[SOS] [Please Help] Virgin mix up Notice of leaving and 30-day early termination, and keep charging me

[Chun]

My contact is 18-month ended on 22/3/2024.
The T&Cs says: ...If you want us to stop providing the services at the end of your minimum period you will need to give us at least 30 days’ notice...

Relevant post in this forum:https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/EXACTLY-30-days-notice-no-more-no-less/m-p/400665...

Therefore, on 5/2/2024 from 16:10 - 18:33, I contacted Vigin online CS and said I'll stay with Virgin until the contract end date. I also clarified with the staff that it's not early cancellation, no EDF, no contract extension, reject their offers and tell them I'll change service provider (I'm using new ISP w.e.f 23/3). 

Right after this conversation, at 18:49 Virgin sent me a disconnection confirmation email to me:
Subject: Disconnecting your Virgin Media services
Content: ... We’re sorry to hear you’re leaving us on Fri 22 Mar. As a last hurrah, we want to make sure your disconnection is as smooth as possible...

No further email from Virgin since then.

But on 24/3, I noticed that they already charged me £79.20 for 23/3 - 22/4.
I sent an email to them to report the issue immediately.
However, after back-and-forth emails and a conversation on WhatsApp (They approached me), they keep asking me to contact them for new offers and claiming that: ...Upon checking your account, I can see that there was a disconnection booked and later it was cancelled on the same day as you was not satisfied providing the 30days notice. Hence the service remains active and you will continue to be billed....

It's not true. On 5/2, I spent a lot of time clarifying the notice and place a leaving notice. Clearly the staff understand that, and hence they sent me the disconnection confirmation email (...We’re sorry to hear you’re leaving us on Fri 22 Mar...)
22/3 is the end of my contract.
I also told them I'll change service provider (and now using the new ISP since 23/3 -  I'm determined to leave, never change my mind, so I never cancel the scheduled disconnection). 
If they think on 5/2 it was a 30-day early termination, then email should say ...We’re sorry to hear you’re leaving us on 4 Mar... and send me a bill for Early termination fee
If the scheduled disconnection was cancelled, why there's not any cancellation email from Virgin?
Can you see the contradiction here?

Two days ago (2/4), the CS approached me via WhatsApp, saying the same things, and 
...I do understand that, as you request not to disconnect due to the early disconnection fee will be apply on the account, the agent cancelled the disconnection request...
I asked when and which staff cancel it? They didn't answer my question, then mentioned:
final bill is £0 and also you will receive a refund of £47.98 on 22/05/2024
and soon they ended the conversation and went to questionnaire session.

3/4 They send me an email - Your Virgin Media bill is ready (£84.74 for 23/4 - 22/5)

4/4 today Latest reply from Virgin: ...as investigated I can see that the disconnection request has been taken and will get fully disconnected on 2/05/24 and post the disconnection you will receive the final bill...

Please HELP!! 
The disconnection should have been done on 22/3.
I've packed all Vigin stuff, waiting for their return packaging, and using new ISP w.e.f. 23/3
All I request is fully refund and stop the new bill.
They always ignore the facts I mentioned on my every emails, never answer my questions, only provide wrong solution - Charge me again and again after 22/3.

Buddies, How do you feel? I'm worried and nervous when read their email repeating the same thing without answering my questions and charge me again and again. Can anyone help? Is there anything I can do before going to Ombudsman?

[notdodgy]

This discussion has me slightly concerned. 
I spent over 3 hours in a chat to arrange continuation of service with a discount, it was agreed and I am receiving almost the same package for just £6 more which given inflation, I thought this was reasonable.   
A few weeks later the cost goes up by £7 and I find they now have an inflation+ clause in the contract and T&Cs.  
No mention of this detail in the chat, and their T&Cs says it applies even if they do not tell you about it. 

Another provider is now building FTTP in my area and I am considering them to save money.   

My contract updated at the start of February, clearly states "Remaining minimum period: 1 Month".  
It does not show the correct amount I am paying, but the bills are correct and show the full price and a discount applied, which will end next year. 
Based on the contract it appears I can leave without penalty.  
My concern is that they will treat the remaining length of the discount period as the contract period.

Can anyone from the VM team advise on this?  I may not leave, but I want to know my options.

[DPJ]

Hi Chun, My new ISP has installed their equipment as planned on 08/04 and all is working fine. My VM broadband should cease on 24/04 and I shall return my hub 5 and 1 pod soon after. I have only had 1 call from VM retentions and I declined the offer they put to me. On my VM account under orders there is an order shown dated 20/03 which is the date I rang to cancel. It just says broadband and phone which are the only services I had. Since I cancelled I have sought reassurance that my account was being cancelled on 24/4 by using the web chat. They confirmed it was and I have kept a copy of that in case there any issues beyond that date.  I will post further on this forum if there are any issues post cancellation. I do hope your saga was resolved.  

[Chun]

Hi notdodgy, have you received any response from VM yet? You may get useful advise from some Facebook groups (use a keyword like VM or Virgin Media etc.).

[Chun]

Hi DPJ, thanks for the update. Finally a forum staff amended the bills and said I will get a check for the refund (within 45 days 😂). I'll not close this topic until this issue has been solved timely and reasonably. Hope no more surprise from them.

To visitors of this forum and potential customers, it's vitally important to keep the transcript and confirmation emails from your service provider, although in my case they still ignored it for weeks and caused lots of hassle. Today’s customers know what good customer service is supposed to be. The moment a customer feels a brand is intentionally making it difficult to get issues resolved could spell the beginning of the end for that relationship. 

[Matthew_ML]

Glad to hear this has been resolved 🙂 

[Chun]

Hi Matt, this problem shouldn't happen and takes so long to have a reasonable response. And it hasn't been resolved yet until I receive the refund - I've been told that it may take up to 45 days (within 45 days). I'd be grateful if you can facilitate the process, thank you.

[Ilyas_Y]

Thanks for the reply @Chun 🧾

Unfortunately we cannot speed up this process as the 30 days notice with the 15 days after for the cheque is to balance out any credits or arrears.
Apologies for the inconvenience.

Kind regards,
Ilyas.
 

[Chun]

Hi Team,

The equipment of concern had been sent back using Virgin-appointed courier with a pre-paid shipping label and return box provided by Virgin on 18/4.

To avoid any mistakenly charge by Virgin, I first replied to those email addresses with the courier tracking info on 22/4 but in vain. Now I keep receiving emails and SMS from Virgin - You’ll be charged soon.

It seems that although Virgin created that shipping label, they don't track the shipping status. Can forum staff take note on this to avoid unnecessary charge and the same reminder emailss again?? Thank you.

 

ps. It's out of my control that the return will get back to you before 8/5/2024 or not, given that it had reached your appointed courier on 18/4 already. I post this is to avoid any further unnecessary charge from Virgin and have to go through another refund procedure again.

[Chun]

[Alex_RM]

Hi Chun,

We've popped you over a private message to get a few more details from you to help.

Alex_Rm