three different deals. None have been honoured

[CelticWarrior]

 I called up at the end of August to try and get a better deal as my package was unaffordable.  After some conversation I was offered the same package as I already had for £36 a month.  This was a big reduction, but I had already checked out other companies and I knew Sky was offering a similar deal for £39, so I had no reason to think the deal was incorrect.  The agent texted me some documentation, so I was thrilled with the outcome.  A couple of weeks later, I checked my package and realised my charge hadn't changed, I called again and was told that the deal had not been put through.  After a few more calls I finally got somebody who told me that the deal I had been offered was a mistake and they would not honour it.  They offered me the same deal for £85. I refused this and gave notice to end my contract.  I was told it was a month but a few minutes later all my services were cut and stayed off for some hours.  

A day or so later I was called by someone who offered to find me a better deal.  He offered me the same package for £44 which I accepted.  when I got the paperwork, my broadband had been downgraded despite the fact that I am on O2 and should get an uplift. I phoned back and they changed it back but could not offer me the same deal, so they gave it to me at £85  a month and applied an discount of £41 a month for 18 months so I still paid the same.  The paperwork I received by e mail reflected this. Stupidly I relied on the paperwork until I checked my bank statement today and realised that I am paying £74 a month instead of £44.  After ,a phone call lasting over 1.5 hours and speaking to four different people, I was offered the same package for £66 a month.  

This is immoral if not illegal.  Has anybody any experience of actually getting the deal that is agreed?

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

It is indeed a repeated breach of contract law and consumer protection law.  Staff here may be able to sort this out, but if they can't then the boiler plate below explains the way forward.  The fact that I've got this as a saved resource will tell you that this is how VM behave quite often.

These "didn't get the deal I agreed" situations happen from time to time - in fact they happen regularly with Virgin Media. However, your legal rights are crystal clear - information provided by a company verbally or written is binding if the consumer relies upon it when entering a contract (Section 50 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015), so VM have to honour whatever was promised, whether they like it or not. No matter what VM say about "not the right deal", "can't offer that to you", "deal not on the system", you agreed a contract with their agent, that is now binding . And perhaps they need to re-train some of their staff because yours is a regular complaint in these forums.

Hopefully the forum staff can pick this up and get it sorted - by which I mean that you get exactly the deal you were promised, suitably backdated to when it should have been effective, and an appropriate goodwill gesture (in your particular circumstances I'd ask for £150) for the inconvenience and stress. That would be the cheapest and quickest resolution for both parties, and the best way of trying to recover some goodwill in a bad situation. If they can't get it sorted in that complete manner (and don't settle for miserly goodwill payment), you need read the Virgin Media Complaints Code of Practice and raise a formal complaint. I suggest in writing, by recorded post. Reject the contract they're trying to impose, and demanding that as per your legal rights the company honour what was promised, and pointing out that if the company can't honour its agreement you will escalate to Ombudsman Services as soon as permitted by the rules.

If VM still won't honour the contract despite the complaint, or issue a fob-off resolution that doesn't settle things acceptably, then you reply by rejecting the "resolution" and asking for a deadlock letter, with that you take the matter to the Ombudsman. If VM stall and you can't get a deadlock letter then (ignoring that it is a breach of regulations) then eight weeks after your initial complaint was received by VM you can take the matter to the Ombudsman without a deadlock letter. Explain the background and request that VM be required to give you the promised deal, fully backdated, and add on a request for compensation for the hassle.

As I said earlier, hopefully the forum staff can get this resolved quicker and without the formality, but don't accept any compromise price offer, insist it is properly backdated, and that the goodwill compensation is at least £150.  If it's short on any of those, then Ombudsman Services are your way forward.

[Robert_P]

Hello CelticWarrior

We're sorry to hear of your experience when dealing with your package and the prices offered not being matched, we can understand the frustration in regards to this and appreciate you raising this via the forums.

We're eager to assist with this and I will send you a Private Message to get some more details from you.

Rob

[gill139]

I can sympathize with you on this, a similar situation occured when I accepted an offer over the phone and even after reassurance from customer service I still had to go through the ombudsman to get my monthly payment sorted and even after that my original offer was still not quite matched. And now these latest hikes! It is just hassle hassle whoever you are with, rip off Britain. 

Good luck!