Check your contracts for additional fees!!

[Mike219]

I have had to raise a complaint with the communications ombudsman today after weeks of getting nowhere with Virgin Media directly. I strongly recommend that people check their contracts as there were additional charges added to my contract after it had been agreed. The way they treat customers is appalling and frankly dishonest... The details are:

On 22nd June 2023 I contacted Virgin Media by phone as I had received an email stating that I could add Sky Sports UHD to my package for £3 per month. During the call the lady that I spoke to told me that she couldn't apply the offer, but was unable to give a reason why. She said that she could add Sky Sports UHD and some additional Sky Cinema UHD channels for £4 per month. I clarified with her that I would get additional sports and movies channels for the £4 and she said that I would.
I agreed to the changes to my package and was told that my package would be £67.99 p/m until December 2024 and was sent a 'Virgin Media Contract Summary Sheet' whilst on the call to this effect.

When I got home I found that I had Sky Sports UHD but no additional Sky Cinema channels as promised. I contacted Virgin Media to complain about this and after spending time on hold and on the call was told that it would be looked into and someone would call back. Nobody called me back - but for the sake of £1 a month I decided not to pursue the complaint further.

On 21st September 2023 I had cause to look at my Virgin Media contract online and saw that the contract was until December 2024, but had price increases taking the cost to over £160 in February 2024. I had never agreed to these price increases, and they were not on my contract summary sheet. I contacted Virgin Media immediately and whilst on the call the line dropped out and the call taker never called me back (despite earlier confirming my contact details). I raised a complaint online (C-2109231818) the same evening.

On 22nd September 2023 I called Virgin Media again and after spending a long time on hold I spoke with Jonathan. Jonathan explained that he would need to listen to the call tapes from 22/06/23 and said that he would resolve the issue. He was very apologetic and said that he would get back in contact with me by the following Tuesday (26/09/23). Whilst on this call I requested a copy of the call tapes myself under the Data Protection Act - he said that he would submit this request but that the recordings could take some time to get to me.

I heard nothing from Jonathan so on 02/10/23 I contacted Virgin Media again. I spent 35 minutes on hold and eventually got through to Harooj. Harooj told me that Jonathan had updated the system to say that the tapes were taking longer than expected. I asked Harooj to contact Jonathan to ask him to update me. Harooj reassured me that the matter was still being dealt with and that as I had contacted Virgin Media twice after making my complaint online the complaint wouldn't be closed until it was resolved.

I heard nothing further until 20/10/23 when I received an email from Virgin Media saying that as they hadn't heard from me in 28 days they were closing my complaint!... This is despite the fact that I had phoned them twice since making my complaint. The email directed me to the communications ombudsman if I wasn't satisfied.

On 27/10/23 I contacted Virgin Media again and after another 15 mins on hold I spoke with Ahsan from Virgin Media Retention Tier 2 Team.  Ahsan said that he would get this sorted for me and said that he would be applying for a credit to be added to my bill for £93.50 from February 2024. This credit would bring the price down to £67.99 until December 2024 in line with the agreement made in June. Ahsan said that there was very clear evidence on the account that the information they sent out to me at the time I agreed the contract was that I would be charged £67.99 P/M until December 2024 (I assume he was looking at the contract summary sheet sent to me during the call). Ahsan said that he couldn't see the credit being refused as the evidence was there to show what had been agreed. I spent an hour on this call but was relieved to finally feel that the matter was being resolved.

On 02/11/23 I received a call from Ahsan stating that they won't be applying the credit of £93.50 to my account from February... but that my contract will end on 21 February 2024 so to call on 20/01/24 to sort out a new contract. I advised that I'd be raising a complaint with the ombudsmen.

As of 04/11/23 my contract online is still showing as running until December 2024 with price increases of £93.50 in February 2024.

This issue has taken hours of my time on the phone to resolve and has caused me significant stress as I have been worried how I will afford my bills from February 2024. I was lied to at the time of the call in June about getting extra movies channels and then price increases were inserted into my contract that I was never told about and never agreed to. Virgin Media staff have repeatedly failed to get back to me. I have never received the call recordings I requested.

Ahsan finally acknowledged that the information sent to me on 22/06/23 was that my contract would be for £67.99 per month until December 2024. He has tried to apply the appropriate discount which has been refused... Therefore Virgin Media have failed to honour the contract that they agreed; instead hoping to push me onto a more expensive contract in February 2024.

If I failed to pay my bill, only paid part of it, or decided to end my contract early there would be consequences... Either through my credit rating or financial penalty. It is wrong that Virgin Media can treat individuals in this way without any repercussions. They have:

A) Given false information over what additional channels I would get when selling me the new contract in June.

B) Inserted significant price increases to the contract without notification, consultation or agreement.
C) Repeatedly failed to address the issue and failed to contact me back. Causing me a lot of stress and wasting hours of my time.
D) Closed my complaint saying that I hadn't contacted them - when I had.
E) Acknowledged that the contract agreed in June was £67.99 p/m until December 2024... Then refused to honour the contract.

Beware of this company! 

[Roger123]

Mike219   Roger123 calling.  I was appalled to hear your story. I have only been with Virgin Media since the 2nd of October, 2023, with them taking an elderly Customer (sick with Parkinson's disease) like myself 'to the cleaners'. After sending me 3 (three) 'estimated' bills for the *FIRST payment due on the 13th November, 2023, Virgin Media confused me and I had to pay *£313.12. which, thank God, I settled. I have proof that Virgin Media would take a poor unfortunate Customer to Court for as little as £55.00.

Mike, Virgin Media have 'cheated' me throughout. After making my complaints, Virgin Media 'gave up the Ghost' with me claiming that ***28 days had passed so they could ***close those complaints. However, if one does not include WEEKENDS the true figure is ****23 days. Virgin Media can hardly query my findings as they themselves EXCLUDE WEEKENDS in everything they fight for to save themselves from paying out more than a penny piece! Virgin Media thus illegally referred me to the ****Communications Ombudsman. The latter are very efficiently dealing with my case. I do hope you achieve satisfaction with your complaint.  Roger123

[patier]

i thought it was common knowledge???the first thing ou do is cancel all direct debits or the ill bleed ou dry lol.