QUICK: Virgin Media - Claim Compensation For June

[theintrepidfox]

Compensation for June

 

Virgin Media customers might be aware that Virgin Media had a major systems merger in May, resulting in having their broadband (previously billed separately) and TV / Phone packages (billed separately) combined into one bill and monthly payment. So far so good.

 

But:

I used to receive my bill around mid of each month to be deducted on the 2nd the following month. Not so for the May bill. Although it was printed on the 21st May, I only received it on 2nd June, informing me of a new Direct Debit payment date of 5th June. I already queried with them why my May bill hasn't arrived yet with them earlier and got the usual 'pass the buck' to Royal Mail excuse and it will arrive soon. Royal Mail is bad in my area but not as bad. Pretty lazy though.

 

Now that made me think whether this is in accordance with the Direct Debit Guarantee that states that one must be informed of any change (in amount or date) ten working days prior to the payment being taken. Lloyds TSB (which receives a hefty monthly banking fee from me) wasn't helpful and agreed that the print date of the bill applies whilst the Financial Services Authority (FSA) stated a breach of the Direct Debit Guarantee.

 

So here we go. First called Lloyds about the rep who refused to transfer me to 'Period Payments' when I explicitly requested to speak to somone with 'in-depth knowledge' of the Direct Debit guarantee and the 10 day interpretation. Instead she went on about her 7years of experience with Lloyds and knowing EVERYTHING. We talking lousy first line customer care here. Call logged, being listened in by supervisors and reply to complaint pending.

 

Called Virgin Media (Speaking to Team Supervisor) and informed them that if they take payment on the 5th they will be in breach of contract and I will be asking Lloyds to reverse the Direct Debit the same day plus I'll press for compensation charges for any distress and damages caused. I made them an offer though. Take the payment on the 5th but compensate me with £10 (what a ridiculous amount anyway), let me make a manual payment once I had time to review my bill within ten working days and waive any late payment charge (resulting because of the manual payment) which they refused to my astonishment.

 

OBVIOUSLY, THAT MEANT WAR!!!

 

I asked for the supervisors manager to contact me. To my surprise they actually did. Suddenly, everything wasn't an issue. As it transpired, all bills have been sent out late as of the systems change. Potentially not allowing customers to review their bill in time and thus be in breach with the Direct Debit Guarantee. Manual payment no problem, late payment fee waived and £10 compensation credited to my account.

 

Ok, let's face it. £10 isn't worth a blink of my eye but I fought for the consumer power principle. Hope it helps others.

 

Read tomorrow: How to save up to £96 a year on your Virgin Media broadband package if you're persistent enough and bully them into it. Watch this space.

Edited June 2, 2008 by theintrepidfox

[bidstermeister]

I frequently have issues with VM, mainly because I prefer to ring up and pay. I've got their "payment handling tax" down to £1.50p which some say is good but apparently I didn't haggle hard enough as others have had it removed totally. I should point out that when they changed from Telewest to Virgin Media last year, I got a 6-month grace period on the £4 charge through my insistence that VM was a new company with no established trading record and thus would not be having full access to my bank account until I was satisfied as to their competance.

 

I've been a cable user since Jan '06, previously took the 10MB (then 20MB service but downgraded to 2MB as I wasn't really using the full capacity. In my "Virgin Media offering Discounts" thread, I've found that if I ADD the weekend phone package to my subscription - I'll pay £3/month LESS. Go figure.

 

On balance, I have absolutely no issues with the speed/reliability of the connection - As I recall, there have been 3-4 major outages in the last 2yrs (the longest being about 10hours), it's just the customer service (or lack of) that I've got gripes with. It really depends upon who you talk to - I've found that being put through to the "you're thinking of leaving us" department has the most effectiveness

[smutley]

Ive been a Virgin broadband customer for a long time, could only upgrade to the telephone/broadband package as do not have cable in my road. I received a bog standard moderm. Then noticed that Virgin were offering 'new'customers a nice netgear wireless router and the Virgin 'V' box Free!. So sent off a moaning email and within 4 days received them! Good to have a moan!

[DCG]

they have done it to me and now ive bin hit with over limmit charges from lloyds bad boys

 

im not happy

[theintrepidfox]

they have done it to me and now ive bin hit with over limmit charges from lloyds bad boys

 

im not happy

 

Call Lloyds NOW and make them reverse the DD immediately. Under the Direct Debit guarantee, account must be credited immediately and any charges, e.g. if that brings you over your limit, reimbursed. Speak to their 'Periodic Payments' department.

 

Google 'Direct Debit Guarantee'

 

Thumb rule, if payment has been taken today the 4th, you only have until tomorrow before 3.30pm to contact Lloyds and make them reverse the payment and credit your account immediately. Anything later you will need to find out but can still harrass Virgin for breaking the Direct Debit agreement and make them liable for any damages and charges.

[DCG]

they didnt pay it and charged me for the privelage of not paying it it was only £3.00 more than was in the account and they vm didnt send a letter till i got me statment

 

still not happy

[theintrepidfox]

they didnt pay it and charged me for the privelage of not paying it it was only £3.00 more than was in the account and they vm didnt send a letter till i got me statment

 

still not happy

 

As above, if they debited today you will need to contact Lloyds before 3.30 tomorrow. They are obliged to put your account back into the state before VM tried to take the money plus waive any penalty charges for going over your limit plus if the unpaid direct debit has been recorded on your credit file reverse that as well. Like it never happened. That's the law.

 

If it's later than above mentioned period, inform your bank that VM has taken the payment in breach of the DD Guarantee. Don't mock around withy their incompetent first line customer care but speak to a supervisor. If supervisor refuses to compensate you for bank charges plus award you compensation then ask for the supervisors manager. They are not available but will call you back and sort out the situation. Last time that happened bank compensated me £35 for unpaid DD plus VM dropped my BB package fee from £25 to £17 for a 12 month period, saving me £96.

So total compensation for one failed DD due to Virgin's fault was £131

 

Fight, battle & don't give up!! The consumer is right!!

[ASIIndustries]

theintrepidfox wrote:

VM dropped my BB package fee from £25 to £17 for a 12 month period, saving me £96.

I take it the your are on 4mbit or 10mbit cable, if so maybe you should take a look at Virgin Media & find the price is £16 per month!

Edited June 4, 2008 by ASIIndustries
commercial link removed

[theintrepidfox]

theintrepidfox wrote:

I take it the your are on 4mbit or 10mbit cable, if so maybe you should take a look at Virgin Media & find the price is £16 per month!

 

Don't get me started on this one! For new customers: £8 first three months, £16 thereafter. South East region still has not been upgraded to 10MB so that means I was paying £25 for a dire 4MB connection whilst others pay the same for 10MB (where it has been rolled out), and new customers pay £16 for 10MB!!

 

That's definitely a case for Trading Standards and the OFT. What Virgin tries to tell is that 4MB to 10MB is a 'FREE' upgrade and therefore there are no grounds for compensation or reduced fee if you're still on 4MB and stuck with their £25 charge.

 

There's nothing like a FREE (Oh, we are VM and soo nice to our customers') upgrade! The reason is that Virgin must upgrade all of their cable networks otherwise they can't cope any longer with the load and stay competitive. Current upgraded networks will be able to handle 300 to 350MB synchronously (up and downstream) and they will be offering a 50MB down service by the end of the year. That's the REAL story behind it. BT is trialling a 100MB service in some village as we speak.

 

What bugs me is that Virgin has got a monopoly on the cable network and are the only cable provider at the moment. I'm sure that can't be right in the EU and it must be possible to force them to open it up to competitors in order to have a healthy market?

 

Anyway, this will be a separate thread.

[Sparklez30]

Thanks for this - I have sent off my letter of complaint as I also got my bill just 2 days before the DD went out and due to "adjsutments" it was a third bigger than usual! I'm not best pleased !!!!

 

Luckily I had enough money in my bank to cover it!