Moved = New Contract

[JennyJukes]

Hi,

I joined V.Media as a new customer on September 2018 with the discount to £27 per month until September 2019.

I moved address July 10th and took my virgin media with me.

Unbeknown to me, this "renewed" my contract to July 2020.

I called to find out and they said contracts change with a move of address.  I wasn't informed of this otherwise I would have cancelled.  On the "Moving Home" FAQ it also says the contract doesn't change unless services do.  What I have been advised on the phone is that contracts renew when you move home and I will get my discount until September then will have to pay the non-discounted price of £42 until my contract ends now next year.

I have a "new contract" I can see on my Virgin Media account saying my bill will be £42 until July 2020 but isn't signed or dated by myself whilst my old contract is signed and dated.

The guy on the phone said I can call when my deal goes up to the non-discounted price and see what we can do then.  He said they also can't advise me of an exit fee until then.  He also offered to put in a complaint on my behalf as I wasn't advised on this which I said ok to then.  

Just wondering if I'm missing something in my contract or what's going on?  I had also originally scheduled my change over date to be 7th July then asked for it to be changed to the 10th.  I received a text on the 7th saying my "equipment" was being delivered to the new address even though I was taking my own hub and wasn't in the property yet.  I contacted Virgin Media who said it was ok my date had been changed and not to worry but when I arrived on the 10th there was new equipment..??

Can anyone advise thanks 

[JennyJukes]

Does sort of clear it up but was deffo told when I phoned up yesterday that it changes when you move... so really needs to be clarified between all advisors!

Has now been fixed thanks to Robert_P, just waiting for my contract to hopefully show up on my virgin media as it's still the same currently.

[Rachelbc]

Hi,

It appears the same thing has happened to me.

I have a Virgin Media contract which commenced on May 7th. The cost is £30.00 per month.

Yesterday I requested a home move, and answered all the questions via online chat. At no point was I told of any additional charges other than a £20 installation charge. I was under the impression my old contract and billing price would remain until the end of my original 12 month contract. 

However I've received a new contract with a monthly fee of £44.00 and a new minimum 12 month term ending 2nd September 2020?!

I've not changed my service or plan. 

Reading your reply this doesn't seem right. Did you manage to get your monthly charge reverted back and your original length of contract reinstated?

I'm thinking I may just take the early cancellation charges for 6 months as that will be cheaper than a new 12 month contract on £44!

Rachel 

[JennyJukes]

Hi Rachel,

Well it's been a bit of confusing.  They told me they would change it back to my £27 then it would be on a rolling contract each month, even though my Virgin Media kept coming up as it being a year contract @ £42.  I called 31 days before to cancel my contract and they said I couldn't, that I had to cancel on the last date of my contract and that I wouldn't be charged extra as I had already paid 2 months in advance?  She said she would put it through anyway so that it would cancel from the last day of my contract.

I then received a call a few days later offering me my 50MB @ £19 a month.  I accepted as this was better than other deals I was looking at.  I paid £46.11 (still not sure how they got that figure) from the bill after I moved and they messed it up, then £42 even though they said it would be back to £27 and then my new £19 is supposed to start next month but apparently I'm in credit and they will take it off then so I have absolutely no idea what I will be billed next time.  My contract did update this time saying £19 for 12 months, discount for 18 months.  I think that means my contract is 12 months but if I renew I will be discounted for 6 months then it will go up for 6 months, so basically try to tie me in for a further contract.

Really confusing, they say they can't "update" your V Media account to show how much you need to pay and they take off the most random of bills... I'd ask them for clarification and say you wan't to cancel and ask for the cancellation charge.  I couldn't say no to £19 per month but I know I'm going to have a difficult time trying to cancel at the end of this one lol.

[Rachelbc]

Oh dear, I'm not looking forward to this fight then. It's so annoying that they tie you in again to a 12 month contract. I have to move often so this isn't ideal for me.

I'll call customer services and see how I get on and update on this thread. This must happen to so many customers!

[Paul_DN]

Hi Rachelbc,

Thank you for reaching out to us in our community, I am sorry to hear you are having issues with your contract caused by a house move.

Please let us know how it goes once you have spoken to the team.

Kid regards

Paul.

[Rachelbc]

Update

I spoke to the customer services team.

I was told I had to go on a new contract. Moving home requires a new contract and the price now for the product I am on is £44 not £27 a month.

I said I was not satisfied so I would cancel the contract. I am within my 14 days cooling off period. The operator said she would talk to her Manager.

On return, she offered me a new 12 month contract on £28 a month and she refunded the £20 connection charge. I accepted as it's basically what I am currently paying and I didn't want the stress of having to find a new provider that could install broadband in less than 2 weeks.

It's so unfair to customers that this is not all explained when they ask to move home. The earlier replies to this thread state that customers can continue their original contract term, with the original monthly cost, but this is clearly not the case.

Fingers crossed now the move goes smoothly and the property receives a decent speed!

[Sololobo]

Customer Services are wrong.

The Virgin Media Terms and Conditions https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services#agree... Section O: 5 should apply.

Where we have agreed with you to continue providing the same services that you received at your current address to your new address and this is during any minimum period, then that minimum period will continue at your new address (for example, where your services are on a 12 month minimum period, if you move during month 7 of your minimum period, the remaining 5 months of your minimum period will apply for those same services being provided at your new address). Where we have agreed with you to change the services you receive at your new address then a new minimum period may apply for those services and the service start date for that new minimum period will be the date that the equipment is installed at your new address.

It's in black and white, no change to services provided = no new contract.

[JennyJukes]

They told me the same on the phone, that it creates a new contract

Yet it states quite clearly here: 

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/moving-home-faqs

"There is a £20 Movers Fee to transfer your services to your new address.

If you choose to leave us when you’re still within your contracted period you’ll be charged an early disconnection fee. We'll let you know if a charge applies and how much this will be."

and

"If you don’t change your services when you move, your contract will continue as normal. If you do change your services, you’ll be subject to a new minimum term as per the terms of your new agreement."

[Rachelbc]

Customer services clearly need updating on this!!!!!

[Tom_F]

Hi JennyJukes, thanks for your post.

Sorry for any confusion around this. If you're still within contract and move to a serviceable property within 30 days the contract should be moved over with you.

However if you're an existing customer but the end-date for your contract has passed then a new deal/contract would need to be agreed for the new property. 

Were you still within an active contract when notice of your move was provided? 

Tom