Virgin Broadband Billing Problem

[Admiral Cain]

I tried to have Virgin telephone and broadband installed at my mother's house to save on BT bills.

 

Virgin botched the installation- it took almost a month to get the broadband working. The telephone line never went through for some reason. Virgin and BT blamed each other back and forth. The phone remained BT.

 

After I complained, I was offered 3 months free broadband. From this date, Ive never received another communication from Virgin, not a bill or marketing mailout.

 

No DD debit payment was ever taken from my account - and Im not entirely sure one was ever set up because of the hassle over the installation. I assumed payment would be requested after the 3 months was up.

 

Now it is roughly 2 years later and I no longer live there (my mother still does) and tonight Ive had a phonecall from Virgin asking me to confirm the password on the account. I had no idea of the password and she refused to discuss the account with me. She asked for my mother's maiden name which I never would never give out over the phone!

 

How can I find out from Virgin what I owe without having to deal with them over the phone? Also if Ive never been billed or contacted - how was I supposed to pay?

[Conniff]

You could have contacted them 2 years ago when you noticed no payments leaving your account.

 

Is the BB still up and running?

[Admiral Cain]

It was at my mums house, and by the time the payments were supposed to kick in, I can honestly say the whole thing had long since slipped my mind.

Its easier to notice if something has happened, rather than nothing at all.

 

Over time I realised that the BB was still on, I checked with mum and she knew about the phone installation debacle with Virgin and insisted everything was now BT- and with no payments leaving my account- I shrugged it off. I should have made sure.

 

But how did they not notice? While I doubt my mother switched on the computer from one year to the next- surely they should have noticed.

Should I write to them?

[Conniff]

No, I don't think you should chase them up. If they eventually get around to billing you, the fact that the bb hasn't been used in two years will be in your favour.

[Admiral Cain]

My concern is that because I refused to give the call centre my mother's maiden name, the account will be given to a debt collection agency.

[Esio Trot]

My concern is that because I refused to give the call centre my mother's maiden name, the account will be given to a debt collection agency.

 

Don't have the slightest worry about this.

 

Should any debt collector make contact simply say that as far as you are aware there is no debt and ask them to prove the debt. They will then have to refer it back.