Mis-sold a package by VirginMedia - be very careful!

[Hanifb123]

I had been with Sky for over 14 years and had never had a reason to complain.  I've been with VirginMedia for 3 weeks and received my first bill.  I was advised by a salesman called Ian (sounded Geordie dialect) that if I took the option of the mobile sim (5GB) for free, I would get the first 3 months of my tv package for free. I would only need to pay for the installation costs and when the time came, the advance first month.  So I received the first bill and I am in fact being charged from the very first subscription date (which should have been free for 3 months).  

So having noticed this, I tried to call this Ian bloke back. Obviously the phone didn't get answered.  Here I was thinking I have a UK phone contact which is fantastic and not some call centre from the East.  How wrong I was.  When I called VirginMedia (based in Far East it seems), they advised that there was no such offer.  I spent over 1 hour trying to explain to the call centre operative what the issue was and how it came about.

Someone here has obviously walked away with the commission for the sim and the broadband package I was sold - looks like VirginMedia have been scammed by one of their 'own' as well!

Therefore I have been mis-sold the package and the Ian bloke appears to have disappeared.  I'm left with having to pay for all the first 3 months which is fine, but I feel it's important that people know what's going on as it is a type of a SCAM.  Surely VirginMedia have a proper call centre that can be contacted for new orders and connections rather than some bloke selling gear from the back of his shed type of operation and taking a commission.  This isn't the way a business such as VirginMedia should be operating!

Has this just happened to me or has it happened to someone else?

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

All sales calls should be recorded as they're the only basis of a contractual agreement for telephone sales, so either the evidence exists to support you, or there's no evidence at all of any contract, and you can walk away without penalty (which VM will prefer not to happen).  I'll flag your post for the VM forum staff to advise., I'm sure they can get this resolved, or at least offer you some advice on getting it sorted out (don't accept "phone our customer services team, you've found how that pans out)..

These "didn't get the deal I agreed" situations happen from time to time.  However, your legal rights are crystal clear - information provided by a company verbally or written is binding if the consumer relies upon it when entering a contract (Consumer Rights Act 2015), so VM have to honour whatever was offered and accepted, whether they like it or not. Should it become material, don't be bought off by a compromise offer - hold out for what was agreed.

If this can't be quickly resolved to your satisfaction then there's complaint and arbitration routes which will eventually get what was agreed, but they're slow.  We can describe those if the matter doesn't get sorted out quickly from here.

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi @Hanifb123 

Thank you so much for your first post to our Community Forums! We're very happy to have you on board! 

I am so sorry to hear you are unhappy with your current package deal! I can see from your account that you have had a conversation with our telephone teams this morning who have explained the bill for you. I would be more than happy to go back over this with you in a PM if you are still feeling unhappy with their explanation? 

Please let me know and I will shoot you a PM should you wish for one. Thank you. 

[Hanifb123]

Dear Ashleigh

Thanks for your response. Please do PM me to sort this issue.

[Ashleigh_C]

No problem @Hanifb123, I've sent that over now!

Please keep an eye out for the purple envelope in the top right corner alerting you to a new message! Thank you. 

[ramaiya2]

Was this resolved? 

[Hanifb123]

Hi 

No, unfortunately this was never resolved to my satisfaction. Virginmedia insist that their sales person would never have offered the deal I advised them was offered by the sales bloke. 
This will obviously be a determining factor when considering renewal with VirginMedia. 

[Gareth_L]

Hello Hanifb123

Sorry to hear this is still ongoing 

Sadly as a Forum Team we are unable to deal with Package issues on here

It would be best to continue to use the contact channels you have tried before

Sorry 

Gareth_L