Can l charge virgin media rent for there tv equipment?

[The GodMother]

When l moved into this property the previous tenants had left some stuff in the attic and sheds. Some of it the council took others it did not and a result have had to pay for disposable of it myself eg gas bottles lawn movers dining room chairs.

 

They had a virgin media set top box which despite years of asking virgin media to collect they have not. Ok i know its not taking up that much space but they have told me that l am not allowed to throw it away or dispose of it any other way as all the boxes belong to them and they need it back. Can l charge them rent for this box which has been sat in my attic since b4 i moved in nearly 5 years ago?

I have made phonecalls letters to say l want your property out of my house but nothing has been done.

[civilcid]

This is not a helpful reply but I just wanted to mention my similar experience.

 

I ended my contract with VM and they arranged for collection of their equipment. They failed to keep to their arrangement and cancelled the following collection without informing me.

 

After writing a 14 page complaints letter I was informed that the TV set-top box was too old and they didn't want it and the cable modem they never collected.

 

I made sure they put in writing the fact they didn't want them back.

[andydd]

When l moved into this property the previous tenants had left some stuff in the attic and sheds. Some of it the council took others it did not and a result have had to pay for disposable of it myself eg gas bottles lawn movers dining room chairs.

 

They had a virgin media set top box which despite years of asking virgin media to collect they have not. Ok i know its not taking up that much space but they have told me that l am not allowed to throw it away or dispose of it any other way as all the boxes belong to them and they need it back. Can l charge them rent for this box which has been sat in my attic since b4 i moved in nearly 5 years ago?

I have made phonecalls letters to say l want your property out of my house but nothing has been done.

 

I would of thought a final 'Collect the box or it goes in the bin' letter would suffice, send it by recorded delivery and put that failure to respond will mean its now your property.

 

I guess you could sell it, but (unlike Sky boxes), I dont think there is any demand for them, has it got a model number ?

 

Andy

[The GodMother]

well i have sent the final letter and been told if l do bin it i will be sued for the cost of the box there costs for bringing the claim and sols costs total amount over 3k. The box is a silver one from 5 years ago which they only had about 200 of and were selling to ppl for £100. they want to charge me £500 for the box tho.

[skonk]

I don't know the legality of this, but I'd charge them per week for storage, as it's not in your name, and they want it back but are expecting you to keep it safe for them until they collect it. they say you can't get rid or they'll charge you, so I'd defo charge them!

[Lilywhite]

Could you not post the box back to them along with a letter stating you expect a refund for your postage costs as they had ample time to collect it and never bothered?

[buzby]

You cannot impose rent. Secondly, Virgin Media did not exist 5 years ago, it would have been TW or NTL. They will have responsibilities for many things transferred, but since this probably isn't a PVR, a simple STB without a current VM viewing card is barely worth £25 on eBay, so there is no value of the amount discussed.

 

To bring this to a conclusion WRITE to VM, giving them 28 days to arrange collection at a time convenient to you, as failure to do so will result in you following the EU Electrical Recycling Directive for disposal without further notice.

 

Your council will probably have an ewlectrical disposal skip you can use once that timeframe has expired. Having given written notice, and because you are not their customer, there's nothing the can do to you. Keep a copy of the letter, do NOT rely on phone calls alone.

[The GodMother]

You cannot impose rent. Secondly, Virgin Media did not exist 5 years ago, it would have been TW or NTL. They will have responsibilities for many things transferred, but since this probably isn't a PVR, a simple STB without a current VM viewing card is barely worth £25 on eBay, so there is no value of the amount discussed.

 

To bring this to a conclusion WRITE to VM, giving them 28 days to arrange collection at a time convenient to you, as failure to do so will result in you following the EU Electrical Recycling Directive for disposal without further notice.

 

Your council will probably have an ewlectrical disposal skip you can use once that timeframe has expired. Having given written notice, and because you are not their customer, there's nothing the can do to you. Keep a copy of the letter, do NOT rely on phone calls alone.

 

 

Yes i know they did not exist 5 years ago but NTL dont exist now and under l would assume that all rights to the equipment are now owned buy VM. I would not know if the box works but there is a NTL card with it and a NTL remote.

[buzby]

The NTL viewing cards are/have been replaced to red Virgin branded ones.

 

As you are not their customer, you have no obligation to them, and by giving written notice to collect and a timeframe, they will have lost their right of recovery if they choose not to do so within the specified timeframe.

[diddydicky]

You cannot impose rent. Secondly, Virgin Media did not exist 5 years ago, it would have been TW or NTL. They will have responsibilities for many things transferred, but since this probably isn't a PVR, a simple STB without a current VM viewing card is barely worth £25 on eBay, so there is no value of the amount discussed.

 

To bring this to a conclusion WRITE to VM, giving them 28 days to arrange collection at a time convenient to you, as failure to do so will result in you following the EU Electrical Recycling Directive for disposal without further notice.

 

Your council will probably have an ewlectrical disposal skip you can use once that timeframe has expired. Having given written notice, and because you are not their customer, there's nothing the can do to you. Keep a copy of the letter, do NOT rely on phone calls alone.

 

if you did not order/want this equipment- or even if you did but now want it removed and you are not in any contract with the owners of the equipment then it is perfectly acceptable to charge storage charges for the equipment if, after being given a reasonable amount of time to collect the equipment they have failed to do so.

 

i would suggest that £5 per week would be appropriate

 

it would also be reasonable to give the owner written notice that unless they make an arrangement with you within 14 days for its collection- or alternatively a satisfactory reason as to why they will not collect it- that it will be disposed of in the appropriate council waste facility.

 

no court in the land is going to entertain any claim in the circumstances that you have outlined

[labrat]

quick question as we are likely to be dumping ntl for sky, for loads of reasons

 

friend still hasnt had box collected after about a year so i just want to know if i set a reasonable timeframe for them to collect the box and they fail to do so would i be ok to dispose of the box

[buzby]

See message #7. Call their CS team and remind them, ask if they want it and if not it'll be recycled.

[wheelergeezer]

Just sling the damned box. I would not waste another second on it. Let them take you to court at which point you simply say, 'what box?'.

[Massamum]

My experience. I was with NTL for years and then VM (both useless). Couldn't pay the bill, got cut off, their date for collection of box etc came and went. I held onto box, modem, router etc for about three years and finally gave it all away to someone on Freecycle. I agree with the other replies here, you do not have a contract with VM, I wouldn't imagine they can do anything if you got rid.

[buzby]

It is still their property, nevertheless, and would be liable (not under contract, but common law) for it's safekeeping until collection. Of course, this assumes they've got system in place to arrange collection of redundant gear, as they certainly do not take modems back anymore.

[diddydicky]

spot on buzz- with the proviso that it you have taken reasonable measures to return it to the rightful owner /arrange collection and that have failed to respond- then provided that you do not use the property "for your own use" it could reasonably be disposed of after giving the owner the opportunity to be re united with it

[diddydicky]

In fact, in common law- if another persons property is left on your property- you may not make use of it yourself- but niether is there any obligation to give it back t the original owner

 

the classic example of this is the childs ball that is kicked over a neigbours fence

 

the ball still belongs to the child- but the person on whose property the child has placed it- has no obligation to give it back

[labrat]

well cancelled today got a reording of the call cmr serivces wouldnt listen to a word we said and just kept repeating "we can make you a better deal" like a well trained parrot.

 

been told we will be sent freepost boxes for the equipment - not holding our breath

[The GodMother]

spot on buzz- with the proviso that it you have taken reasonable measures to return it to the rightful owner /arrange collection and that have failed to respond- then provided that you do not use the property "for your own use" it could reasonably be disposed of after giving the owner the opportunity to be re united with it

 

 

Iam not using it as its in a cardboard box on a shelf in our attic. What do we all suggest VM have ignored my letter.