Being Overcharged

[latkinson]

Hiya, 

I’ve just taken over my Virgin account from my flatmate who is moving out. I am being charged £55 in my next bill when it is usually £23. The app says that this is to cover the last bill that we didn’t pay, but we did pay it. I think there might have been a mix up changing the bank details over from hers to mine, but we did everything correct, I set up a direct debit but Virgin didn’t take the money out of my account on the due date and now I’m being penalised. My friend ended up having to pay from her account over the phone, but we’re still being charged for last months bill - meaning that we’ll end up paying it twice. Does anyone know how I can rectify this? The staff on the phone don’t seem to understand and I don’t know how to get the bill changed. 

Thank you 

[Ernie_C]

When you pay separately, the process advises that the DD still gets taken. The extra becomes a credit on the account and used for the next bill.

You should be aware that you can’t take over the account. If the person that has left was the account holder, she is still the account holder. You are simply the person paying their bill.

If you default, she is liable.

What you should have done is cancel her account and started your own.

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi there @latkinson

Thank you so much for your post and welcome to the community forums, it's great to have you hear. 

I am so sorry to hear that you have faced this issue with your bill and a big thank you to @Ernie_C for their help on this so far. Just to reiterate what they have said, you will not be the account holder as we do not issues changes of responsibility. Your bank details may be used to pay for the account but the account will still be in your flatmates name. For any issues regarding the account and the bill we will need to speak to the account holder for security reasons so if we are to take a look into this it is the account holder we will need to speak with. 

The bill will not change online as it has already been published, but if you have now paid then the amount on the account will update on our side. If you give our collections team a call on 0345 142 4444 they will be able to advise further on what needs to be paid, though any extra payment would end up credited on the next bill. 

Just to make you aware it would need to be the account holder that spoke to collections in regards to the bill. 

[latkinson]

Ok, thank you. That's good to know

[Gareth_L]

Hello latkinson,

Please let us know how you get on.

Gareth_L

[jem101]

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@latkinson wrote:

Ok, thank you. That's good to know

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Well no, as mentioned above, your former flatmate is technically and legally still responsible for paying the bills, if, you were to decide, say,  to not pay it, then the ensuing bailiffs and Court Orders etc. are on her head. Similarly, if in the future, you had some issue with the connection and called VM’s customer services for support, they won’t talk to you, on the not unreasonable grounds that you are not the account holder and are basically just some random person on the phone!

So what I would suggest is that you get her to cancel the existing VM contract, which frees her up from any further responsibilities, and then you take out a new contract in your name, which, as an incentive, will include any ‘new customer’ discounts.

And yes, I know, it’s tempting to just leave it, after all it all works, well until it doesn’t, in which case you and your former flat mate are looking at an entire world of hurt and pain…..