Leaving Virgin Media

[Oliver]

My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

[Mark]

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

£792 a year ! anyone remember freeserve

--

[Oliver]

Post by Mark

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

£792 a year ! anyone remember freeserve

I first read that as Freeview. That's on my mind as I'm looking to make
other arrangements for television services.
Freeserve and others went on to become EE.

[Brian Gaff]

I have to say that I have had quite good service, but then I've not directly
sought to leave. Talking to neighbours, I seem to get a more are liable
connection to the internet than any of the but based fibre or otherwise get.
They seem to suffer from outages, and inability to fix stuff and call centre
staff who are either thick or just do not have the training.
It is true though that all call centre based systems where the operator
cold be in any one of many countries each time you ring, often means you
have to tell your story over and over. Virgin are not immune to this of
course, and it really should not be this way if they are all using their
online reporting screens correctly.
Brian
--
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Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!

Post by Oliver

Post by Mark

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

£792 a year ! anyone remember freeserve

I first read that as Freeview. That's on my mind as I'm looking to make
other arrangements for television services.
Freeserve and others went on to become EE.
--
Oliver

[Richmond]

Post by Mark

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

£792 a year ! anyone remember freeserve

I remember it wasn't free. You had to dial an 0845 number.

[Indy Jess John]

Post by Richmond

Post by Mark

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

£792 a year ! anyone remember freeserve

I remember it wasn't free. You had to dial an 0845 number.

Yes, that is the way that "free" dial-ups got their income. I started on
Freeuk and I had to dial in at least once every 28 days in order to keep
my account alive, and theirs was a premium rate number too.

Jim

[Dan]

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

Good afternoon,

my VM contract runs out april 2024.
If I ring them and say I am leaving within the 30 days of the price
increase will I be charged for the remaining contract?

[Oliver]

Post by Dan
my VM contract runs out april 2024.
If I ring them and say I am leaving within the 30 days of the price
increase will I be charged for the remaining contract?

No, but you have to pay for 30 days from the date you give notice. When
you contact them, get names of people you speak with and get as much as
possible in writing. The advantage of contacting them via
Twitter/WhatsApp is that you have communications in writing.

[Dan]

Post by Oliver

Post by Dan
my VM contract runs out april 2024.
If I ring them and say I am leaving within the 30 days of the price
increase will I be charged for the remaining contract?

No, but you have to pay for 30 days from the date you give notice. When
you contact them, get names of people you speak with and get as much as
possible in writing. The advantage of contacting them via
Twitter/WhatsApp is that you have communications in writing.

Thank you so very much. VM is getting too expensive and the
alt nets are doing good deals at the moment.

[Raj Kundra]

Post by Dan

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

Good afternoon,
my VM contract runs out april 2024.
If I ring them and say I am leaving within the 30 days of the price
increase will I be charged for the remaining contract?

You are in contract and they will charge you for rest of contract and by
law you are obliged to pay.
Some Providers will offer to cover up to £100 or £150 of contract left
and you will need to pay rest.
It Happened when I moved from Talk Talk to Sky.

[Theo]

Post by Raj Kundra

Post by Dan
my VM contract runs out april 2024.
If I ring them and say I am leaving within the 30 days of the price
increase will I be charged for the remaining contract?

You are in contract and they will charge you for rest of contract and by
law you are obliged to pay.
Some Providers will offer to cover up to £100 or £150 of contract left
and you will need to pay rest.
It Happened when I moved from Talk Talk to Sky.

It depends on the specific contract, and whether the price rise was baked
in. For example BT (and perhaps Talktalk?) don't offer fixed price
contracts, a price rise of up to CPI+3.9% every year is included. You can't
get out of that because it's in the terms. However when I was on Virgin
broadband there was no price rise baked in, so any time there was an
increase I was free to either accept it and continue, or leave with no
penalty by notifying them within 30 days.

Maybe they have started baking in rises, I don't know - but some are on very
old contracts that might predate them. Worth checking your specific
wording.

Theo

[Dan]

On 23 Apr 2023 04:11:55 +0100 (BST), Theo

Post by Theo

Post by Raj Kundra

Post by Dan
my VM contract runs out april 2024.
If I ring them and say I am leaving within the 30 days of the price
increase will I be charged for the remaining contract?

You are in contract and they will charge you for rest of contract and by
law you are obliged to pay.
Some Providers will offer to cover up to £100 or £150 of contract left
and you will need to pay rest.
It Happened when I moved from Talk Talk to Sky.

It depends on the specific contract, and whether the price rise was baked
in. For example BT (and perhaps Talktalk?) don't offer fixed price
contracts, a price rise of up to CPI+3.9% every year is included. You can't
get out of that because it's in the terms. However when I was on Virgin
broadband there was no price rise baked in, so any time there was an
increase I was free to either accept it and continue, or leave with no
penalty by notifying them within 30 days.
Maybe they have started baking in rises, I don't know - but some are on very
old contracts that might predate them. Worth checking your specific
wording.
Theo

I see, but the contract can be pulled out of 30 day after
notification?

[Indy Jess John]

Post by Raj Kundra

Post by Dan

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

Good afternoon,
my VM contract runs out april 2024.
If I ring them and say I am leaving within the 30 days of the price
increase will I be charged for the remaining contract?

You are in contract and they will charge you for rest of contract and by
law you are obliged to pay.
Some Providers will offer to cover up to £100 or £150 of contract left
and you will need to pay rest.
It Happened when I moved from Talk Talk to Sky.

I had a communication from VM in January. Included in it was:
From April 2024, we are changing our approach so any price rise to your
package is always made at the same time every year, and it’ll be linked
to the Retail Price Index (RPI) rate of inflation plus an additional
3.9%, so the amount of any increase will be clearer, sooner.
and
The amount the monthly price will increase will be RPI rate of inflation
plus an additional 3.9%. This increase will apply to the monthly
subscription price you're paying at the time and also (if applicable) to
the monthly price payable after subsequent expiry of any applicable
offer or discount.
and
These changes to your terms and conditions will come into effect from
1st May 2023, even though the first price rise they relate to won't be
until April 2024.
and
If you're not happy with any of the changes announced in this email,
including those to our out of home WiFi hotspots and pricing terms and
conditions, you can change or cancel your package, any time before 6th
March 2023, without paying any cancellation fees.

So you could have cancelled before March without cancellation fees, but
after that date you are liable for cancellation charges. Sorry.

Jim

[Dan]

On Sun, 23 Apr 2023 21:40:07 +0100, Indy Jess John

Post by Indy Jess John

Post by Raj Kundra

Post by Dan

Post by Oliver
My VM services are due to end on 27th April. I have been on the phone
and then WhatsApp trying to cancel my contract (which I can do because
of the price rise) and to ensure that my landline number will be ported
to my new providers line. The whole process must have taken well over
three hours. Even just looking back over the WhatsApp exchanges
illustrates much of what is wrong with VM.
At the last minute they offered me all my existing services for £61
(currently £66 including a £10 discount). I just ignored the offer.
At one point I looked up the Forum for information on cancelling
contracts - the experiences reported mirrored my own almost precisely.

Good afternoon,
my VM contract runs out april 2024.
If I ring them and say I am leaving within the 30 days of the price
increase will I be charged for the remaining contract?

You are in contract and they will charge you for rest of contract and by
law you are obliged to pay.
Some Providers will offer to cover up to £100 or £150 of contract left
and you will need to pay rest.
It Happened when I moved from Talk Talk to Sky.

From April 2024, we are changing our approach so any price rise to your
package is always made at the same time every year, and it’ll be linked
to the Retail Price Index (RPI) rate of inflation plus an additional
3.9%, so the amount of any increase will be clearer, sooner.
and
The amount the monthly price will increase will be RPI rate of inflation
plus an additional 3.9%. This increase will apply to the monthly
subscription price you're paying at the time and also (if applicable) to
the monthly price payable after subsequent expiry of any applicable
offer or discount.
and
These changes to your terms and conditions will come into effect from
1st May 2023, even though the first price rise they relate to won't be
until April 2024.
and
If you're not happy with any of the changes announced in this email,
including those to our out of home WiFi hotspots and pricing terms and
conditions, you can change or cancel your package, any time before 6th
March 2023, without paying any cancellation fees.
So you could have cancelled before March without cancellation fees, but
after that date you are liable for cancellation charges. Sorry.
Jim

Cheers Jim,

I have not gotten any emails or letters so far from VM.

[DaveG]

These changes to your terms and conditions will come into effect from 1st
May 2023,
So you could have cancelled before March without cancellation fees, but
after that date you are liable for cancellation charges. Sorry.

Sounds like there is still and "out" since the new terms don't come into
effect until 1st May.

Another "out" might be if the person is past the expiry date of their
current contract.

IIRC, that's currently 18 months from start of contract or customer
initiated change of service, which constitutes the start of a "new"
contract

[Dan]

Post by DaveG

These changes to your terms and conditions will come into effect from 1st
May 2023,
So you could have cancelled before March without cancellation fees, but
after that date you are liable for cancellation charges. Sorry.

Sounds like there is still and "out" since the new terms don't come into
effect until 1st May.
Another "out" might be if the person is past the expiry date of their
current contract.
IIRC, that's currently 18 months from start of contract or customer
initiated change of service, which constitutes the start of a "new"
contract

I see. But I rang them and said VM broke its own contract by not
informing me and giving a 30 day period to decide if I would stay or
go.
They then offered me the same price until my contract finishes
15-3-2024 with no auto renewal of contract.

[DaveG]

I see. But I rang them and said VM broke its own contract by not informing
me and giving a 30 day period to decide if I would stay or go.
They then offered me the same price until my contract finishes 15-3-2024
with no auto renewal of contract.

That sounds like a decent compromise. Are you staying 'till then?
It'll probably be a helluva price hike from your current pre-rise
cost to the next post-rise cost due just after finish date. Or
are there other reasons you have that would lead to cencelling
anyway?

[Dan]

Post by DaveG

I see. But I rang them and said VM broke its own contract by not informing
me and giving a 30 day period to decide if I would stay or go.
They then offered me the same price until my contract finishes 15-3-2024
with no auto renewal of contract.

That sounds like a decent compromise. Are you staying 'till then?
It'll probably be a helluva price hike from your current pre-rise
cost to the next post-rise cost due just after finish date. Or
are there other reasons you have that would lead to cencelling
anyway?

I got the same deal as I am paying now. I am staying.
But with the same expiry date and a few weeks
before that I will ring up VM and tell them I am leaving
once they announce another large price increase.

[Oliver]

Post by Dan

Post by DaveG

I see. But I rang them and said VM broke its own contract by not informing
me and giving a 30 day period to decide if I would stay or go.
They then offered me the same price until my contract finishes 15-3-2024
with no auto renewal of contract.

That sounds like a decent compromise. Are you staying 'till then?
It'll probably be a helluva price hike from your current pre-rise
cost to the next post-rise cost due just after finish date. Or
are there other reasons you have that would lead to cencelling
anyway?

I got the same deal as I am paying now. I am staying.
But with the same expiry date and a few weeks
before that I will ring up VM and tell them I am leaving
once they announce another large price increase.

They've already announced it. They have said that from next year onwards
their prices will increase by inflation plus 3.9% every year. Also, this
was the last year that customers could leave before the end of their
contract without penalty. I'm pleased to hear they have given you an
acceptable deal but I had had enough of them. I don't like they way they
do business and their customer service is dreadful. I have moved to Zen
- not the cheapest but they are friendly and helpful and I am saving
over £40 per month. And no price increases for the length of the
contract (18 months).

[Mike Scott]

On 01/05/2023 10:27, Oliver wrote:
....

Post by Oliver
do business and their customer service is dreadful. I have moved to Zen
- not the cheapest but they are friendly and helpful and I am saving
over £40 per month. And no price increases for the length of the
contract (18 months).

My Zen contract says no increases, period. So as long as I don't change
things, the price stays the same. They found they couldn't afford to
keep offering that to new customers: I'm not surprised.

I do like Zen. Very little goes wrong, and if it does the front-line
support are very knowledgable and get things fixed quickly. There's also
a fixed IP (/huge/ plus mark), and the option of enabling IPv6.