Customer Services Team - Shocking

[PTHolland]

Does anyone have a direct dial no to the complaints / resolutions team.  I have raised a complaint - but all I get is auto responses.  Tried call.  But none are answering.  Tried using the online tool - no one responds.

I have been wrongly charge for new agreed package (New as of 11th Jan) by over £40.00 and I can't get through to anyone in UK.  Had to take the nuclear option of cancelling Direct Debit.  Hopefully they will contact me now.  I am keeping all correspondence - but this is the worst CST service I have ever encountered.  

Any direct Dials or direct emails addresses??

[Andrew-G]

I strongly recommend you reinstate the DD immediately, doing whatever is needed to ensure payment is made on time.  VM is a bureaucracy with a turnover of £5bn a year, so regardless of a justified grievance, you cancelling your DD won't be noticed by anybody.  Your overdue account will be automatically slung into the bad debt hopper, where it gets finely minced, along with your credit rating. And a justified grievance won't clean up your credit history.

In terms of the complaint, I'll mark this for staff to see if they can advise on what to do regarding the incorrect package.

[PTHolland]

Appreciate the comment - but VM have created to this.  They have to fix it.  I have it in writing from them.  So Im on firm ground.  I have the money - but took the nuclear option - as getting no engagement for 2 days - except from a mumbia (or similar ) call centre

[Zoie_P]

Hi PTHolland, 

Thank you for your post.

I am so sorry to hear you are having issues with your contract, I would advise against cancelling your direct debit as this can accumulate debit on the account, restrict services and may affect your credits score. I can take a look at what has happened with your new contract for you and will pop you over a PM, just keep an eye out for the purple envelope.

Zoie

[PTHolland]

Happy to have a call - I have been holding online (as I still am) since 10 am this morning - I can happily reinstate the Direct Debit - but I would like to talk to a human being please, to resolve this issue - that Virgin Media have created.

[japitts]

If you want to talk to someone, then you will have to persist with calling in I'm afraid - the forum team are online-only and, whilst they are excellent at resolving issues within their remit, they don't make outgoing calls.

Just incase you're waiting for the phone to ring...

[Andrew-G]

@PTHolland Appreciate the comment - but VM have created to this.  They have to fix it.  I have it in writing from them.  So Im on firm ground. 

Yes, VM created it.  In terms of needing to honour an agreed contract I agree that is so.  But that won't be material to VM recording you in default by you withholding payment due under a credit agreement.  Obviously if you don't have a good credit history and don't want to repair that then you may conclude that this is immaterial.

I'm sure you would have a legal case to withhold the payment for the amount over that agreed (although I doubt that would stop VM treating you as a bad debt case), you certainly do not have any case for stopping the direct debit in its entirety.  If you want to establish what "firm ground" is here and you don't like what I'm saying, speak to a lawyer, or Citizens Advice.  It's not going to affect me if you pay or not, I'm advising you for your own good, pay up, dispute the disputed contract separately.  If you wish, demand compensation, ask for that in addition to the agreed deal, and if need be involve the industry complaints scheme CISAS.  Sadly resolving these sort of disputes sometimes takes a while, and if you're not paying then you're only going to create complications for yourself.

[jem101]

@PTHolland  just to reiterate what @Andrew-G says above, what will happen is that VM, being a massive monolithic organisation, absolutely will trash your credit rating without a moment’s hesitation, basically because it’ll all be automated with no human intervention at all. Yes, probably ultimately you would win in Court but in the meantime, expect a world of hurt from them.

You absolutely need to play by the rules, make careful and thorough notes of every contact with VM, exactly how much you have paid, what was promised, what didn’t happen…. Eventually you will win and come out on top but you need to play the game, even if it does mean a short term loss.

[Bikerdave]

This won't fix your issue but sums it all up very well.I feel your pain, spent 5 days on phone, this forum etc.Good luck.

https://morningporridge.com/blog/blains-morning-porridge/an-open-letter-to-lutz-schueler-ceo-of-virg...

[Andrew-G]

I love that quote "In Virgin Media no one can hear you scream because no one is listening"