Virgin Media Community

[LBrown]

I am sure many of you are unhappy with the price increase and wish to cancel your contract. They offer two ways of doing this, one is via a phone, other is via a written letter. Due to government guidelines a lot of people are not allowed out due to shielding or self isolating so the phone number is the only way available to you. If you keep a log that shows you made reasonable attempts to contact Virgin, then the ombudsman will likely rule in your favour in any disputes or complaints as you can prove you made reasonable attempts to contact Virgin.

I suggest you keep a log of all attempts to contact Virgin with details of day, time, and what occurred. Here is my example:-

22/01/2021

11:00 - received letter informing me of a price increase of £4.50 a month and to call 150 to cancel this if you are not happy.
12:32 - Called 150 to discuss. Recorded message saying we are busy try later. Call dropped.
13:49 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
13:49 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
13:49 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
13:49 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
14:00 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
14:00 - Called 0345 454 1111. No number tone.
14:00 - Called 0345 454 1111. No number tone.
14:01 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
14:06 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
14:19 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
14:23 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
14:27 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.
14:28 - Called 0345 454 1111. No number tone.
14:29 - Called 150 to discuss. Line engaged tone.

Hope this suggestion helps some of you against Virgin. It just seems that Virgin is doing its best to stonewall customers. Phones not working, no online chat, or email cancellation and the other other way, by letter, that is currently not viable for many in the country due to COVID restrictions.

[Bollo1]

I'm in exactly the same boat, on hold music for 30 mins and counting now.  Utter shambles.

[m1ck1959]

i persevered ( over an hour ) and got through first to customer services then retentions , upshot is accept a delay in increase for 6 months but be locked in a new contract with leaving penalties , or leave with no penalties now . 

Heads up  if you want to accept the delay it is a select 1 or 2 option only in the options menu , once you get through to a person they cannot give you the delay and you will have to re call and go through options again !

[Gus1]

Same here.  Has anyone tried to get a better deal.

[bitsandpcs]

I tried to get a better deal and got told no. He couldnt even give me the 6 months deal and now i dont get the message or option when i phone back.

[carl_pearce · Accepted solution]

You don't need to 'Go out' to send a letter:

https://www.royalmail.com/collection 

You can sort it all online and arrange the collection by your postie.

[LBrown · Accepted solution]

Follow up to this post. I got through eventually, took all day and 30mins on hold when it did get through the engaged tone. Spoke to 1st line support, typical script reading inept staff from a Indian call centre. Tried to sell me a 'new' deal that cost more I am on+£4.50 increase... muppets...

I just insisted I'm leaving, so I was put through to cancellations. A nice Scottish chap helped me out within 2 minutes... appears my contract started 1st July, and the price increase is only for contracts signed before 29th June 2020... so I was sent a letter by mistake... This is the relevant information I found on the details...

'The price increase affects all UK cable customers – those with broadband, TV and fixed-line phone contracts – who joined Virgin Media before 29 June 2020 who aren't considered 'vulnerable'. Vulnerable customers, which includes those on Virgin Media's new 'Essential' broadband package for people receiving universal credit, as well as 'Talk Protected' landline customers, are excluded from these prices increases.'

'Customers who joined Virgin Media or took out one of its new bundles from 29 June 2020 onwards are not affected as they already pay the provider's latest prices. Virgin Media adds that this is its first cable price change in 18 months. '

Hope this **bleep**-bit of information might help others out in the same situation as me.

[JitteryPinger]

They're fobbing you off with that statement, I have 3 accounts all re-contracted after October, all but the one have had price rises because only the discount is protected and not the price.

My third account is a new customer bundle and that is protected because it was taken 'as a NEW CUSTOMER after July 1st.

They guy you spoke to has probably to added additional credit to the account.

[japitts]

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@JitteryPinger wrote:

They're fobbing you off with that statement, I have 3 accounts all re-contracted after October, all but the one have had price rises because only the discount is protected and not the price.

My third account is a new customer bundle and that is protected because it was taken 'as a NEW CUSTOMER after July 1st.

They guy you spoke to has probably to added additional credit to the account.

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I'm not sure that's entirely correct.

I can't find any VM-staff post to immediately back this up, but I'm sure if you're on a fixed-price deal taken out after the relevant date (which I can't recall off-hand) that price is protected until its end, at which point the price rise takes effect.

You're quite correct about promotion %-based discounts which don't themselves fix the package price.
 

[JitteryPinger]

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@japitts wrote:

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@JitteryPinger wrote:

They're fobbing you off with that statement, I have 3 accounts all re-contracted after October, all but the one have had price rises because only the discount is protected and not the price.

My third account is a new customer bundle and that is protected because it was taken 'as a NEW CUSTOMER after July 1st.

They guy you spoke to has probably to added additional credit to the account.

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I'm not sure that's entirely correct.

I can't find any VM-staff post to immediately back this up, but I'm sure if you're on a fixed-price deal taken out after the relevant date (which I can't recall off-hand) that price is protected until its end, at which point the price rise takes effect.

You're quite correct about promotion %-based discounts which don't themselves fix the package price.
 

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It's a much easier way of explaining it, the statements made by Virgin make no sense to customers, and up to now I've seen no existing customers affected by price rises that have packages sporting a offer code like those seen on new customer bundles.

The definitions I've seen are as follows,

Existing CustomerNew Customer