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Original poster

To think Virgin media are utter bastards!

80 replies

Buddah101 · 09/08/2017 07:45

We have been with virgin media since last september in a 12 month contract, only having the phoneline and broadband with them, the internet in our area has been awful so we've always thought come the contract ending we would be leaving them.

Around the beginning of june we had a phone call from virgin, asking how our internet was as we had called so many times regarding it not working, on that phone call dp was asked how we were getting on with it and would he like them to bump up the speed of of our internet to see if that would resolve any problems - so he said yes, and actually wondered why we weren't on a better speed in the first place.

Queue us calling yesterday to give our 30 day notice only to find out that by him saying yes to faster speed we have verbally agreed to a new contract which now runs out next June. They are saying they also sent out a contract which we never recieved and believe me if we had wouldn't have got this far!

Now for the past 3 years dp has been recovering from a breakdown, he still suffers from depression & anxiety, he is not in a position to sign any contract or agree to anything. he is On medication daily and needs to be supervised when on them - not the behaviour of someone sound of mind. put together with yesterday his father went into a hospice so he is even more stressed than usual and this has caused him to be awake all night. The lady on the phone was so awful yesterday, talking over him and shouting at him - he doesnt get angry or raise his voice but he ended up crying and she still carried on regardless talking over him, saying on repeat i will not disconnect you until you have paid your contract off.

I feel they are utter bastards! weve put a complaint in but im asking for help is there anything else we can do, we really dont need this right now. It might not be much to any of you but right now this is the straw that broke the camels back.

OP posts:
McDougal · 09/08/2017 07:48

I'm sorry, that sounds awful.

Get on to social media, be it Facebook or twitter, and write exactly what you have written here. You usually get a quicker response as they are aware of how quickly word travels and will hopefully try to rectify it as soon as possible.

Lenl · 09/08/2017 07:51

^^ what McDougal says

Rainybo · 09/08/2017 07:54

Ask them to provide evidence of the phone call and 'verbal' contract.

I often find it easier to stand my ground via the online chat with VM as I have anxiety. Good luck OP.

WeAreEternal · 09/08/2017 07:55

I'd be asking for a copy of the recording of the call where he agreed to the new contract.

They have to read out T&Cs and generic information and you have to agree to it to verbally sign up to a new contract.
They can't just offer a better speed have you agree and that's it you are locked into a new contract.

Charlieiscool · 09/08/2017 07:56

I have found their customer service inconsistent, usually ok but sometimes poor. I was promised a joining gift that never materialised. I think you should complain and go as far as you can with it. Don't let them grind you down and your DP should not feel bad. He just fell for what is obviously a well rehearsed sales scam. It could happen to any of us. The new terms and conditions were not transparent and I also wonder why you weren't on a decent internet speed to begin with. Good luck.

HadronCollider · 09/08/2017 08:01

Can you complain to Ofcom?

Bobbybobbins · 09/08/2017 08:03

All good ideas above - hope you can get it resolved. Flowers

IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday · 09/08/2017 08:06

What about complaint to Watchdog (BbC1) or MoneyBox (Radio 4). They LOVE sorting out stories just like this.

Palegreenstars · 09/08/2017 08:06

Agree with social media. Also post on their community forums.

You can request a copy of the call recording by completing a subject access request form (look in their website and the iCOs). It can take up to 40 days though.

Make sure you keep a note of all the conversations - they would likely rely on the fact that the process is so complicated that most people will give up.

I'm not sure but I would have thought they would have a policy for handling vulnerable customers. I would request to see it As well as their training. Even if they truly believe they did tell you they were extending the contract they should have been able to recognise the signs your husband wasn't capable of agreeing to it.

ChampagneTastes · 09/08/2017 08:07

I am with them and am about to close my account because I'm moving to a place they don't serve. I am planning to cancel the DD after the 30 days and not tell them my new address. I'm also planning to cancel in writing. They can say what they like but I think it's mainly bluster and bullying. Cancel your DD after the appropriate point and if they chase make sure the onus is on them to prove that you are tied in.

A verbal contract does NOT count.

IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday · 09/08/2017 08:07

Anyone else getting the Virgin Media advert, on this page? Hmm

Fuck right off Virgin.

IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday · 09/08/2017 08:08

Or Citizens Advice are also brilliant at sitting things like this out. Just google them and you'll find your local office.

IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday · 09/08/2017 08:09

Sorting

FreudianSlurp · 09/08/2017 08:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fluffycloudland77 · 09/08/2017 08:14

I would email the CEO & complain.

Mojomarm · 09/08/2017 08:25

I've heard this story many a time before - there was an EPIC twitter post from a guy last year who lived tweeted his wife's conversation with Virgin to try and cancel after the same thing happened to them (twitter.com/garius/status/767111591355637760). They were told the same verbal contract gumph applied and that the contract had been sent by post/email when it clearly hadn't. Virgin are clearly sneaky fuckers who play this trick a LOT. I suggest you read the link with his story on as it'll give you an idea of what you're up against and what tactics you can use against them (i.e. DON'T hang up as they care more about that stat than actually sorting your problem out, and I seem to remember he put some screenshots in about the wording of the 'new' contract that contradicted what Virgin said).

If you call them again, ask them to provide a copy of the recorded conversation your husband had with them when he agreed to the 'new' contract. They'll probably try to claim they can't access it or there's no managers available, but say if there's no proof it happened you will speak to Ofcom as there's clearly no contract in place.

You can certainly try complaining against them on social media, but from what I've seen, it has little effect and they just ignore it. Definitely go for the Ofcom approach and see if they can help with regards to contract 'wording' or the fact they can't/won't provide proof you knew you were agreeing to a new 12 month contract.

Virgin are basically MASSIVE fuckers in regards to this upping speeds/new contract malarkey and I'm slightly surprised they haven't been hit with a huge fine yet as the number of complaints you see about this issue online show it's not just one-offs but a clear systems failure to abide by the rules that should be in place. It's clearly the last thing you or your husband need right now, but I think it best you know that this may be a fight for the long-haul and depending on your husband's health, it may be better to just put this down to experience and wait til June to cancel (making sure you don't agree to anything with them in that period).

Original poster
Buddah101 · 09/08/2017 08:25

Oh thank you all (although i'm sorry some of you are getting the virgin ad - i'm now getting it too!)

Thankyou FreudianSlurp slip, that is hopeful, although they have never sent any emails in the entire time we have been with them, do you think we could just Lie and say we have recieved one?

Ive already posted on facebook, and judging by the amount of complaints already on there I'm not hopeful of a reply any time soon, but will still keep trying. thanks again

OP posts:
Nanasueathome · 09/08/2017 08:26

They did this to my sister
She had been with Virgin over 10 years and when she advised them she was moving they told her they could not supply a service to her new property
They also told her that she had taken a new contract with them 6 months previously when she had called them about reducing her bill ( saved £2 a month)
Although she complained and also sent a complaint in writing they ignored all of this and sent her a bill for the 6 months to end the contract early and then sent her a final demand for payment whilst she was in the process or disputing it with them
She paid it in the end as she did not want the adverse credit against her
They then called her and asked her if she could recommend them to the new owners of her property

FreudianSlurp · 09/08/2017 08:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NoddysBell · 09/08/2017 08:32

They are utter bastards. I had a lot of dealings with them last year after my dad died and I had to change his account into my mum's name.

They needed the TiVo box back and said they'd send the packaging out which they never did. They then sent her threatening emails about not returning the box.

They left her without a landline amongst a whole list of general shittiness. And being kept on 'hold' listening to frigging tinny Take That songs isn't great when you're newly bereaved and trying to sort things out.

It took my brother causing a fuss on Twitter to get it sorted (he has loads of followers).

Fuck you, Richard Branson.

I hope it gets sorted soon OP. As others have said, cause a fuss on social media Flowers

Idratherbeaunicorn · 09/08/2017 08:36

As part of my job I deal with breaches and mis-selling of products within the insurance industry, so it's slightly different, but you should:
*ask for a copy of the call / ask for them to listen to the call to establish if at any point they advised your DP that by agreeing to the increase in speed he would be signing up for a longer contract

  • ask for a copy of the contract they say they sent

If they don't have a copy of the call recording then they really should given you the benefit of the doubt as there is no way of them proving your DP agreed to extend the contract.

Stand your ground and make sure you pursue the complaint about how the handler spoke with your DP too!

DurhamDurham · 09/08/2017 08:42

That sounds horrible and stressful, when I've been duped or let down in the past I've started Tweeting the company concerned. I don't give up, they often have more than one page and I make sure to discuss my concerns on every page, eventually I think they resolve the issue just to get rid of me.
That makes me sound like one of those people who is always moaning but I only do it when it's justified.
Your husband might not be up to that but is this something you could help with? Then you could let us know and we will retweet to make the bad publicity goes far and wide Smile

ChampagneTastes · 09/08/2017 08:42

I'm on the phone with them now... So far reasonably smooth. Told them that I would be recommending them to the new residents IF this all went smoothly.

sparechange · 09/08/2017 08:48

I'm so glad I've seen this thread
We are moving house in a few weeks and DH wanted us to move to Virgin media

It's a big fat no!

Original poster
Buddah101 · 09/08/2017 08:50

Im already feeling so much more positive, seriously you dont know how much fight this is giving me right now, we've had a shitty year and this is just one of those things that usually I would be fighting all over - just don't think I have the energy right now though but am trying!

Had no idea about the amount of customers they are doing this - no managers trick to though, she told us numerous times yesterday there were no managers to speak to.

Dp is now at a hospice with his father so Im trying to sort all this out myself from here.

OP posts: