Terrible! I was overcharged several times

[NateR]

It all started with a first bill which for some reason contained £35 for Activation of the Broadband, £60 for Stream Activation Fee and guess what £35 for Stream Activation Fee again. 

I've spent hours on the phone with several agents of Virgin to tell them that I'm not gonna use the Stream Service and I don't need any activation. Agents told me that they will waive it and won't charge me for Stream activation.

Then the engineer came and he didn't touch streaming devices, only set up the broadband. 

After the first month, I still get the bill with extra money for Stream activation.

I called again (for the third time already) and go again through that awful and ridiculous Virgin process of phone calling (waiting for an hour) instead of fast and responsive chat like normal companies do. The agent in the end refers me to another department, I wait and then tell all the story (again and again) and finally agent says again that they will not charge me for Stream activation and that I should pay only for the broadband and leave £35 unpaid (though I believe they overcharged me with £60 but not £35, but I'm just exhausted to argue).

I paid for the bill as the agent said no fully, but leaving £35 unpaid.

Guess what I've got this month? £7.50 fine for not paying that! so now they overcharged me even more.

I've paid for 2 months of this **bleep** service £186, when my monthly fee for the package is £31. I consider it robbery and hideous service, the most terrible in my life. 

[John_GS]

Hi @NateR

Thanks for posting and welcome back to the community.

I am sorry for the billing issue and I can see you've spoke to the Collections team today but I will send you a PM to finalise things for you.

Best wishes

[Andrew-G]

NateR, if as suggested you've spoken to the collections team, is everything now COMPLETELY resolved?  By which I mean all incorrect payments refunded, the late payment charge rescinded, the possible black mark on your credit history erased, future billing fully corrected, and compensation paid in line with what the industry complaints adjudicator would see as reasonable?

[NateR]

Hello, @Andrew-G, no, nothing is resolved yet, I haven't spoken to the collections team lately, it seems like wrong info. I've already paid for everything (including all overcharges) yesterday because I don't want any more overdue payments in the future.

I've just sent my personal info to John, who wrote me in PM. It would be great of course if what you said could be done. 

[jem101]

So you haven’t actually spoken to the Collections Team at all despite what John, above, seems to think? Well, OK that just adds to the perception of VM’s broken and dysfunctional systems, which will likely be a mitigating factor later on. You have done the right thing (annoyingly) in paying them to avoid issues with credit rating etc. again, this will count in your favour when this inevitably ends up with the industry adjudicator. What Andrew_G said can absolutely happen, how long it takes and how much extra you get in compensation really does depend on VM’s willingness to sort it out - personally I’m not hopeful, not because I believe anyone is deliberately malicious, but rather as a consequence of VM having internal operational system which are, well frankly ‘not fit for purpose’.

So overall, one for the forum team to see if they can’t pull some strings in the background, otherwise, we know where this is going don’t we?

[Kath_F]

Hi NateR, 

Thanks for coming back to John via private message to confirm the account has been updated online. 

If there are any further issues, pop back to us here 🙂 

Many thanks, 

[NateR]

Hello,
I've got the bill and I see that I've got 55 pounds back. Thanks for listening to me and for the refund.
I would appreciate the opportunity to have such a quick and thoughtful response next time if I have any issues. Preferably in chat and not by phone.

Thank you,
Nate

[Ilyas_Y]

Hey @NateR, thanks for the update on the forums.

We appreciate the update given on the forums.
I'm glad that the matter has now been resolved for you.

As always - we're here to assist, anytime, any place 🙂 Feel free to reach out whenever!

Kind regards,
Ilyas.

[Andrew-G]

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@NateR wrote:
Hello,
I've got the bill and I see that I've got 55 pounds back. Thanks for listening to me and for the refund.
I would appreciate the opportunity to have such a quick and thoughtful response next time if I have any issues. Preferably in chat and not by phone.

Thank you,
Nate

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Is the £55 money they'd already taken (ie a refund)?  Or is it compensation over and above the refund for taking money that wasn't due, and then the multiple failures to put it right? 

If all they've done is refund money that you shouldn't have been charged in the first place then you've grounds for asking for compensation.  Without having to compensate for poor service, there's no real incentive for VM to fix the underlying problems (and all the hours of frustration you endured trying to get it set right were treated as a freebie by the company).