harassment laws

[idon'towemoney]

Hi all, first post,

 

I am currently taking Virgin Media to court, it's a bit of a long story but once we have a court date which I have, are Virgin Media still allowed to write of phone me to collect alleged debt? I don't believe that Virgin Media will stop pestering me for money does anyone have a good letter to tell them to bog off, lastly their legal dept has signed the defence statement, but in this statement they have lied whic I can prove to the judge, once I send them my court bundle are they more likely to settle out of court and how serious is lying in your defence statement as it was signed by their head of legal affairs David Bond.

[idon'towemoney]

bump

[smouk]

I am currently taking Virgin Media to court...

Why?

[idon'towemoney]

Below is part of my witness statement I m compiling for the court (sorry it's long winded)

Back in November 2008 my partner Mr xxxxxxxx telephoned Virgin Media to combine our already existing telephone, broadband and now TV package as in the current credit crunch we thought this would be a better idea to save some money a month instead of having 2 bills, one from Virgin Media and one from SKY, we decided to switch. Mr xxxxxxxxxx was advised as we wanted 2 Virgin V+ boxes, as we already had this deal with SKY, he was advised that we could have 2 V+ boxes free of charge to entice us away from Sky TV. The installation date given by Virgin Media in writing was for the 9th January 09. Shortly after this on the 4th December 08 our Broadband went down I telephoned customer services to try and rectify this and was optimistic that an engineer would come out within a couple of days only to be passed from “pillar to post” and getting absolutely nowhere. I had spent a couple of hours on the telephone only to be told the earliest would be the middle of the following week. This was to one of their call centres in India and I spoke to a gentlemen that I can honestly say I felt like a second class citizen. The gentlemen in question was not taking me seriously as I felt that it was because I was a woman.

This telephone conversation made me very frustrated but I wasn’t rude on the phone just firm. Having no joy and being told it would be a minimum of 4 working days (incident fell over a weekend). I telephoned my partner in a rather upset state and he said he would come home and sort it (lost wages). Mr xxxxxxxxx spent 10 minutes compared to my 2 hours and had this sorted out immediately, an engineer was coming the following day. What I can’t understand is, my account with Virgin Media is in my name so why did Virgin Media respond to someone who technically doesn’t have an account with them. I did complain by e-mail but got no response from Virgin Media.

On the 9th January 09 my partner waited in for Virgin Media to do the installation. This installation was booked between 1pm-6pm, no engineer turned up as my partner had to phone them around 6.20pm that day to find out where the engineer was only to be told they didn’t have a booking for that day. Mr xxxxxxxx said to the person on the telephone at Virgin Media that we had confirmation of this, but Virgin Media denied all knowledge and said there was nothing on their system (copy of engineer booking enclosed), so Virgin Media booked us in for another installation, this date was set for 19th January 09 between 8am-1pm. Engineer arrived to do the installation and said that we had booked 2 broadband installations and 1 TV package. We already have broadband, so why would we want 2 more? We had asked Virgin Media to do 2 TV installations not one, so we had to book an engineer again this date was for the 6th February 09 to do the second V+ installation.

Virgin Medias billing system is very complicated they keep charging us for different amounts. Virgin Media told us that the 2 V+ boxes would be free of charge but they have billed us for 1. On the defendants court form 9.2 they state; It is not admitted that this was in error and when the claimant’s husband asked for a further V+ box to be installed a further installation date was arranged. As a gesture of goodwill, the installation charge for the second V+ box was waived. That is the first I knew about it as they ARE trying to charge us, so that is a lie.

Virgin Media in January 09 telephoned me and offered £10 off my Virgin Media box and £10 compensation. I declined this offer (please see letter from Miss xxxxxxxxx dated 27th January 09 confirming this). On their defence form 11.1 they state; it is admitted that the defendant credited £10 to the claimant’s account as a gesture of goodwill. On the defendants defence form the date is 3 March 09 (please see invoice for 3rd March 09 bill where Virgin Media have credited us, the date is the same date as the defendants defence form) is this a sly tactic on their behalf?. I had no knowledge of this, nothing in writing that they were going to credit my account, however Virgin Media should not be crediting my account as the letter dated 27th January 09 refused compensation.

I believe Virgin Media do not deal with complaints properly and try to rectify and satisfy customers. I have written to them so many times complaining about my account only to be fobbed off with computer generated letters saying they will try to resolve matters, but they don’t. Virgin Media are very good at making mistakes (please see letter from Virgin Media dated 24th April 09. Virgin Media could not even cancel my TV package correctly. I wrote to them (please see letter dated 11th March 09) giving them 1 months notice, so you would of thought that they would have been able to manage this, unfortunately they didn’t. If you read their letter dated 24th April 09, second paragraph down they make a very big error here they state; As you are still in contract with us until 19th January 09, as per our terms and conditions contract termination fees have been applied to the value of £79.00, so therefore due to this technicality their Terms and Conditions do not apply as we have no contract and no charges can apply.

On the 15th April 09 Virgin Media wrote to me stating that all further correspondence on both parties should now be made through their Legal Department as the litigation process has now begun. So why do I get a letter dated 17th April 09 saying they are going to sort the problem out, should this have not gone through legal? These 2 letters arrived at my address the same day. Once again this goes to show how incompetent they are. Also received a letter dated 11th May 09 (not through legal) advising us that there will be a spending limit applied to my account, 3 days later our outgoing call facility was barred. This we found strange as I had been paying by cheque for the Broadband, and telephone service plus call costs. It was only the TV that we were disputing, hence my letter dated 4th April 09 “This account is in serious dispute”, which Virgin Media failed to do anything about and all we keep getting are letters and phone calls chasing the money.

This matter has caused me no end of sleepless nights, stress and anxiety as I have never owed money in my life (apart from an agreed loan). I have an impeccable credit rating and I am very concerned that Virgin Media will blacken my name with a default notice which has come about through their own mistakes and then be passed on to a debt collection company.

[Bazooka Boo]

It is very simple! Vote with your feet, Virgin Media are notoriously bad at customer service, in fact they can't even spell customer.

When I had an issue with them, which lasted three months, and numerous failed attempts to install a phone line, I cancelled my 12 month contract after only 3 months and went to a more professional outfit.

VM wanted their money for the whole 12 month contract, until I told them to take me to court for it, not heard a peep out of them since.

IMHO your only prolonging your agony, they really could not give a stuff about a number, they just want your money, and as long as your paying them, then they won't do diddly squat!

[idon'towemoney]

Yeah, I can't believe how seriously bad VM are, but my gripe is what right do these companies have to chase you for money when they know full well that the account is in dispute and going to court, even their legal affairs department don't correspond with me, even though ive sent them at least 4 letters now (how rude), well all i can say is i am going to slaughter them when this goes to court next month and when I win (hopefully) I am going to report VM to the relevant authorities and i am taking my story to every newspaper that will listen, i think the public need to be aware that big companies are not going to get away with it!

[42man]

You may have seen this recent case too ? - Ferguson v British Gas Trading Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 46 (10 February 2009)

[idon'towemoney]

Thank you 42man, very interesting link it promted be to call a local solicitor and I spoke to a loverly lady who gave me sound advice about my court claim. I didn't know that you can charge 8% interest on what you are claiming for and I know now that VM are in contempt of court as they have lied on their defence court form, so now I will probably not have to attend court as they will want to settle, shame really!

[zazen.warrior]

It is very simple! Vote with your feet, Virgin Media are notoriously bad at customer service, in fact they can't even spell customer.

 

Succinctly put and very true, the last time of the many times I had to contact them with an 'issue' a manager advised me they had won awards for customer service; I asked him who had been bribed… it just slipped out without passing through my brain.

[Bazooka Boo]

I had to contact them with an 'issue' a manager advised me they had won awards for customer service; I asked him who had been bribed… it just slipped out without passing through my brain.

 

I like that:lol::lol::lol::lol: