I couldn't help but comment on this thread. I'm currently going through the same issue. I've now been sent 4 filthy remote controls in a row. I've called about this issue many times & have complained via phone and email. After the 3rd dirty remote, I complained again. After receiving a callback, I've now sent photos. During the call I explained that obviously we are in the middle of a pandemic, which is serious enough, but also that i'm high risk health-wise, so potentially receiving Covid into my home when me and my family take a huge amount of care, is shocking. I went on to say that after I called after the 2nd dirty remote, I would've expected someone to take this issue seriously enough to ensure that the replacement remote was either brand new or thoroughly sanitised. (Apparently Virgin Media has a strict Covid Protocol!!). Clearly though, nobody thought it was serious enough to ensure I was safe this time because the 3rd controller was filthy too. So, having had that conversation, I FULLY expected Virgin Media to absolutely ensure that, with the next controller, they weren't going to put my health at risk again. Surely this time someone would guarantee I would get a brand new or sanitised controller? Of course, that didn't happen and I received the 4th filthy remote control this morning! How dare Virgin Media risk their customers health?!
What frustrates me more is knowing this has happened to other people, like you. When I called them after dirty remote number 3, I was told it's never happened before. I told them to think about what they were trying to get me to believe.....having received 3 dirty ones in a row, either Virgin are just saving the dirty controllers for me alone(!); or amongst all the controllers Virgin send out across the country, coincidentally I happened to receive the only 3 dirty controllers by chance and in a row!! For any mathematicians out there, statistically the chances of this happening are slim to none!! But Virgin expected me to believe it.
Virgin also tried to convince me that their Covid Protocols are very thorough and that the controllers are cleaned and then fully sanitised. They expected me to believe this when I now have 4 filthy, disgusting controllers that were sent to me, in my home right now. They also wanted me to believe that these few slipped through the net and it's a very small number. Again, statistically this is clearly not true if I received 4 in a row (not 1 dirty 30 clean, 1 dirty 80 clean, 1 dirty 105 clean, 1 dirty 120 clean), I received 1 dirty, 1 dirty, 1 dirty, 1 dirty.....no clean ones in between the dirty ones, suggesting generally they don't clean them!! As my Grandmother would say "a wet soapy flannel hasn't even been flicked over it", let alone any kind of "strict Covid Protocol" as stated by Virgin Media.
I'm furious that this issue is widespread. I don't know what else to do. I've called loads of times, I've complained over the phone, by email, via tweet & formally and yet Virgin still put their customers' health at risk every day & don't care, even when they are aware their customer is high risk.
I'm glad i've seen this thread about the same issue, because until now i've been led to believe that it's only me that gets sent the disgusting controllers.
Thank you for your posts about this.
PS They also tried to charge me for the controllers at the beginning even though they were faulty. It seems an age ago now since I requested 2 replacement controllers. I never expected for me to be put at risk by Virgin over and over again as a result of my request.
