Looking to cancel due to house move, cant get through on the phone

[keiron12]

I'm currently abroad and likely going to have to stay for an extended period, so will be moving out of my house. I don't have access to a phone where I am and require to give my 30days notice, how do I do this online??

[Akua_A]

Hi @keiron12,

Welcome to our community forums and thank you for your first post.

Sorry to hear you are unable to call us to process the cancellation with our team. For security reasons, we are unable to process cancellations online. As an alternative, please try putting your request by signed letter to Virgin Media, Sunderland, SR43 4AA. Once we receive your signed request, our team will aim to process this for you as soon as possible.

Thanks, 

[keiron12]

I managed to speak to someone this morning, or should I say three people. I explained my situation to each of them and they passed me on. The third guy said he couldn't deal with cancellations where someone was moving house in less than 60 days. Never have I heard such BS. This is clearly a tactic designed to frustrate customers and get them to hang up before the cancellation is processed. I was not prepared to get passed to someone else and have to explain the story again. 

I have given my 30 days notice and have therefore complied with my contractual obligation, whether Virgin are able to process this or not is not my issue.

There should be no need for information like where I'm moving to, whether I have a new job, exactly when I am leaving etc. I gave this anyway to be polite, but, later when frustrated and I questioned it, the operator tried to correct me, telling me it was very important for the cancellation! A contract is an agreement to do certain things, if I give notice to cancel it, that's all I need to give, simple as that. Please educate your staff.

[Akua_A]

We truly apologise for this experience @keiron12. We can understand the frustration caused and we want to best help. 

Just to confirm was the cancellation processed with our team? Are you able to see your disconnect date in your my VM account or have you received correspondence from us regarding this?

Thanks,

[keiron12]

I don't believe any of them actually processed it, though I know notes were added to the account as one operator read some of information I had given to another operator. I simply told them I was not prepared to speak to a fourth person as I had been on the call for 20+mins and given them notice of my intention to cancel.

I have raised a complaint, but received what looks like an automated reply informing me to call in as they needed 'verbal authorisation' in order to cancel the contract. Notwithstanding the fact I had already given this authorisation to three separate representatives, this information is wrong. All I need to do, legally speaking, to cancel the contract, is give 30 days notice of this intention. I would suggest this automated response should be corrected to properly reflect The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 Clause 32, as the information currently provided is misleading.

I replied to this reply and was agains sent exactly the same message, informing me of the need to call in. 

I have received no confirmation of the cancellation by email or otherwise. My online account shows no disconnection date.  

Regards

Keiron

[Akua_A]

This is certainly not ideal @keiron12 nor this the best service we look to provide.

As we are unable to process cancellation here on forums, please instead try putting your request by signed letter to Virgin Media, Sunderland, SR43 4AA. Once we receive your signed request, our team will aim to process this for you as soon as possible.

Thanks, 

[keiron12]

 I do not need to take any further steps. I have advised three representatives of Virgin on the phone of my desire to cancel and yourself makes four. I have no intention of going to the hassle of writing a letter as I have anticipate it will be ignored, just like my other communications. In any case, the law does not dictate the form that a request to cancel such a contract needs to take, so my previous requests and complaint emails are all valid forms, legally speaking.

Consumers should be wary of the tactics used by Virgin to try and retain customers by making it as difficult as possible to cancel.

[Serena_C]

Hi @keiron12

Thank you for your response. First, I'd like to apologise for the negative experience you have had when trying to cancel your services. I understand that it is not ideal to experience this level of frustration when cancelling. I have checked our systems and can see that your services are still active.

Unfortunately we are unable to process cancellations via the Forums, so the best thing to do would be to give us another call on 150 / 0345 454 1111 or to write to us at Virgin Media, Sunderland, SR43 4AA to cancel your services. I'm sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Best wishes,

Serena

[keiron12]

More copy and paste answers. You guys don't seem to understand that I have no intention of calling you again and wasting another 45mins of my life getting passed from pillar to post trying to give a simple message - I wish to terminate my contract.

[Paul_DN]

Hi keiron12,

Thanks for reaching back out, we understand you have now advised you will not call again which we understand, as advised there is no cancelation on the account, you would be best to do this in writing to the address above, if this is left the account will remain open and the charges will continue to be added.

Regards

Paul.