VM can NOT be trusted!

[Lionhart127]

I have been with VM since May 2023.  The contract was for 18 months and the PDF contract document clearly stated this and runs out 16 November 2024. I recently found out on my VM accounts page, and it says there is 8 months contract left?  Obviously VM changed the contract without my knowledge, no email notification or letter, nothing. So VM has broken the terms of my contract?  From 16 November 2024, there will be a massive increase from £40.80 pm to £85.95pm! That is a increase of just over 110%!  If that is not a rip-off, then I don't know what is! This is just for broadband and landline phone only.  I could negotiate a better deal with VM, but I do not trust VM. The service has not been very reliable and have had several outages including the phone. The broadband speed falls well short of what I should get, 35% to 45% less. I don't trust VM's own speed checker, it shows a lot higher speed than other speed checkers. I am very angry with VM. Still waiting for a phone call from them, there not interested. VM are cheats, not much better than scammers, and are NOT to be trusted. My contract will end, and I will have to look for another broadband supplier. Bye bye Richard Branson!  

[goslow]

Sounds like your account information and minimum term dates have been mangled in some way or something has been added.

If your original minimum term was to Nov 2024, your huge price jump is likely to be because your original minimum term discounts are ending on that original date.

You will need someone from the VM forum team to look at your account and advise why there are inconsistencies.

You are unlikely to receive a reply from the VM forum team here in ‘Tech Chatter’. A VIP or moderator might move your topic to a better forum, such as ‘Managing Your Account – Cable’ to get a VM reply.

If you don't get a satisfactory reply on here, your next steps would be a formal complaint to VM (a necessity) before escalating to the ombudsman for a third party adjudication.

[Lionhart127]

Thanks for reply. Where is this 'Managing Your Account' Forum section. I cant see it anywhere?  

[Lionhart127]

I posted this in the wrong section. Under Tech. I have only just found this forum section. Repeated:- 

VM Forum Message 11/11/2024

I have been with VM since May 2023. The contract was for 18 months and the PDF contract document clearly stated this and runs out 16 November 2024. I recently found out on my VM accounts page, and it says there is 8 months contract left? Obviously VM changed the contract without my knowledge, no email notification or letter, nothing. So VM has broken the terms of my contract? From 16 November 2024, there will be a massive increase from £40.80 pm to £85.95pm! That is a increase of just over 110%! If that is not a rip-off, then I don't know what is! This is just for broadband and landline phone only. I could negotiate a better deal with VM, but I do not trust VM. The service has not been very reliable and have had several outages including the phone. The broadband speed falls well short of what I should get, 35% to 45% less. I don't trust VM's own speed checker, it shows a lot higher speed than other speed checkers. I am very angry with VM. Still waiting for a phone call from them, there not interested. VM are cheats, not much better than scammers, and are NOT to be trusted. My contract will end, and I will have to look for another broadband supplier. Bye bye Richard Branson!

[Lionhart127]

Just to add. I did contact VM last week on their complaints message and asked them to phone me urgently, but nothing so far. They probably think I have already made up my mind to leave VM. I am not phoning them as the last time I phoned over an outage, they took over 40 minutes to reply and I had extreme problems understanding them because of there strong ethnic accent, and also crackly phone line. 

[John_GS]

Hi @Lionhart127 

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community.

Sorry to hear you've got a dispute over the contract length and also any issues with the speeds. It does state in our code of practice here - virg.in/comcop we do aim to be in touch within 28 days with a resolution to your case.

The best way to measure your speeds is, if you go to https://www.samknows.com/products/realspeed connect via a laptop/PC and do a wired speedtest with only that device connected. 

I will send you a PM now to investigate the contract dispute. 

[Lionhart127]

Thanks for reply. However, 28 days is too long to wait as the contract ends on the 16 November '24, 5 days. If I do not receive a reply from VM.( I did first contact them about a week ago). Then I will suspend my direct debit with VM and close my contract and find another BB service.  The contract PDF document CLEARLY states 18 month contract. Obviously VM are not interested in keeping me on, or negotiating my account, or else they would have contacted me by now. 

[goslow]

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@Lionhart127 wrote:

Thanks for reply. However, 28 days is too long to wait as the contract ends on the 16 November '24, 5 days. <snip>

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Some further info which may help you ...

John_GS (from the VM forum team) has said he has sent you a private message (PM) to look into why your contract dates do not match with your original documents. You are most likely to get useful support from VM via the VM forum team on here rather than other VM channels of communication. That includes VM's complaint processes which are slow and often result in no useful outcome for the customer (based on numerous reports of VM complaint outcomes on here).

It rarely works out well for the customer to cancel a direct debit and withhold payment. This just kick starts VM's debt recovery processes (which are very efficient) and can ultimately end up with late payment fees and visits from debt collectors.

If your minimum term ends on 16 Nov, your contract will still carry on at the higher rate after that. The contract with VM only ends when you give VM 30 days notice to cancel.

If you are moving to another supplier, using the new One Touch Switch (OTS) process with a new supplier may truncate the 30 day notice period but you would need to make sure you have fully completed your minimum term period with VM to avoid any early disconnection fees from VM.

[Lionhart127]

My present VM and O2 services will be dis-connected when my contract ends, last day Friday15 November. I can NOT get to speak to anyone from VM to discuss my account problem. As my O2 mobile is linked, this will be switched off too. So from Saturday I will have no means of communication. Broadband, land-line and mobile will be gone. If I continue to use any of these, then effectively I will agree to the new contract, which I absolutely do not. I first contacted VM on their complaints message last week asking them urgently to phone me, but it seems they have no intention of doing so, and hoping I will go into the next contract by using the services. I wanted to discuss a cheaper deal, because my new contract has gone up over 110%!  With the VM and O2 monthly charge, I would be paying just under £100 pm. I only get state pension, no private pension, I can not afford that. It seems that VM have a monopoly of my block of flats 4-27 Nettlestead Close for faster broadband. As 1-3 and 28-32 Nettlestead Close, Beckenham are houses,  and have fibre optic cables installed. I know this is the case because when I made asked 'Community Fibre' they said they where unable to supply fast direct fibre, but they would not say why?  There is a 'Community Fibre' box just yards from the block 4-27. Some in the houses (not flats) of Nettlestead Close do have the 'Community Fibre' another neighbour flats 4-27 also requested 'Community Fibre, they said no to them. So I am sure VM have a monopoly for fast BB on my flat block, and probably many other flats in the UK. So we are forced to use VM's faster broadband, or settle for a much slower copper cable connections? That is unfair competition?  Anyway  PLEASE can you help so I can talk to a person at VM. I will give my account details but only to your personal message. Thanks    

[Lionhart127]

Please help, my VM and O2 will be dis-connected on last day of present contract  Friday 15 November.  If I continue to use VM and O2, then effectively I will accept the new contract. So from Saturday the 16 November I will have no means of communication. Broadband, land line phone and mobile will be gone.  I can not get to speak to anyone at VM, even though I left a message last week , asking urgently to phone me.  The new contract will go up to over 110%, and I can not afford that. So unless I hear from VM,  this Friday 15 November I will cancel my direct debit with VM/O2. I will have to look for another BB service, and settle for much slower copper cable speeds. This is because I believe VM have a monopoly on this block of flats for faster broadband.  I will discuss this in another post, and explain why I believe this. Can you PLEASE contact VM asking them to contact me, to discuss a cheaper deal. I will give you my account details, but not here, I could send you a private message. Thanks