Keeping you up to speed

[Kei_M]

As you can imagine, with costs such as energy bills rising fast, our running costs are increasing too. So, to make sure we can keep giving you the service you expect, the price of your package may be going up. If you have been contacted and want to find out more, click below.

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/pricechange2023 

[NinjaMeerkat]

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@Matthew_ML wrote:

Hey brads, your individual price rise will be specific to the service you have. Overall, the average price rise is 13.8%. Some price changes will be lower and some customers will be excluded completely. 

You can make changes to your account anytime you want such as removing services such as this.

Have you tried this here Thanks 

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My price rise is 35.8% more than I am currently paying! That’s crazy.

[uk338]

Wow 35.8%, do they have a random number generator for calculating increases?

I don't have any mobile/O2 stuff (which i could imagine might through up other increases), just TV, BB and Phone.

[brads]

Not the best advert for Virgin,i clicked on the link and it is not working

[brads]

I am hard of hearing so did the text message option,I got through to a bot and he as been promising me an agent since 2:50 still waiting now.

[Rapovey]

I was expecting a big price increase this year of maybe around 14%-15% but 29.5% (an extra £12) on top of a £40.75 contact is a bit much surely? Has anyone else had this disgusting amount of a increase during a cost of living crisis?

[uk338]

I did the same earlier - via chat. The first person, without much prompting, offered a £9 reduction on the current price (without any 2023 raise) until the end of the contract (expires later this year).

It seemed like a strange move, so I expect I'll have to chase that up, or half my channels will disappear. 

[Andrew-G]

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@NinjaMeerkat wrote:

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@Matthew_ML wrote:

Hey brads, your individual price rise will be specific to the service you have. Overall, the average price rise is 13.8%. Some price changes will be lower and some customers will be excluded completely. 

You can make changes to your account anytime you want such as removing services such as this.

Have you tried this here Thanks 

---

My price rise is 35.8% more than I am currently paying! That’s crazy.

---

That's either because you're coming to the end of a fixed term contract, or because you've got a package at a stonking great discount to the full tariff.  Or maybe both at the same time all depends on timing and the package you're on. 

VM apply their headline circa 14% increase to the undiscounted tariff, and then add that to your discounted bill.  This means that if your package was at a 50% discount to VM's standard tariff, then the effect of the price increase is doubled.  If you're getting a package at less than half price then the way VM apply the price rise you'll see that 14% more than doubled - the Bigger Bundle appears to be the highest proportionate discount of current offers, so would see the highest increase.  And the same will apply next year, except that because the rise is baked into terms and conditions you'll have to suck it up.  Checkout what Sky are offering - they seem to be bucking the trend of building in huge contractual price rises (although it galls me to suggest that any one use Sky).   

[BadlyDrawnBlue]

I've cancelled.

Plenty more options available. Even for full fibre depending on your location.

Do it ...... You owe them nothing. Not even loyalty given the constant mid-contract price rises.

[neilied]

Think this mid contract rubbish is in line with O2. Same on my mobiles, annual increase same rates 

[BadlyDrawnBlue]

It's the same for many, but I've found a provider who don't apply this.

[impy1]

What I don't understand is,where does it say your price increases every year? It's not in the the contract they send you 

[Andrew-G]

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@impy1 wrote:

What I don't understand is,where does it say your price increases every year? It's not in the the contract they send you 

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It will be changed in the Terms & Conditions, not in the short form contract they send you.  The online version haven't yet been changed, but that is planned to change (presumably in May when this year's price rise round ends).  At the moment, your short form contract probably doesn't say "we can charge what we like and change your price at any time", but your current T&Cs state, under clause K 4: 

K4: We and/or Virgin Media Payments may change our charges at any time. Any changes to our monthly charges will be published by us on the **Virgin Media website** and we will also give you notice of the change(s) at least 30 days before the changes take effect and you may cancel the services affected in accordance with paragraph N.6 without paying an early disconnection fee.

N6: If we and/or Virgin Media Payments:

1. increase our monthly charges under this agreement;
2. increase any of our other charges that are you are required to pay under this agreement in a way which is likely to materially disadvantage you; or
3. make any changes to the terms and conditions of this agreement which are likely to materially disadvantage you; or
4. make any changes to the **services **which are likely to materially disadvantage you; or
5. if there is a permanent loss of the services,

What will happen will be that K4 will be replaced with a version that reads something along the lines that VM pricing will rise by RPI + 3.9% each year of which you'll get at least 30 days notice of the change, but without the "you may cancel in accordance with paragraph N6" and N6 will be amended to remove N6 part 1.

The whole plan is to exploit the weakness and incompetence of Ofcom, who have created the situation where customers can be locked into binding, long term contracts that include userous and unchallengable increases.  VM are only following the scumbags at BT and Talktalk who were amongst the first to take advantage of weak regulation in this way, and they were following the lead of the mobile telcos, who for years have competed to impose the most userous and unfair terms they can get away with.  VM looked in in wonder at what BT announced, thinking "Wow, they're ripping off customers and it's completely legal! Why didn't we think of that?"  Think of yourself in the same way a farmer thinks of his crops - your role here is simply to be harvested in a way that delivers the maximum yield. 

I'm with a smaller ISP who have 12 month contracts and no in-contract price rises, so none of this affects me, but it does mean that my ISP don't do the level of massively discounted deals that large ISPs do (followed by swingeing price increases).  If price or TV packages are important, then you stick with the big players, and engage with retentions whenever a fixed term ends, and hope that the baked in price increase for (typically) the last six months when there's a price rise you can't avoid doesn't fell too painful.  My real reason for going with a smaller ISP was that VM's customer service was so poor, but in the longer term I'm paying about the same as a reasonably discounted VM BB+landline deal, but with far better customer service, and without the unfavourable contract terms.  If things change when my existing term ends, I'll be free to switch to another of the smaller customer-focused ISPs, but I don't expect that to happen.

[Steven_L]

Hey brads,

Have you been able to speak to a member of the team since you last posted here on the forums?

Kind Regards,

Steven_L

[unisoft]

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@brads wrote:

I am hard of hearing so did the text message option,I got through to a bot and he as been promising me an agent since 2:50 still waiting now.

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Renegotiate by using the "leaving Virgin" option on the telephone not standard customer services. You should get new customer pricing or near or sometimes even better. Be polite to VM retentions and explain what you are not happy about and the changes you want to make (you may decide your current BB speed isn't being utilised for example or want to reduce TV channels or reduce one service and add to another).

• Existing customers are cheaper than new as no free gifts (TV's Xbox Cashback as examples depending on the marketing for any given month), no need for VM to pay return postage for kit, no need to refurbish kit, no need to pay cashback to referral sites like quidco/topcashback.
• There has to be a benefit to a customer like a discount because they are being locked into an 18 month contract again
• Know your market prices for other providers Broadband, for example FTTC on NOWTV is 12 month or monthly only contact at £22. If you just want broadband only its going to easier than someone who wants landline and TV
• Consider whether you need a lock in contract for TV services. Does VM's STREAM box offer the channels you want (its Freeview part is free) and can you go without recording facility and just use catch up players or have another device that does recording off Freeview (aerial) for example? Stream's Sky subscriptions channels is only £8 per month and a 30 day notice contract. You also get 10% back on many subscriptions like Netflix, Disney etc.
• Ofcom rules mean you can currently exit your contract without penalty, as long as you do this within 30 days of being notified by VM; wait 3 months and be classed as a new customer and get new customer offers. Alternatively, many people on here sign up the next day in their partner's name.
• Be prepared to give 30 days notice if the result isn't what you want, this gives you time to arrange BB installation by someone else and you can ring back in to cancel the cancel if you change your mind. During this time you **may** get a call from 2nd level retentions with a better offer. It's not guaranteed and they won't if you have marketing disabled in My Virgin Media under My Profile.
• Despite annual price rises at ridiculous rates, new customer offers have been static for years (like Ultimate package hovers around £79-£85 often and sometimes with cashback or free gifts like a TV as just one example)

[ALF28]

PRICE RISES.

The price rise is based on current inflation, but what happens if inflation then reduces, will there then be a price reduction, I doubt it.

It would be better if all prices were fixed, some get better deals by negotiating or threatening to leave while other still pay the full package price, that is unfair and new customers get a better deal, so that encourage switching supplier, but in my area the  choice is VM  or the slower 10mb ADLS.

My bill will go up to  an estimated annual £1117 which is a big chunk out of my state pension when, also expecting energy and council tax increases as well as the food price  and petrol rises.

The VM service is good and these days everyone needs a broadband connection, but not sure if mobile broadband is any good or  hybrid systems  that use cable and mobile.

I think many will review their option depending on the actual rise and I have stayed on a monthly rolling contract to avoid exit costs if moving house, and the exit costs can be hundreds of pounds which is also unfair to have to pay for a period after termination when you are no longer using the service.

The cheapest option will be the popular one.

[webster74]

Having just received a message informing me of a 12% price increase from April can anyone please inform me of how I can actually speak to someone at Virgin about this.  The  website help services just send you round in circles and I can’t find a phone number.  Pay enough for the product with quite frankly the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life.

[newapollo]

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@ALF28 wrote:

I think many will review their option depending on the actual rise and I have stayed on a monthly rolling contract to avoid exit costs if moving house, and the exit costs can be hundreds of pounds which is also unfair to have to pay for a period after termination when you are no longer using the service.

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Hi @ALF28 

There has been no need to stay on a "monthly rolling contract to avoid exit costs if moving house" since February 2022.

https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/virgin-media-o2-ends-charges-for-off-net-home-movers/ 

"Virgin Media customers moving to a home not connected to the operator’s broadband network will no longer have to pay early disconnection fees" - This only applies to home moves within the UK though.

[Gds2]

Hi there,

I need some help. I currently pay £62 month for M350 BB Max it TV and talk weekend all as a package just signed up for in December.  Now it's going up by £15pm which I can't afford. So, can I completely cancel my contract without having to pay or can someone please recommend a much lower package deal?  I don't need all that internet speed.

I live alone and only use one piece of tech at a time. I barely use the channels offered and I don't even have a landline phone plugged in. I'm not very tech savvy so while the offer is there to change my package, I would really like to do so or change it, thanks. Any suggestions would be great.

Gds2

[unisoft]

Renegotiate by using the "leaving Virgin" option on the telephone not standard customer services. You should get new customer pricing or near or sometimes even better. Be polite to VM retentions and explain what you are not happy about and the changes you want to make (you may decide your current BB speed isn't being utilised for example or want to reduce TV channels or reduce one service and add to another).

• Existing customers are cheaper than new as no free gifts (TV's Xbox Cashback as examples depending on the marketing for any given month), no need for VM to pay return postage for kit, no need to refurbish kit, no need to pay cashback to referral sites like quidco/topcashback.
• There has to be a benefit to a customer like a discount because they are being locked into an 18 month contract again
• Know your market prices for other providers Broadband, for example FTTC on NOWTV is 12 month or monthly only contact at £22. If you just want broadband only its going to easier than someone who wants landline and TV
• Consider whether you need a lock in contract for TV services. Does VM's STREAM box offer the channels you want (its Freeview part is free) and can you go without recording facility and just use catch up players or have another device that does recording off Freeview (aerial) for example? Stream's Sky subscriptions channels is only £8 per month and a 30 day notice contract. You also get 10% back on many subscriptions like Netflix, Disney etc.
• Ofcom rules mean you can currently exit your contract without penalty, as long as you do this within 30 days of being notified by VM; wait 3 months and be classed as a new customer and get new customer offers. Alternatively, many people on here sign up the next day in their partner's name.
• Be prepared to give 30 days notice if the result isn't what you want, this gives you time to arrange BB installation by someone else and you can ring back in to cancel the cancel if you change your mind. During this time you **may** get a call from 2nd level retentions with a better offer. It's not guaranteed and they won't if you have marketing disabled in My Virgin Media under My Profile.
• Despite annual price rises at ridiculous rates, new customer offers have been static for years (like Ultimate package hovers around £79-£85 often and sometimes with cashback or free gifts like a TV as just one example)

[unisoft]

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@webster74 wrote:

Having just received a message informing me of a 12% price increase from April can anyone please inform me of how I can actually speak to someone at Virgin about this.  The  website help services just send you round in circles and I can’t find a phone number.  Pay enough for the product with quite frankly the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life.

---

Renegotiate by using the "leaving Virgin" option on the telephone (150 on cable phone OR 0345 454 1111 from other phones at local call rate) not standard customer services. You should get new customer pricing or near or sometimes even better. Be polite to VM retentions and explain what you are not happy about and the changes you want to make (you may decide your current BB speed isn't being utilised for example or want to reduce TV channels or reduce one service and add to another).

• Existing customers are cheaper than new as no free gifts (TV's Xbox Cashback as examples depending on the marketing for any given month), no need for VM to pay return postage for kit, no need to refurbish kit, no need to pay cashback to referral sites like quidco/topcashback.
• There has to be a benefit to a customer like a discount because they are being locked into an 18 month contract again
• Know your market prices for other providers Broadband, for example FTTC on NOWTV is 12 month or monthly only contact at £22. If you just want broadband only its going to easier than someone who wants landline and TV
• Consider whether you need a lock in contract for TV services. Does VM's STREAM box offer the channels you want (its Freeview part is free) and can you go without recording facility and just use catch up players or have another device that does recording off Freeview (aerial) for example? Stream's Sky subscriptions channels is only £8 per month and a 30 day notice contract. You also get 10% back on many subscriptions like Netflix, Disney etc.
• Ofcom rules mean you can currently exit your contract without penalty, as long as you do this within 30 days of being notified by VM; wait 3 months and be classed as a new customer and get new customer offers. Alternatively, many people on here sign up the next day in their partner's name.
• Be prepared to give 30 days notice if the result isn't what you want, this gives you time to arrange BB installation by someone else and you can ring back in to cancel the cancel if you change your mind. During this time you **may** get a call from 2nd level retentions with a better offer. It's not guaranteed and they won't if you have marketing disabled in My Virgin Media under My Profile.
• Despite annual price rises at ridiculous rates, new customer offers have been static for years (like Ultimate package hovers around £79-£85 often and sometimes with cashback or free gifts like a TV as just one example)

Cancel services NOT using a phone:

See

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/leaving

The address is on there so you can just pop a recorded delivery letter into you local Post Office if you don't want to phone.

Write to Virgin Media, Sunderland, SR43 4AA, including your name, address and account number.

If it's because of the 2023 price increase AND you are in contract, then mention you are using the Ofcom rule on contract exit without penalty because of price rise and ensure its received by them before 30 days of the dated letter or email sent by VM.

The forum staff can't process cancellations on here.