Bereavement-need to manage account remotely

[SteveStacey]

 

Hi

Reaching out to Community gurus for help. Am representing my late father-in-law. (Passed away in July) I know about the bereavement form and will complete and submit asap. The intention is to continue same package, and bills will continue to be paid from same bank account. (Was joint but now in his wife’s name) However, have some queries before submitting the form:

1. I’ve been able to change the password to log into the  Virgin Media app on his iPad. However, his Virgin email is currently “unavailable”. This is message received when trying to access from Virgin Media site. I think this was due to him fiddling with the settings months ago. (Last email received in April)

2. My mother-in-law is 89 and totally incapable of managing the account, so I need to use my details and email as the new account holder. Is that permissible in the circumstances? (I live 200 miles away but can manage account remotely)

3. The bereavement form asks for an account password to be created. Am I meant to include this in an attachment? Would this replace the one I’ve created in step 1 above? Conversely, is this the one to be cited this when phoning Virgin?

4. When I logged into the Virgin Media webpage, it advised that he’s out of contract. I’m happy to take one of the deals proposed so, all other things being equal, can I do this after the bereavement form is processed?

I can provide his credentials if Virgin team can set up chat link to advise next steps.

(I exhausted all the phone options s yesterday but impossible to speak to anyone) 

Many thanks

[Gareth_L]

Hello SteveStacey.

Thanks for your post on our community. We're sorry to hear about your loss.

To be honest the questions you've asked would be best advised by our bereavement team.

The current account can be transferred over to your name if that would be easier in the long run.

When you mentioned calling was this with our customer service team or directly with our bereavement team?

As we do have a direct number if that helps 0800 952 2302 and the team are available Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4pm.

Sorry we couldn't answer all your question as it is dealt with by a specialist department.

Regards 

Gareth_L

[SteveStacey]

Thanks. I tried that number (many times) yesterday. I went around in circles, always returning to the page with the bereavement form and process. If you can tell me how to navigate through the various options to get through to an adviser, I’d be very grateful. 

I’ve also seen other posts where that team are stipulating that the contract needs to be ended and then restarted etc. My mother-in-law would have a heart attack if there was any risk of losing the phone. (Lives alone, receipt of attendance allowance, daughter living 200 miles away…)

Fear this is going to be a saga.

[Ashleigh_C]

I'm so sorry to hear the page has not been helpful, the line will mention the form to begin with and ask you to press 1 to receive the text, after which if you wait a minute it will then say press 1 to speak to the team. You will then be asked to enter your phone or account number after entering this you should be taken to a main menu. 

Just to confirm have you submitted the bereavement form at all?

[SteveStacey]

Thanks. No, will submit later today. However, have another problem now.

We changed the account email on the My Virgin Media site and the process worked. Unfortunately, we needed to change email for a second time and this has stalled on your system. Ie get the security code and validate, verify new email address etc. However, when trying to log in with new address, message says “you need to verify email address “. Ie when we have already done this. Keep re sending email but computer says no. It’s like the system doesn’t want you to have too many changes. Logging out and back in just produces the message that we’ve changed the email, offering us option to re-send. 

I’ll include the latest email address in the bereavement form, but it would be helpful to resolve this issue first. Any advice would be appreciated. 

Thanks

[Ashleigh_C]

Thank you @SteveStacey 

I'm going to pop you a private message so we can see what we can to do to help here. I will pop you a PM across now, please keep an eye out for the envelope at the top of your screen alerting you to a new message.
 

[SteveStacey]

Thanks.

[SteveStacey]

Hi again

I’m still waiting for your colleague from the Bereavement Team to ring me as agreed. I need to clarify some queries before submitting the form. 

(Explained in pm)

Thanks

[Kath_F]

Hi SteveStacey, 

Thanks for coming back to us on this one. We're sorry to hear no one has been in touch yet. I can see you've sent a PM to Ash and she will come back to you once back on shift. 

Many thanks, 

[SteveStacey]

Thanks.