Virgin Media retentions’ 12 month sting
I’ve written before about being a Virgin Media customer.
I recently chose to leave Virgin Media, after receiving the first bill featuring their ridiculous £1 itemisation charge. I did it the quick way: I rang BT, asked to port my Virgin Media number to them.
Next day, Virgin Media called. They didn’t want to lose me. They thought I’d want to stay when I heard their offer. £19.95 per month for broadband, unlimited landline calls and their basic TV. And the best bit? This offer was for 12 months.
Add in the two mobiles I have with them, which would double in cost if I ditched the cable service, and it works out both cheaper and easier to stay with them. So, I agreed.
Today, I got a letter welcoming me to my new 12 month contract. At no stage did I agree to a 12 month contract nor was I warned that it was a condition of the retention deal.
I rang to complain. The guy apologised but could do nothing and the minimum contract applies to all retentions deals. He also let slip that my new deal was actually £20.95 because the £19.95 didn’t include itemisation. I asked, politely, if he was serious. He changed me back to the £19.95.
After telling him that I didn’t and don’t agree to a new 12 month minimum term, I said I’d consider my options.
So, two things:
- Watch out: if Virgin Media offer you a retentions deal, you’re stuck with them for a further 12 months.
- Question: Do I stick with them, despite them treating me in this underhanded manner?
The deal’s not bad: it gets rid of their rip-off phone tariff and their broadband is, on the whole, reliable. But they hid the truth from me, part of their increasing tendency to treat customers with contempt.
In a comment on Aq’s site, Paul Freeman mentioned the NTL virus. The virus has eaten into the previously excellent Telewest and made a mockery of everything Branson has claimed for the Virgin brand.
I spotted that itemisation charge on my last bill too. Sneaky little buggers. Yet to contact them, on my to-do-list. Interesting to see your experience with them on it. I agree on the NTL virus thing. Telewest were supremely better when it was just them. Things do seem to have got worse since Virgin took over. Just curious, have you noticed a distinct problem with their TV listings for certain channels like ITV2 and their stupid change to the favourites section?
Not being funny , but your second paragraph says the offer was for 12 months……….. do I have to say anymore?????
What’s the law, surely if you didn’t sign anything then they can’t hold you to the contract? I’m often told when i ring up these companies to complain about them not delivering their promises that the word of an employee i spoke to several weeks/months ago means nothing. So is it not the same for your word on a 12 month verbal contract?
Orange pulled the same stunt with me a couple of weeks back, sold me an upgrade without mentioning the 12 month tie-in.
Verbal contracts can be binding and you can argue ’till you are blue in the face over whether you have been mis-sold the upgrade or not. But it actually doesn’t matter. If they cold-called you, then under the distance selling regulations you have a “cooling off” period of seven working days in which to change your mind. This period can be longer in certain circumstances, depending on when they supply the goods/serrvices or additional information. You should be able to use these rules to revert to whatever contract terms you were under before they called you.
Check the OFT website to see whether your transaction fell within the terms of the regulations. It sounds like it will, but check their exclusions.
http://www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_resources/resource_base/legal/distance-selling-regulations/
If you are interested, Orange still tried to hold me to the new contract despite me quoting chapter and verse at them, they even threatened to take me to court. I held my ground and eventually they backed down.
HTH
Jay