 days time. She was polite and friendly and said she wasn’t disconnections, so would put me through.16 minutes of hold musicIndia Based Customer Services answered. She wasn’t able to help me. I asked her to put a note on my account that I had requested cancellation and get someone to call me when they identified who the right person was. She couldn’t do that, she doesn’t have the access. I responded if you are customer services, then you can add a note to my file. She admitted she could do that, but it wouldn’t help as nobody would action it. Said she was putting me through to disconnections14 minutes of hold music. The switched over to new queue, with rolling adverts for Virgin Media another 14 minutesEventually answered by a lovely Scottish chap, who listened to my tale of woe, and then explained that he was only able to handle moves. Explained that previous handlers must have been confused that I might be moving in future, he said don’t mention that again, just say you want to cancel.Put on hold with new soothing music.2 hours 10 minutes and counting… still haven’t been put through to someone who can action a cancellation. My limit is 2.5 hours, if not resolved by then, I will cancel my direct debit and write via snail mail. Oh and yes, Ofcom will get my experience documented.

They need to also investigate them over missing emails and lost data. The ICO are involved, but Ofcom should also step up.

Virgin Media is being investigated by the telecoms regulator over complaints that it is too difficult for customers to cancel their contracts.People told Ofcom they struggled to speak to a customer services agent by phone, with some calls being dropped and others facing long waiting times.Others said they had to make repeated requests to cancel their services.Virgin Media said complaints relating to "difficulties leaving" had halved over the past year.It is the latest in a series of setbacks for the media giant, which has come under fire in recent months over disruption to its services. That led to an apology in April when thousands of people in the UK reported they were unable to access the internet twice in one day.In June, some Virgin Media email users were left unable to send or receive emails for 36 hours, and while this issue was resolved, some customers still could not access their inboxes two weeks later.The BBC has asked Virgin Media whether this disruption to emails has been fully resolved.All of this comes after telecoms companies raised their prices substantially in April, with Virgin Media telling customers they faced an average 13.8% increase in their bills. What are my rights for changing my broadband supplier?If you're near the end of your contract, you could benefit by switching to a different supplier altogether, or if you're good at negotiating you might even be able to get down the price of your current deal by callingIf you're not out-of-contract and you're struggling to pay your bill, there is support availableYou can arrange a payment plan with your provider, or you might be allowed to switch to a cheaper internet package without paying a penalty feeThere are also broadband and mobile tariffs available which are meant to help people on universal credit and other means-tested benefitsVirgin Media is one of the suppliers offering a "social tariff" for £12.50 per monthThere are no charges for getting a social tariff, no fee to leave before the contract expires, and the price won't increase midway throughOfcom is also investigating how Virgin Media has handled complaints, and whether customers knew their rights.It said companies should tell customers that they have the right to escalate their complaint to an independent ombudsman.'Unnecessary barriers'"Our rules are there to protect people and make sure consumers can take advantage of cheaper deals that are on offer," said Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes."That's particularly important at the moment as households look for ways to keep their bills down."We're taking action today, on behalf of Virgin Media's customers, to investigate whether the company is putting unnecessary barriers in the way of those who want to switch away."Ofcom said it was important for customers to be able to switch providers easily in order for the telecoms market to remain competitive.This means people can take advantage of better deals elsewhere, and potentially save money.If it finds Virgin Media broke the rules, the company could face a fine and be told to change its procedures."Any allegation that Virgin is making it tough for customers to cancel its services is a very bad look for the UK's third-biggest broadband provider, particularly in the midst of a bitter cost-of-living crisis," said Alex Tofts from comparison site Broadband Genie."If Ofcom's investigation finds the company in breach of its rules the damage to its reputation is likely to far outweigh any fine."A Virgin Media spokesperson said: "We are committed to providing our customers with excellent service, supporting them with any issues and giving clear options should they wish to leave."Complaint rates relating to 'difficulties leaving' have halved over the past year, showing the progress we're making, and we will keep working with Ofcom throughout its investigation, while making further improvements in how we handle customer complaints to provide a better overall experience.

Breaking: OFCOM investigating VM over difficulty cancelling VM contracts

47 Replies

Client62
Alessandro Volta
2 years ago
We commented on this in The Times and The Telegraph to remind folks one can cancel by signed for letter.
- Andrew-G
  Alessandro Volta
  2 years ago
  And cancelling by letter worked fine for me, as my history shows I've always pointed that option to people here. But the point is that the company ENCOURAGE people to contact them by phone as the primary and (supposedly) quickest channel to cancel, and then they deliberately make cancelling via that channel slow and difficult.
  And don't forget that for a long time customer paperwork and even odd bits of the VM website directed customers to cancel via letter to Phoenix Park, years after the company had moved out, and for a good long period after VM stopped redirecting the post. Some poor suckers even still have paperwork showing a cancellation address near Winchester that hasn't been a customer service location for probably over a decade.
smudgger
On our wavelength
2 years ago
Virgin Media is being investigated by the telecoms regulator over complaints that it is too difficult for customers to cancel their contracts.
People told Ofcom they struggled to speak to a customer services agent by phone, with some calls being dropped and others facing long waiting times.
Others said they had to make repeated requests to cancel their services.
Virgin Media said complaints relating to "difficulties leaving" had halved over the past year.
It is the latest in a series of setbacks for the media giant, which has come under fire in recent months over disruption to its services. That led to an apology in April when thousands of people in the UK reported they were unable to access the internet twice in one day.
In June, some Virgin Media email users were left unable to send or receive emails for 36 hours, and while this issue was resolved, some customers still could not access their inboxes two weeks later.
The BBC has asked Virgin Media whether this disruption to emails has been fully resolved.
All of this comes after telecoms companies raised their prices substantially in April, with Virgin Media telling customers they faced an average 13.8% increase in their bills.

What are my rights for changing my broadband supplier?
If you're near the end of your contract, you could benefit by switching to a different supplier altogether, or if you're good at negotiating you might even be able to get down the price of your current deal by calling
If you're not out-of-contract and you're struggling to pay your bill, there is support available
You can arrange a payment plan with your provider, or you might be allowed to switch to a cheaper internet package without paying a penalty fee
There are also broadband and mobile tariffs available which are meant to help people on universal credit and other means-tested benefits
Virgin Media is one of the suppliers offering a "social tariff" for £12.50 per month
There are no charges for getting a social tariff, no fee to leave before the contract expires, and the price won't increase midway through
Ofcom is also investigating how Virgin Media has handled complaints, and whether customers knew their rights.
It said companies should tell customers that they have the right to escalate their complaint to an independent ombudsman.
'Unnecessary barriers'
"Our rules are there to protect people and make sure consumers can take advantage of cheaper deals that are on offer," said Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes.
"That's particularly important at the moment as households look for ways to keep their bills down.
"We're taking action today, on behalf of Virgin Media's customers, to investigate whether the company is putting unnecessary barriers in the way of those who want to switch away."
Ofcom said it was important for customers to be able to switch providers easily in order for the telecoms market to remain competitive.
This means people can take advantage of better deals elsewhere, and potentially save money.
If it finds Virgin Media broke the rules, the company could face a fine and be told to change its procedures.
"Any allegation that Virgin is making it tough for customers to cancel its services is a very bad look for the UK's third-biggest broadband provider, particularly in the midst of a bitter cost-of-living crisis," said Alex Tofts from comparison site Broadband Genie.
"If Ofcom's investigation finds the company in breach of its rules the damage to its reputation is likely to far outweigh any fine."
A Virgin Media spokesperson said: "We are committed to providing our customers with excellent service, supporting them with any issues and giving clear options should they wish to leave.
"Complaint rates relating to 'difficulties leaving' have halved over the past year, showing the progress we're making, and we will keep working with Ofcom throughout its investigation, while making further improvements in how we handle customer complaints to provide a better overall experience.
smudgger
On our wavelength
2 years ago
Complaints from people who cant cancel there contracts. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-66174785
- infidel
  Dialled in
  2 years ago
  I would prefer to change providers without having to phone to cancel once my contract has ended. Other providers do it why not Virgin?
  - nexus1972
    On our wavelength
    2 years ago
    I did it via chat last week. Started chat at 9:23, sat for 40 minutes in the 'priority queue' then took another 40 minutes of saying no I dont want your deals before they would finally action cancelling.
goslow
Alessandro Volta
2 years ago
An excellent find Cardiffman282.
For anyone who has read these forums for any significant time, this is long overdue.
The OFCOM links need to be signposted on all future topics complaining about VM's sub-standard complaints and cancellation processes.
NikTheGeek
Dialled in
2 years ago
They need to also investigate them over missing emails and lost data. The ICO are involved, but Ofcom should also step up.
- Omadawn
  Up to speed
  2 years ago
  I get where you are coming from, but this is an entirely different matter and isn’t really within OFCOM’s remit. They are concerned whether VM are adhering to the rules regarding compensation, easy of leaving, company practices etc. which VM agreed to.
  So, for example, in the great email debacle of 2023, OFCOM can’t actually intervene in how they provide a service, only whether or not they pay the proper level of compensation - of course that is to be decided! However, if, and it is a big if, VM have been negligent in looking after customer information then I promise you that the ICO can inflict fines and damage to a level that will make anything that OFCOM can do, look like child’s-play!
  - goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago
    A big fat fine doesn't seem to be first choice in the ICO's proposed new approach to enforcement though
    https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2022/11/how-the-ico-enforces-a-new-strategic-approach-to-regulatory-action/

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Breaking: OFCOM investigating VM over difficulty cancelling VM contracts

47 Replies

What are my rights for changing my broadband supplier?

'Unnecessary barriers'

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