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Cancellation Payments Rip-Off

tigger137
On our wavelength

Bear with me as this is going to be a rant!  Could anyone please explain how Virgin Media are allowed to get away with this situation.

My current contract (broadband, TV, landline) costs £53.31/month and ends on 11 Dec 24, when the price increases to over £70.

On 30 Oct 24 I phoned and arranged to cancel all VM services on 11 Dec 24, when the current contract ends.  I received confirmation of the cancellation date by text and email.

On 7 Nov 24 I received my next bill, in the amount of £64.82 for 28 Nov-27 Dec 24.  This is despite the fact that all services will be disconnected on 11 Dec 24, and despite the website clearly stating under “explain my closing bill” that I will only be charged for the days before the service is disconnected and that the direct debit payment will be adjusted accordingly.  I phoned VM, got the overseas call centre, and spent the usual frustrating 30 minutes or so going round and round in circles with the agent effectively telling me that I was wrong.  She did eventually say that after cancellation I would receive a refund of £36.46.  She refused to put me through to anyone else either there or in the UK.  I gave up because she simply would not answer my questions, presumably because it wasn't on her script.

A few days later I submitted a complaint via the VM website.  Their response wasn't any easier to understand than the overseas call centre, in fact I suspect that's where it came from as it certainly doesn't appear to have been written by someone whose first language is English.  This time they said my final bill would be £36.46 (the same amount previously stated as a refund).  They also mentioned a bill for £73.27 that I should ignore.

I replied asking how the £36.46 had been calculated.  Current contract is £53.31/month, it ends on 11 Dec 24, when services will be disconnected, ie 14 days to be paid at that rate.  By my calculations (£53.31 divided by 31, multiplied by 14) my final bill should be approximately £24.08.  I queried the £73.27 bill they mentioned because the bill I've already received is for £64.82.  I also pointed out that I cannot simply ignore it as they told me to do because they will be taking the money from me by direct debit!

This afternoon I've received a response and it's even more ridiculous than before.  It doesn't answer any of my questions but now tells me that on 30 Dec 24 they will take £73.27 by direct debit.  Then 45 days after cancellation I will get a refund of £109.73 by cheque.

So not only are VM going to take £64.82 from me on 28 Nov 24 for a full month's services when those services will be disconnected 14 days later but they will then take £73.27 on 30 Dec 24, 19 days after disconnection!  What possible justification can there be for this other than greed?

I thought it was bad enough that they were going to charge me anything more than the 14 days at my current contract rate, especially when the website clearly states they won't.  But why on earth should I have to pay yet another full month, at the higher rate, long after the services have been disconnected?  Then have to wait 45 days after cancellation, which will be the end of the 4th week in January, for a refund.  By cheque, so that slows it up even more.  It surely has to be tantamount to fraud, and if it isn't illegal then it ought to be.

 

 

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

goslow
Alessandro Volta

VM continues to bill you on the normal schedule right up until the day you are disconnected.

When is your direct debit date for the 28 Nov to 27 Dec 2024 bill?

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

16 REPLIES 16

goslow
Alessandro Volta

VM continues to bill you on the normal schedule right up until the day you are disconnected.

When is your direct debit date for the 28 Nov to 27 Dec 2024 bill?

tigger137
On our wavelength

Sorry, thought I hit Reply but it appears I hit Helpful Answer!

Direct debit date is 28 Nov 24.  That's when they're going to take £64.92.

Whilst I'm not thrilled about them taking that amount when the website says they'll only charge me for the days up to disconnection, it wouldn't be too bad if they then refunded what they owe me straight afterwards.  But how are they allowed to then take a further full month's payment on 30 Dec 24, by which time I will have had no service for several weeks?

Kath_P
Forum Team
Forum Team

Hi tigger137, 

Thanks for taking the time to contact us via the Community. It's lovely having you on board with us in the Forums.

We're sorry to hear you were unaware of the billing process during your notice period. 

During the 30 day disconnection period, your billing will continue as normal so you may notice that you're billed for time after your scheduled disconnection date. This is due to our system billing you based on the services that are live at that time. Once your services have been disconnected you will receive a final bill a few days later. This will included a pro-rata credit for the time you've already been billed after your disconnection date. If you are due a refund this will be sent 35 days of your disconnection date. If your Direct Debit remains active then the refund will be paid into your bank account directly. If you cancel the Direct Debit then we would send a cheque to the account address. 

Hopefully this explains things for you however if you need any further help, pop back and let us know so we can advise further. 

Thanks, 

Kath_P
Forum Team

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goslow
Alessandro Volta

The way it should work is you are billed as per normal up to your disconnection date.

So I am guessing the £64.92 is made up of a charge from 28/11 to 11/12 at your discounted monthly subscrition and 11/12 to 27/12 at the higher subscription rate to make a month at the two different rates.

A few days after you are disconnected you should get a final bill showing the balance on the account. That should be a rebate on your account for the period 11/12 to 27/12 and you should not pay out anything else after 28/11 once the final bill is generated.

Naturally VM likes to hang onto your money for as long as possible before returning it to you! If VM wants any kit back, you should return that as soon as possible to avoid any charges against unreturned kit.

VM seems to return credits in the form of a cheque. I think I have read on here that if the direct debit is still in place the money can be returned via that (but I don't know if that is a fact or not). When I left VM I owed a small amount of £4.33. I left my direct debit in place and that final amount went out by direct debit on the final billing direct debit date after disconnection.

goslow
Alessandro Volta

Last post crossed with Kath_P. Sadly, an 'Edit' button no longer exists to amend.

tigger137
On our wavelength

But this isn't what it says on the website.  And it isn't what I've been told in an email today.

The 'Resolutions Team' email says, "Upon investigation, I see your account is set for cancellation on 11/12/24 as your final bill is 73.27 GBP due on 30/12/24.Here’s a summary of the complaint outcome and what we propose as a resolution: To fix this, as per record your account is set for cancellation on 11/12/24 as your final bill is 73.27 GBP due on 30/12/24 after paying this you will get full and final settlement cheque for 109.73 GBP which will be paid to you after 45 days of cancellation".

So yours is now the 4th version I've been given!  None of which tally with the information online where it clearly states, "You'll only pay for the days before you disconnect on 11 December, even if your usual billing period is longer.  Your direct debit amount will be adjusted so you only pay for the days up to your disconnection date".

That statement makes no mention of having to pay a full month ahead, let another full month long after the service has been disconnected.  It doesn't say anything about then having to wait for a refund, possibly by cheque.  There doesn't seem to be any room for ambiguity, to me it reads quite clearly that you know you are disconnecting me on 11 Dec 24 and despite that being in the middle of the billing period you will adjust the direct debit so I only pay for the days up to disconnection.  All of which seems perfectly fair and logical.  Yet I currently have no idea whether you will do the stated fair and logical version, or one of the other 4 versions I've been given, or perhaps something else altogether!  

 

tigger137
On our wavelength

Screenshots of the information shown when I click on, "Explain my closing bill":

VM screenshot.jpgVM screenshot 2.jpg

tigger137
On our wavelength

As I have said to Kath_P, this isn't what it says online.

However, if they were only going to take the 28 Nov 24 payment and then give me a refund afterwards it wouldn't be so bad.  Well, if that refund was correct of course!  But I've now had 4 different version in addition to what it says online.

As for sending the kit back, that's another story in itself.  When I cancelled I explained that I may be moving home before the disconnection date.  I asked them to send me the box for returning the kit now, just in case.  No, they can't do that.  It won't be sent out until after the disconnection date.  All they could suggest was that if I am going to move before, I should phone and let them know.  Okay, and you'll send the box out then?  No, still can't be until after the disconnection date!  So if I haven't had the returns box before I move, I've got to take the kit with me and hope they send the box by Royal Mail so it will get redirected.  Failing that, I'll have to phone and spend who knows how long in the queue to ask them to send another box to my new address.  And, of course, hope that this can all be done so I can get the kit back to them in the allotted time so I don't get charged.

I can't help but think that this policy is yet another one designed to make it as difficult as possible for anyone who has the audacity to cancel - even those moving somewhere VM don't offer any services, like myself.  By making it difficult, they increase their chances of being able to charge for kit that isn't returned. 

newapollo
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

Hi @tigger137

Wishing you all the best for your home move.

 What equipment  do you have as not all equipment needs returning?   You can check < here > 

You can order returns packaging online and have it sent to either your new or old address

/virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-return-or-recycle-equipment/request-returns-pack 

 

Also if you have a printer you can print out your own label and return the equipment in your own packaging.

I hope this link helps https://www.collectplus.yodel.co.uk/virgin 

After clicking Create a new label. you will be prompted for your email address. Once you receive the email you will be able to print out a returns label which includes a barcode. You can then parcel up your equipment and drop it off at the nearest Collect + store.  make sure you receive a tracking receipt and keep it safe.  (The Sender Ref on the label is for your VM account number)

** Use either or both of the following links to find your nearest store (they have different shops listed)

https://www.collectplus.co.uk/find-a-store 

 https://www.collectplus.yodel.co.uk/store-locator?v=2. 

Dave
I don't work for Virgin Media.
I'm a Very Insightful Person, I'm here to share knowledge.
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