Virgin cancelled but still taking a payment for next month - scam?

[Sanfox]

Hi 

We need help again please .

Our contract cease today 24th Jan, our December bill was for the period to the 28thJan. I expected Virgin to then do a wash up to see if we ordered any premium services which we haven’t and then credit back the over payment.

To our absolute disgust and astonishment they have raised another bill from the 28th Jan to the 28th Feb for £145 even though our service is being switched off today 24th Jan.

Having spoken to someone in customer services who to be frank was rude, they refused to acknowledge this is clearly wrong but eventually after 10 mins reluctantly disclosed there is a credit going on our account for £186 but we still have to pay for the service for February.

This sounds like a scam and there seems nothing in place to stop for Virgin taking monies from us month after month, if we cancel the DD it will impact our credit rating and we are about to start a mortgage application.

What can we do at this stage, having now spoken to a friend they had a similar situation and were promised there monies would be returned but never received anything, they had 2 months extra taken from them equating to nearly £300 and said its a scam and just hope its only one month we end up paying for !! 

Surely this can’t be right, any help will be really appreciated. 

Regards 

[Natalie_L]

Hi Sanfox, 

Thanks for reaching out to us here on the Community.

I am sorry to hear you will be leaving us and for any confusion caused by your final bill. 

When disconnecting, your bill will continue to be produced for the month ahead as normal. Once the account disconnects, we will then credit for any time that you have been charged and not able to use the service. This will be the credit that the team have advised off. 

Any changes/credits on the account will be listed on your online account here. 

Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. 

Thanks, 

[Andrew-G]

Regarding your complaint, unfortunately VM's customer accounting system are primitive and under-invested, so that they are unable to make near real time adjustments to billing.  The sort of simple account changes my water company has been able to do immediately for decades is completely beyond VM.  They don't care, they won't change, it is what it is.  So you should eventually get the money back after allowing for your 30 day notice period.  VM's repayments are also processed with the urgency of a hibernating sloth*, so don't expect to see the money quickly.

having now spoken to a friend they had a similar situation and were promised there monies would be returned but never received anything, they had 2 months extra taken from them equating to nearly £300 and said its a scam

Well, unless this was some years ago they should raise a written complaint to VM demanding their money back and compensation on top.  That will be fobbed off because VM's complaint process is to the same miserable standard as the rest of their customer service, but it is an essential step before taking the matter to Ombudsman Services, and they will sort it out.  Same applies to you if they don't refund the amount they've taken.

* Yes, I know sloths don't hibernate.  But if they did they would still be as responsive as VM's customer accounting. 

[Sanfox]

Hi 

Thanks for the help, and Andrew you did make me laugh with that last comment.

It seems common sense has gone out of the window, or fair and equal trading practices I should say,  been a customer for 7 years and Virgin having the opportunity of a returning customer seems to have no value having spent time scouring the tinternet.

I think now we just want to exit with no further fees and hope Virgin put things right in returning our monies but I won’t hold my breath, to this end it’s been over 6 weeks since we gave notice but have received no packaging to return the 2 tv boxes and router. I did find another post and link to request this again which I have done, should I wait now or use the option to the label myself, package, and ship.

I’m under instruction to bring this to a close as soon as possible. 

Thanks again for the help.

Regards 

[goslow]

---

@Sanfox wrote:

Hi 

We need help again please .

Our contract cease today 24th Jan, our December bill was for the period to the 28thJan. I expected Virgin to then do a wash up to see if we ordered any premium services which we haven’t and then credit back the over payment.

<snip>

Surely this can’t be right, any help will be really appreciated. 

Regards 

---

If your service only ended yesterday, VM continues to bill you as per normal right up to the point of disconnection. Depending on when your end date is, your normal direct debit date and the period the bill covers, you might end up getting a scheduled bill in the last 30 days of disconnection.

https://www.virginmedia.com/support/help/billing-and-payment/bill-explainer/my-final-bill-explainer

Once you are disconnected, you will get a final bill which should balance the books. Your description sounds like you should receive a small credit as your final bill, once it is issued.

When I left VM, I got a regular bill just before disconnection on the 2nd of the month for the regular monthly payment, I got a final bill on the 6th of the month which replaced the regular bill and I owed a small amount to VM. It was the small amount that went out as my final direct debit payment. I had no equipment to return though.

One of the most regularly complained about things on the forum is VM's failure to send out packaging for equipment returns. Topics often describe multiple requests for packaging to be sent yet none is ever received.

Any missing equipment items may be added to your final bill. If you want to wind up all dealings with VM ASAP, printing your own label and sending the equipment back yourself might be your best option. No guarantees that a DIY return of equipment is any better/worse than waiting for packaging so use at your own risk/judgement.

If you are doing the DIY packaging label return method, make sure all items are packaged appropriately and photograph/record what you are sending back and how it is packaged. Also include all necessary account details along with each item to clearly identify it to your account. Make sure you keep a record of the tracking numbers too. If you have those, they are your proof of sending in the event of a dispute with VM.

Needless to say, VM's return processes are designed to keep the customer's money in VM's bank account for as long as possible and any failures on VM's part (such as not sending out packaging) never actually reflect back on VM!

[Sanfox]

Hi

If I have understood correctly you would think so and our December bill took us past the cut off date but no, they have sent us another invoice for service in February and we were told point blank we have to pay that regardless as the invoice has now been raised.

Once they reconcile the account we will get a cheque in the post, in effect it’s double over charge, billing us past our termination date and then billing us for a further month. The credit that was eventually disclosed is not showing on our account yet, this should net off what we owe and cancel the DD going out 8th February but I’m not convinced that will happen, well I was told that’s not the case and they will be taking those monies regardless. 

As per there customer service rep ‘I have told you 4 times what is happening and I’m going to now tell you 5 times and 6 times if I have to” 

Thanks for the feedback in returning the kit, I will get it packaged as you have advised and get it returned.

Regards 

[goslow]

---

@Sanfox wrote:

Hi

If I have understood correctly you would think so and our December bill took us past the cut off date but no, they have sent us another invoice for service in February and we were told point blank we have to pay that regardless as the invoice has now been raised.

<snip>

Thanks for the feedback in returning the kit, I will get it packaged as you have advised and get it returned.

Regards 

---

My comments (rather than 'advice', as such) ref the kit was that waiting for the packaging to come through from VM might be a long wait based on regular complaints about waiting for packaging on here. I can't guarantee that you packing/labelling/sending it yourself will be any better/more reliable in getting it back to VM as the process is entrusted to Yodel whose general incomptenece in matters of delivery is well-matched with VM's own administrative blundering.

Keep an eye on your billing and see how/if your final bill (when it comes) is updated to reflect your end date and the equipment returns etc. If you are returning equipment, the production of the final bill may well be linked in with the return of the equipment.

[David_Bn]

Thanks for your posts on the thread @Sanfox.

Check out the purple envelope in the top right hand corner for a private message from me and I'll seek to confirm the final billed amount.

I'll also be able to feed back on any agent that may have behaved in an unprofessional manner.

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

[Sanfox]

Hi David

I provided my account details, appreciate if you can see what is taking place.

Thank you

[David_Bn]

Thanks for working with me via our private messaging function @Sanfox, and I'm pleased we were able to have this resolved for you.

Do feel free to come back to me if any further issues arise.

Kindest regards,

David_Bn