Renwal of Contract issue - one of many it seems!

[Nickywhu]

What is going on with Virgin Media - I have seen so many posts regarding major issues with contract renewals. Surely this must be being looked into by the regulators if not VMs Management Team.

I have been out of contract for about 18 months! Decided I should look at renewing. Called up and spent an agonising hour on the phone with them trying to tell me paying over £22 more for less services was worth me signing up to them again for 18 months...was made even better when they said they didn't really know the Virgin Media packages...turned out they were 'contracted' rather than proper employees (basically their next phone call could have been for another company). Finally got through to someone in the Teeside office who was more helpful.

Whilst on the phone waiting I was looking at my account a bit more closely and noticed the button which said about renewal offer - never seen that before so clicked to have a look and it was offering me the same package for £20 less! The contracted team tried to tell me this was for new customers only! (Had to explain the meaning of renew to them). We won't even go into the TNT debacle.

Anyway long story short Teeside guy said click the button as that was the best deal by the look of it. At the same time I ordered a wifi pod so was transferred to technical help team and carrie don conversation.

Shortly after clicking the renew button after I had put the phone down (2 hours I was on there!) I received two attachments - a contract and a contract summary. Excellent I thought £20 cheaper and same services.

Checked online account and had a change of service under Contract tab which added the pods but no updated contract. A week later still nothing.

Looking at the forum (excellent source of information) I know wonder what on earth is going to happen. Wary of contacting VM on phone by chat as seems as though it only makes things worse. People being charged figures that they haven't agreed to and that are different to contracts.

Been with VM a long time and never known it to be so bad - really seems unethical. I have all the screen shots with the wording used as evidence but seems the team that they are outsourcing to have literally no idea.

Have seen that Ofcom decided to open - on their own accord - an investigation into V and their contract/customer service issues but unable to see how its progressing.

At a loss what to do now - do I wait until my next bill and hope either the back office is behind or assume I am still out of contract and paying the same that I have been.

It really shouldn't be this difficult 😉

[unisoft]

If you been with VM a long time, then you may be wanting to prepare for the exit doors and start looking at other providers instead.

Retentions seem to have no interest in keeping long term customers this year and many, including myself have exited. From being messed around on the phone with various transfers and repeat of security answers, to bad renewal offers and those they get one, have a different contract or billing presented after the call has finished.

Long term customers who cancel are often not getting ring backs until 2 days before disconnection when a text message is sent with a fabulous "stay with us" offer that goes to voicemail when you ring the number detailed in it, and standard customer service cannot action because they don't hold the power to action the discount level.

Do a search of the forum, I've never known so many long term customers leaving VM this year. I cannot wait for the Q3 financial figures on churn. VM done a raft of new customer pricing offers past few weeks, free TV's, £200 bill credits, Eufy Security Camera packages, best EVER pricing on some TV/BB bundles to try and make up the loss for Q3 reporting.

I could have re-joined as new customer as left for 6 months, but it's unlikely. They are just too expensive compared to other providers offering full fibre with symmetric speeds and lower latency (as they are not using DocSIS). My original plan was remain on VM's HFC DocSIS network and migrate to VM's newer XGS-PON network which is supposed to be complete around the UK by 2028, but no sign of build in my area at all, despite BT Openreach and ALTNET competition.

Lastly, I've seen the chaos with customer contract renewals on here over past 6 months of leaving!

[Alex_RM]

Hi Nickywhu,

Thanks for posting and welcome to our community 😊

Sorry to hear there's some confusion with the package change. So I can get a few more details from you, I've popped you over a private message.

Alex_Rm