Virgin Media Bill Cannot be Paid and I'm Charged More Than I Should Be

[gordonsgoodfell]

Hi,

I was alerted to my recent bill which was for £62.51.

So I tried paying it by dialling 150.

However, the phone number I punched in was not recognised by your system - presumably as a direct result of changing over to digital (as well as the other idiotic things in relation to the same thing - like Virgin Media sending me an adapter that ensured that my phone DIDN'T RING when someone called me!)

So I am unable to pay my present bill by phone. And I'm unable to pay my present bill online because there is a thick black bar over the card field (see attached screenshot).

Once again, Virgin Media has truly screwed up!

Now I get an email from VM stating that I owe £140!!!!!!

This is dated March 3. What has happened to the current bill of £62.51? It has suddenly changed to £70!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is there NOTHING that Virgin Media can do properly????

I'm truly getting **bleep** sick of them. Really I am! They are a bunch of useless **bleep**s. They're not fit to run a **bleep** whelk stall.

[gordonsgoodfell]

Hello,

I have just tried dislocating VM's absurd digital connection by taking my Truecall unit offline and AGAIN trying to use the 150 phone method to pay my bill of £62.51.

This time it recognised the numbers I punched into it. So now it works! Great!

Imagine my dismay when I hear the words of the reading say "We have moved this service online".

Why would ANY business want to REMOVE any method of payment for their customers?

Why?

Only VM would do this. Only them.

Now I have NO WAY of ever paying my VM bill again!

[gordonsgoodfell]

I just tried paying online again. I'm not really sure why, because I know it doesn't work (your black bar covering the credit card field again - brilliant!).

But now there's a new problem before I even get to that stage. See screenshot.

"Something's Not Quite Right"

Damn sure it isn't.

You lot need your heads examined - or replaced.

[John_GS]

When you try and call 150 - what happens please? The fact of the phone being via the router now should not matter at all. You can also call us on 0345 454 1111 or Collections themselves on 0345 142 4444. 

Best wishes,

[gordonsgoodfell]

Hello,

Why do I have to repeat the same answer three times?

The 150 method DOES NOT RECOGNISE the numbers I punch in.

THAT is what happens.

So I disconnected the TRuecall unit so that there is a direct connection between the phone and the home hub.

That enabled the numbers I punched in to be recognised.

Thank goodness, I thought.

But then I hear the words "We have moved this service online".

WHY WOULD ANY BUSINESS REMOVE A METHOD OF PAYMENT, making it more difficult to pay?

Nothing you lot do makes any sense.

Once again I tried the online method using a different browser AND adjusting to different screen resolutions. After trying several I at last found one that allowed me to pay without any of the input fields being hidden by your cunning thick black bars.

I was able to pay my bill of £62.51 at last.

But why did you send me another bill showing that my £62.51 bill had changed to £70? 

And why did you try to make me pay next month's bill this month?

VM are so sneaky I have to watch you lot like a hawk. When you're not incompetent you're dishonest.

A very unfortunate combination.

Now, I have paid my bill of £62.51 and my account is now settled until next month.

But before that I need you to confirm that my account is now fully settled.

[John_GS]

Righto so that would suggest it's the Truecall unit then I'm afraid. You can still pay via the IVR as I have checked it myself this morning; 

• Dial 150
• TV/Broadband/Home Phone - option 1
• May ask for the postcode, if so and the right postcode, press 1. If doesn't say this ignore it.
• Mentions about the app - ignore it.
• Bills/Payments. Press 1.
• Pay now. Press 1.

Kind regards

[gordonsgoodfell]

No. It isn't the Truecall unit.

The Truecall unit is meant to function normally - and it does so. There are only problems when I dial 150.

I've had my faithful Truecall unit for over 10 years, and it has never let me down. VM, on the other hand.... keeps on screwing up continually.

And it's so easy just to blame something else. (BT used to do it all the time.)

I asked you to confirm that my account balance is clear. That means that it is £0.00.

Why do I need to state everything twice or three times with you lot....

[John_GS]

The account balance will update within 48 hours. Has your February bill been produced? If so, that'll be there also, so there'll not be a clear account balance as such. 

Did you try the steps I gave to call the payments line?

Best wishes,

[gordonsgoodfell]

You write "Has your February bill been produced?"

It is the February bill I have just paid.

Or didn't you realise that was what this discussion was about?

The February bill was originally £62.51, but the NEXT email from VM showed that this had gone up to £70 (as I have stated now four times).

WHY?

And why did VM try to make me pay the March bill a month early?

Can you please answer these questions.

[gordonsgoodfell]

That is NOT what happens when I dial 150.

I know which buttons to press - I've been paying by phone for years!

Until you have now removed that facility.

I suggest that you DIAL 150 and LISTEN to the messages as if you are in the place of a customer trying to pay.

You will have to enter your phone number and several routeing numbers, only to be told "we have moved that service online".

TRY IT!

It DOESN'T WORK!

[John_GS]

When I say bill I don't mean the payment, I mean the bill production date. The March cannot have been produced yet as it's only the 15th February, thus I think we're getting confused. Have you just paid your January bill, if you're not sure, what is the production date for the bill of £62.51? 

I have just dialled the 150 number. You can also use the 0345 numbers given as well

Best wishes,