Virgin Media’s price rises ‘break the law’, says Which?

[Cardiffman282]

Virgin Media has been accused of unfairly increasing broadband prices for millions of customers in a move that has been condemned as “potentially unlawful”.

The consumer rights group Which? has accused the telecoms company of applying “aggressive” inflation-linked mid-contract price increases while making it difficult for customers to cancel their deal without paying high exit fees.

What do you think of VM's approach to price hikes? 

[victormarcel09]

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@Cardiffman282 wrote:

Virgin Media has been accused of unfairly increasing broadband prices for millions of customers in a move that has been condemned as “potentially unlawful”.

The consumer rights group Which? has accused the telecoms company of applying “aggressive” inflation-linked mid-contract price increases while making it difficult for customers to cancel their deal without paying high exit fees.

What do you think of VM's approach to price hikes? 

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As a customer, I am extremely disappointed with Virgin Media's approach to price hikes. It is unfair and potentially unlawful to increase broadband prices mid-contract, especially when customers are already locked into a fixed-term agreement. Additionally, making it difficult to cancel the contract without high exit fees further adds to the frustration. Virgin Media should prioritize customer satisfaction and transparency instead of implementing aggressive price increases.

[Cardiffman282]

Virgin Media is the only major broadband firm which will use the RPI from next spring. I think this tells us a lot about VM and what it thinks of its customers. 

[mitch84]

From reading that article, end part anyway, It seems to suggest that any other time of the year a price rise could occur, customers could still have right to cancel?

VM should never have changed these terms, it stinks!, A customer should have the right whenever a price rise is forced onto them, the customer negotiated a price at time of signing new contract that they were happy with and could afford. This is why getting no option to cancel when price rises happen leads to people struggling even more.

I really do hope they are breaking the law, if not it should be a law that these companies can't NOT give you option to leave when prices rise, mid term contract.

[sayekm]

When my price was increased in April mid contract. I was given the option to leave without any penalty. After a brief chat with customer service they applied a discount for the same amount as the increase until end of contract.

Also at each renewal I speak to retention team to negotiation a good deal. Always got great value for money.

I think price hike this is done by all ISP providers.

[Cardiffman282]

Glad to hear that you got a good deal. Not everyone is up to haggling. From next year the option to leave with no early disconnection fee has been removed by VM. Also VM alone choose to use the higher RPI amongst the big ISPs. 

[HughJarsse]

Virgin Media broadband price hikes 'potentially unlawful,' says Which? (msn.com)

Well well, about time too!!

[Tudor]

I always take what Which says with a pinch of salt.

[HughJarsse]

'I always take what Which says with a pinch of salt'

So, will you do the same when VM stick the RPI + 3.9% onto your bill next year, or, maybe twice next year, then tell you you have no right to cancel because they have the right to do as they like, and you are under contract??

[sdhinternet]

Just an observation, Most mobile operators have been using the RPI rate of inflation to increase customers bills, yet "Which" have never raised this as being "Potentially Unlawful" for those operators. Any rise is unwelcome but this reads like a "Witch Hunt" (forgive the pun, not intentional) - if it is "Potentially Unlawful" then it is also "Potentially Lawful"