Cancel Contract help please

[Bucky897]

Hi,

Can anyone assist please, either forum members or a Virgin Rep.

I had over an hr web chat the other day about potentially renewing my contract after many years with Virgin as it terminates in less than a month.

The choice of package combinations to choose within reasonable parameters of cost are ludicrous. Their bundling dynamic algorithmic system has design aspects compatible with human psychology or behavioral proclivities!

They couldn't sort out a package I was content with, hence jumping ship. I just rang the two listed phone numbers, dead as door nail.

Can anyone chip how I should proceed other than webchat? Happy for an agent to pick it up from here.

Thanks peeps.

[SenileGit]

I tried phoning to cancel my contract, it said I would get to talk to somebody quicker by using live chat, and sent me a link to a live chat page, but none of the live chat buttons on their website work! Nothing happens when you press any of them, anywhere on the site.

[goslow]

You have a few options, depending on how you want to proceed.

If you use the new 'One Touch Switching' process with your new supplier, the new supplier should deal with all aspects of the switch including cancelling VM on the agreed switch date. This is a new process though and a few topics on here have mentioned they have had delays in VM cancelling which needed following up on here.

If you want to play safe and ensure a connection throughout, you can get your new service installed and keep VM going until such time as your new service is up and running and working to your satisfaction. When the new service is working as you want it, cancel VM. This has the advantage of allowing you to try the new service and make use of your 14 day cooling off period. If the new service doesn't suit, or is hit with a delay installing, you still have VM in place (but this comes at the expense of paying two subscriptions for the overlap period).

If you simply wish to cancel, with no further negotiation or discussion with VM …

You can cancel your services by post as per info below

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/cancel-virgin-media

You can send your leaving request by post to:

Virgin Media, Sunderland, SR43 4AA

Use a first-class, signed-for delivery service. This will give you a date/time of delivery when you gave VM your 30 days’ notice to cancel. Also keep a record of the tracking number.

If your disconnection happens during a minimum term period VM may charge you early disconnection fees.

While waiting for a VM forum team reply ...

You can share your unhappy cancellation experience with OFCOM.

They launched an investigation into VM on 13 July 2023 specifically into VM's cancellation and complaints processes.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/bulletins/enforcement-bulletin/open-cases/cw_01275

Case ref. no. and an email at the bottom of the above page or submit with same info via the contact form

https://ofcomforms.secure.force.com/formentry/SitesFormCCTMonitoring

Submitting information won't help your individual complaint but it will contribute to the OFCOM investigation and it sounds like your experience is directly relevant to the terms of reference of the investigation.

[Bucky897]

Hi,

I used the chat function yesterday and was re-directed to a WhatsApp conversation to accept. Someone got in touch in about 20 mins but the conversation was like Chineses water torture!

Their combination of packages aren't bespoke at all. For a modern Telco company, that is pretty poor tbh..

[Bucky897]

Hi Goslow,

Thank you for the contribution, fantastic and helpful information very clearly conveyed. I'm  truly thankful.

Yes, the guy on webchat mentioned this one touch switch. I'm  a bit cynical it will go smoothly. I have a 5g mobile connection worse comes to the worse, to avoid overlapping services. And a ton of DVDs! The webchat guy said he could cancel there and then but I wanted to hard barter with a human, even though I despise phone calls, but neither of their listed numbers connected today.

Thanks for the ofcom links.

Cheers, sagacious one...

[goslow · Accepted solution]

If you already have 5G mobile as a fall-back, you could put in your cancellation to VM and wait and see what happens. Some have reported getting a much better offer after the cancellation went in. Others have cancelled and then never heard from VM again. Such is the randomness of outcomes with VM. Having marketing options switched on in 'My VM' is required to allow a retentions call-back. So, if you do put in a cancellation, you need to be prepared to follow through and leave if no retentions call-back comes.

Similar-sounding story to your own here, with an eventual resolution that suited the customer.

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Community-Natter/What-has-happened-to-Virgin/td-p/5580266

If you do cancel, and if you do happen to get a retentions call-back, VM offers tend to be 'of the moment' so it is best to have done your research on alternative providers and have that info at your fingertips so you will know how good any future VM offer might be compared to your alternatives.

[Bucky897]

Yes, that was my proposed strategy. I've  done all the relative research and am ready to go!

I asked for a specific landline package that was a downgrade from my current one, and it increased my monthly bill by £70 when the package was £5 cheaper as per their tariff document. Nuts...

[Bucky897]

I've logged onto webchat and am going to cancel via that medium.

Thanks for the assistance buddy.

[Bucky897]

That was a waste of time! They disconnected me before completing my query.

Do you know if I take out their cheapest service as an 18 month renewal, which includes a landline package. Am I technically able to get a different landline provider after that as it matches my requirements?

[Gareth_L]

Hello Bucky897,

Thanks for your post.

In regards to your last post are you meaning taking out a different landline provider as well as our landline?

If so then the answer would be yes as our landline is on a separate network from other providers.

Gareth_L