Virgin Media Charges

[daisy_bumbleroot]

Hi there, Im wondering if we can get away with this...

We got a direct debit bounced by VM that they never re-presented, which companies usually do. The next payment from them didnt get paid because they never presented it and theyve now said we owe them £10 x 2 late payments and £5 x 2 payment handling charge, plus the two payments (£13.01 and £13.85).

When we contacted them, they said that the direct debit had been cancelled. We said we never cancelled it, it bounced because we didnt have enough money in the account, and if theyd represented it it would have gone through.

I rang today and said we would glady pay up the £26.86 we owe them and start a new direct debit but we werent prepared to pay the £30 in charges.
VM said we had to and I said no because we didnt cancel the Direct debit and if they'd represented it, then we wouldnt be paying £20 in charges and the DD would still be set up and therefore we wouldnt be getting charged £10 for that too.
VM still said we needed to pay so i say ok, we will pay the £26.86 and cancel the lot. They said we cant do that and needed to pay the lot, so i called my boyf and he said to just pay the £26.86 because if they wanted the charges back, theyd have to take us to court and prove that they were legit.
I paid VM £26.86 today and said to put a note on our account that we were cancelling with immediate effect and the letter confirming as much will be in the post.

Do you reckon they will take us to court?

[buzby]

No - but they'll flag your late payment to Experian and then send debt collectors. You cannot cancel 'with immediate effect' in any case, they must be given 30 days notice (from your next billing date - it keeps it tidy).

The ideal way to resolve this issue it to keep on speaking to more senior people until the matter is resolved, terminating, whilst momentarily satisfactory is never usually beneficial.

The true answer is not to have any DDs so you stay in control, and fight the non-DD charges as they arise (VM always refund mine).

[daisy_bumbleroot]

AH... ok. Best pay them and ask nicely for the charges back after.

re cancellation - i meant the 30 days was to start from immediate effect. Still cancelling though. They and NTL have been nothing but a waste of space since we signed up 2 years ago. We both have mobiles and we got freeview so dont really need the tv & phone.

[buzby]

When it works, it works well - and their BB is to die for - I would not contemplate ADSL as it has always been a compromise and too many people/firms involved in getting it to you. If you're happy with Freeview then I agree, give them their marching orders!

[kallychilled]

no daisy don't pay ask back after,you have been with them for two years the best way is to arrange a thirty day notice to cancel and close your account then leave them alone you will get a call back from them and they will resolve the situation its amazing how many people phone in at the right time to complain and get there problem sorted while others seems to hit a brick wall like in your case it seems its uncanny that the staff at ntl.tele vm now as its known seem to have so many varied answers and solutions to resolve things its amazing how they must work each member of staff must get seperate training from the next.

[daisy_bumbleroot]

Originally Posted by kallychilled

no daisy don't pay ask back after,

eh?

Originally Posted by kallychilled

get a call back from them and they will resolve the situation

do you mean just cancel w/o paying the £30 and they will just call us after the 30 days and resolve it all (ie scrap the £30 and give us a good offer?)

[kallychilled]

Originally Posted by daisy_bumbleroot

eh?

do you mean just cancel w/o paying the £30 and they will just call us after the 30 days and resolve it all (ie scrap the £30 and give us a good offer?)

YES that will do it .

[buzby]

Of course if you do that, it will be flagged on your credit file and their friendly Collections Department will pass the matter on for recovery. Since it's better to resolve than confront, if you've decided to leave then a 'good offer' assuming it comes, will require you to stay.