Virgin Media discriminates against customers with disabilities
I have supplied this in DM to one of your colleagues, who will inevitably take about 10 hours to respond, but this may come in useful for another person who finds themselves dealing with this wretched company as a vulnerable user. I have spent seven hours of one day dealing with Virgin Media after OpenReach did not complete an install, which unfortunately has left me stuck with this clown car for another week. VM were informed that I was in treatment for pre-cancerous cells of the uterus. This is on the back of multiple hospital visits in a short space of time which I assumed to be a continuation of endometriosis (which meets the grounds for a disability under the Equality Act 2010, and may also be considered a form of sex discrimination as the condition impacts the female reproductive system). My first contact with VM, disclosing this, involved a call centre agent becoming hostile and aggressive with me before disconnecting the line. I subsequently began a move to Sky. Despite Open Reach's error, Sky resolved the error with booking a new appointment quicker than advertised online and with compensation for each day lost, all within 30 minutes. I am now entering Day 3 of trying to have services reinstated with Virgin. For some reason they are baffled as to why I loathe this company with every cell of my being. I have an outstanding bill with Virgin for the grand sum of circa £70. Over the space of two days I have been quoted three different amounts to reinstate the service. I have had a payment plan offer removed from me by a manager as soon as I mentioned the Equality Act 2010 and disability discrimination, where she hung up on me and wrote in notes I was not eligible for an extension. You are not allowed to know your legal rights with this company, but you can be verbally abused by their staff over your health, and you should take it because if you become frustrated or just flat out offended by how vile they are being, they will hang up on you. Therefore I would indicate to Virgin Media, and to anyone else who may need this in future, that they are bound by the Act, specifically s15 and s20. In specific relation to s20, this pertains to duties to make adjustments. I would also point you to s26(1) which pertains to harassment; their staff are extremely adept at dismissing and ignoring any mention of a disability and continuing to create a hostile, degrading environment for the person. Yes, your elderly parent who has dementia has a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and despite what their call centres protest, probably didn't understand how to add on a bunch of things that they don't even comprehend. Yes, your mental health issues can be considered disabilities under the Equality Act 2010, and yes you do have the right to be treated with dignity and respect by their staff if has caused your life to fall into chaos. Yes, if you are autistic and become overstimulated and overwhelmed by having to run around for hours after these idiots and it impacts your ability to communicate, they have a duty to consider this and not become aggressive/hostile. I do not like these people. I am sick to the back teeth of the way they treat customers. Their inability to have any duty of care toward their customers whilst racking up £2.7bn in revenue last quarter is not my concern. Other companies do this just fine complying with their obligations. They are nothing but a bunch of cowboys who appear to make it up as they go along. You can always explain how capitalism works anyway when your agents reply to this, if they bother. I'll ask the Communications Ombudsman what they think though as obviously I don't understand these kinds of meaty topics. Anyway, I did notice that it seemed to really annoy them when I mentioned this, probably the same way it annoyed me being patronised to about capitalism, so it may benefit someone else who needs it. Odds, favour et al.Lied to about EDF
I contacted Virgin Media in April because my supported living accommodation were having us transferred to their WiFi. I called and was promised I could cancel my contract in May without the EDF (Early Disconnection Fee) with the agent promising to make a note on my account. I contacted today to cancel and was told there's no record of the call, nor no note on my account. I've spent the past hour going round in circles in the webchat and nothings been accomplished. I feel like my disability is being taken advantage of, since I told the agent I like in supported accommodation I can't handle the stress and I just want this all to end 😢Nearly 3 months of installation delays so far!!
I chose virgin media as I was referred by a friend who has been with then 15years with no big issues... So for context I am 19 years old and have cerebral palsy and live in my own dwelling, so you can imagine having WiFi is kind of a big need for me iro social aspect I ordered Virgin media start of may, received an email 23rd may advising they need me to complete the details of my housing provider so they can get permission to install, I replied to that email within 30 minutes, 2 days later I got an install date of 7th June...yay 7th June... no one shows, no communication, I ring the "customer service team" and I'm told they are waiting for my response to their email on 23rd May, I advise I responded and received an install date of 7th June, I was literally point blank told I was lying!!! So I read verbatim the installation email I received, I got cut off, I ring back, go through the whole 35mins wait again. Repeat everything again, told they have no details of my housing provider, they confirm the install date was 7th June but didnt go ahead as they had no details, I reiterate that I had replied onnthe same day within 30 mins, i have that email in my outbox amd received an email with the install date from virgin 2 fldays later, apparently I was supposed to check that Virgin received my email to ensure install would go ahead.. what??? Anyway person on phone takes all details of housing provider, complete the details of my residence and says I will hear from them in 24-48 hours, 2 days later I receive an email, new install date 24/6, yay 24/6 no one shows... I ring up... 54 mins wait, told by "customer service team" they are wwaiting for my reply to email of 23/5 asking for housing provider... I advise them of all of above, again literally told I am lying or Im mistaken as there was no installation booked, read out verbatim 2nd email stating install date of 24/6, also give them the complaint number that was issued on first call on 9/6, miraculously they find not only my account but all the housing provider details, then advise me that release (or relief??) team haven't actually contacted my housing provider but they will do so in next 48 hours, I advise the team member this is 2nd failed install appointment without any notification, they offer me a £15 credit, I advise I had read the ofcom compensation, they advise they will grant a one off £75 credit and guarantee the install will happen on 10th July, I advised I will accept that token but ONLY if install happens on or before that date, I am told 100% guaranteed install on 10th July. Next day receive an email with install date.. 10th July 2024.. yay TODAY... received an email from Virgin advising that install has been cancelled and rescheduled to 23rd AUGUST 2024 !!! WTAF is wrong with this company? at each juncture I have advised of my need and my disability, I have completed any details required of me but have literally been called a liar on 2 occasions by the "customer service team", had 3 installs cancelled (2 without any notice) and if you work out from first failed install (7th June 2024) to 4th proposed install (23rd August 2024) that's a period of 78 days of cancellations and delays!!! IMO that's a disgrace but who can I complain to?? I spent 2 hours today trying to speak to someone who is not entrenched in an offshore call centre so that I actually have a chance of getting a full explanation but no of course that's impossible At this point Iam actually unwilling to give this up out of sheer stubborn tenacity and because I frankly feel extreme aggrieved by this whole thing Yes I might be only 19 and have a physical disability but I am not substandard or subhuman and my faculties are all present! And I am looking for some actual help not a poor chat both or an entrenched call centre worker who can only follow a set script