Virgin media, shocking service

[orfoster]

I am on Virgin Medias non-cable package with anytime telephone calls and broadband for 19.99pm

On the 28th Jan I received a letter from Virgin Media saying that my service with them was ending as I had requested my calls to be provided through another provider.

I called them on the 29th and spoke to a customer service advisor who told me that I should ignore the letter as it was an error their end because I hadn't actually requested my calls through another provider. So I did ignore the letter. Follow on.

What had happened was I called BT to transfer the name on the account to my sole name and it prompted them in supplying the calls and taking the service away from Virgin although I didn't know that at the time.

I then e-mailed them when I couldn't get onto their e-billing system to see what I was paying for, they then responded saying it was a technical fault their end and they were looking into it.

I then called them yesterday as I had a BT bill come through and Virgin said get the name of the person who told you to ignore our cancellation letter and we will look into it.

So I called back today and spoke to a really rude member of staff who said "I realise you madea call on the 29th and our member of staff told you to ignore the letter but it is stated in our terms and conditions not to rely solely on what our staff tell you over the phone as they could be a trainee". I have never been so angry in my life, they have to be joking!! If a representative of their company tells me something I take it as true.

So I have now cancelled my agreement as I have been paying for a service I haven't been receiving and because of poor customer service. They told me that a 45 pound charge will be taken for cancelling and I have said I will not pay it as I believe they acted unfairly in charging me for a service that I haven't been receiving...... so my MAC code is on its way over the next 3 days but I am worried they will pass account to Debt Collection and they will in turn place default on my credit file.

Am I in a position to apply under Data Protection Act to remove permission and that they don't pass info to 3rd parties??

Anyone got any experiance in dealing with Virgin and does anyone have the executives office address so I can write in to them with my complaint??

[buzby]

What cannot understand is how, if BT 'slammed' your service, why is it all VMs fault? You don;t say whether your BT package was dependant on you paying ongoing rental to BT for basic service, with VM supplying the calls via short-code. Actually, you cannot believe what ANY person says to you on the phone, whether a trainee or otherwise. I have to record all my calls with utilities and service companies and where there is an error, they pay for it.

As for you Data Protection Act query, there is no provision for any rescinding of any previous permission you may have given. They must cease processing your data if you are no longer a customer, but debt collection etc are exempt. Then the CRA files follow the 6-year rule, but we need to find out whose been giving the wrong info to get the matter resolved, so who was really providing your telephone service, BT or VM. And if the latter, why did you contact BT to change the name on the account?

[orfoster]

Hiya,

VM were providing service from June 07. It was my grandfathers house and he passed away in November so I took over the account, I can see now where the problem was, they signed calls over although I told them calls were coming from VM. So then service stopped but I called VM asking why and they said "it was a letter sent in error, ignore it" and now VM say sorry we said that but tough, we lied to you but now we are still charging you. I don't quite think thats fair.