Refusing to cancel

[billdrick]

On Monday 4th March I called Virgin Media to request cancellation of ALL services; TV, broadband and landline phone. After being hung up on twice, told my email was incorrect and transferred to the home moving team, after about half an hour was able to cancel after much pressure to stay.

I was told by “Elliot” my TV & broadband would end on 3/4/24 and landline on 19/3/24, I would need to return the equipment and I would be keeping my phone number.

I have received no confirmation of the cancellation, but have received an email today (6th March) to confirm a new contract with TV and broadband without landline.

I did NOT agree to a new contract.

I request a member of the Virgin Media staff provide written confirmation that ALL my services will be cancelled on the dates above and I will be able to keep my phone number with another provider, and also confirm my final bill amount and date.

[Cardiffman282]

Bill do please let Ofcom know all about your cancellation experience with VM https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Community-Natter/Breaking-OFCOM-investigating-VM-over-difficult... 

[newapollo]

Hi @billdrick 

A member of the forum team may pick this up for you in a day or two and check/confirm that the cancellation process is going ahead as agreed with “Elliot”.

VM don't usually send out confirmation of cancellation, however the email you have received confirming a "new contract" for TV and broadband is VM's badly phrased way of showing you that your request for your new supplier to take over the current telephone number has been actioned, so that's the first part of the cancellation process going ahead as requested..

Providing that goes through without any problems then your VM landline will be terminated and removed from your current contract.  That means there is a change in your current contract with VM (the removal of the phone service) as it will then only consist of the broadband and TV services, hence the "new contract".   Albeit it's a "new contract"  for the two remaining active services, this change doesn't tie you into a new minimum term contract, and the rest of the cancellation process should complete on the agreed date.

VM can't confirm your final bill amount yet as you may incur further charges before your services are terminated such as buying movies or PPV services, or lelephony charges for calls outside of your tariff such as calls longer than 60 minutes in duration.  The final bill is generally produced around 10 days after all services have been disconnected.

[Matthew_ML]

Hey billdrick, thank you for reaching out and I am sorry to hear this.

We do not send confirmation out of when you are leaving us, can you explain what was in this email you got?

What did it state?

Are you  moving house, is this why you spoke to the movers team?

Are you porting your number to another provider is this why you are keeping the phone line open?

[billdrick]

The email subject is "Thanks for making those changes" and shows they've added Mix TV and removed Mixit TV and Telephone Line Rental, Call Divert, Reminder etc.

Then attached is a PDF titles "eContract.pdf" which says I've bought M125 Broadband, Virgin TV 360 box with Mix TV. No phone, no Oomph mobile.

I am not moving house, simply want to end all services, TV, broadband and phone, but keep my phone number with a new provider. I couldn't have been clearer, I have no idea why I was transferred to movers, cut off the first two times, or had my email information refused, presumably to make it as difficult as possible to cancel.

It hasn't exactly filled me with confidence that the cancellation will be done correctly, but has certainly cemented why I do want to cancel!

[billdrick]

Thanks @newapollo - I understand, even if that's not a particularly good way of operating.

I've seen messages from people claiming that their cancellation was not done properly, were still being charged, had to cancel their direct debit as they couldn't afford it, then had a mark on their credit file as a result. This email with a 'new contract' feels like they are doing the same to me.

As a last resort I was offered the same services for £28 per month if I agreed to a new contract. If this is the real value of the service I don't know why I've been paying £68/month and would have been paying over £73 from next month.

[Matthew_ML]

Okay no worries lets send you a DM to take a look.