Cancellation Issue

[jcpd]

My 86 year old mother has been a Virgin Media customer for 26 years.  Recently, when her bill jumped from £80p/m to over £170p/m, this was not viable for her and she asked me to phone them to cancel (I am authorised on her account).  I phoned Virgin on May 2nd.  On my first call I was transferred through to a ‘retentions team’, even after explaining that I wanted to cancel, I had to listen to about 10 minutes of them try to sell me a new package, eventually I was told I needed to be transferred to the ‘cancellations team’ – instead of being transferred I was disconnected.  I immediately called back and had to endure the same process again – I was put through to the ‘retentions team’, had to listen to them, and then was told I needed to be transferred to ‘cancellations’.  Again, instead of being transferred, I was cut off.

I phoned a third time, at which point I explained what happened on the two previous calls, and asked to speak to a manager.  The person I spoke to seemed very pleasant.  I advised I was at work and had now been on the phone for over an hour and just wanted to cancel with no questions asked. I got an apology and was told this was being processed.  I was told there was a 30 day notification period and boxes would be sent to my mother for her to return her equipment.

8 weeks after this, the service was still running and my mother had received another £170+ bill.  I phoned back in to see what was happening.  I was advised that the third representative I spoke to on May 2nd had not actioned a cancellation, but had instead put notes on the system saying “customer wants to think about what he wants to do and will call back”.  This is nothing short of a complete lie. When I asked for this to be rectified, I was told all I could do was request a new cancellation with another 30-day notification period and that my mother would be required to pay the £340+ of bills that she should never have had.

I have made numerous attempts to speak to someone at virgin, but all I get is “the notes say you wanted to think about it”

I am not sure what to do next.  I am guessing legal action?

[Cardiffman282]

This is VM at its very worst and is sadly not that unusual.

Please let Ofcom know all about your cancellation experience with VM https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Community-Natter/Breaking-OFCOM-investigating-VM-over-difficult...

Please also raise a formal written complaint with VM with a view to escalating to the Ombudsman.

I suggest demanding copies of all call recordings and record entries too.

Links are below.

Please update your thread with any developments regardless of whether you are taken in to direct messaging with the VM forum team or not. 

[jcpd]

Thanks.  I have been trying to get recordings, but when I call I am told I need to request through online help.  When I try online help they say I need to call.  I have sent off to The Telegraph's consumer champion and as I have had no luck getting any other email address from Virgin, I have emailed their CEO [removed], but so far that has been ignored too

[MOD EDIT: Personal and private information has been removed from this post. Please do not post personal or private information in your public posts. Please review the Forum Guidelines]

[Cardiffman282]

It's the VM merry go round. 

With the data request complete the online form. Link is below. 

LS won't respond. 

There is [removed]

I imagine the Telegraph will be interested here. 

[MOD EDIT: Personal and private information has been removed from this post. Please do not post personal or private information in your public posts. Please review the Forum Guidelines]

[jpeg1]

As you have seen, VM have no conscience about ripping off an elderly customer for hundreds of pounds. 

I fear to think how many other customers in a similar position may be suffering because they do not have someone like you to represent them.

Please do follow up the report to Ofcom linked above.  This is a scandal that must be stopped.

[jcpd]

It would appear this falls outside of Ofcom's remit;

"We don’t:

• settle individual disputes between you and your home phone, broadband or mobile provider. They will be dealt with via an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme;"

Apparently I need to go to the Communications Ombudsman, but need to allow Virgin eight weeks to resolve first - I have started the timer on them, and have made the request for the call recordings (Thanks Cardiffman282) in preparation of taking things further. Hopefully the Telegraph will also get in contact. I will not relent on this

[Cardiffman282]

Great to hear your determination. With Ofcom it would be an exercise in one way information sharing to support its investigation and general intelligence gathering. It is indeed the Comms Ombudsman for ADR. Therefore I recommend approaching both. Good luck. 

[David_Bn]

Thanks for reaching out to us @jcpd, and a very warm welcome to our Community Forums!

We're terribly sorry to hear of the difficulty you've faced when trying to have the services cancelled.

I'd be happy to work with you to get this one resolved for you, and can only report back on any agents who have behaved in an unprofessional manner when dealing with this request.

Check out the envelope in the top right hand corner for a private message from me

Thanks,

David_Bn

[jcpd]

Hi David,

Thanks for the message.  I would slightly disagree with your usage of the term ‘unprofessional’. The correct term would be ‘illegal’.

To knowingly falsify customer requests in order to continue billing is pretty much the textbook definition of fraud.  To do this to an 86 year old pensioner is even more shocking.

I am not sure exactly how the Virgin Media retentions team works, but from the outside it looks very much as if there is some sort of target (financial or otherwise) that incentivises staff to behave in this manner, but I am open to clarification.