@virginmedia @VirginMedia Mobile will not take cancellation in advance?

[BazzaS]

Had grief from Virgin Mobile, with an unhelpful call centre staff member (not for the first time).

They want to sell you a new phone, or a larger tarrif, but asking questions about the tarrif isn't what they want, and when I asked for help and followed their instructions : it didn't fix the problem.)

 

I'm in credit with them, which credit runs out in 3 months (it was a PAYG SIM initially, topped up numerous times to get 'free data' the next month, and when it had accumulated a large balance I was never going to use, converted to a pay monthly SIM, to use up the credit balance). [VM suggested the swap to Pay monthly, given the credit balance].

 

So, I asked to disconnect, on a date in the future, once I've used up almost all of my credit, as one has to give at least 30 days notice.

 

They (customer retentions) declined to take my cancellation request.

Whilst I accept I have to give them at least 30 days notice (and 3 months is more than 30 days),

they claim they also can't take notice any more than 30 days in advance.

 

"It is the customer's responsibility to call us 30 days before, we can't take notice in advance"

(the rep also agreed that if the customer doesn't remember to call exactly 30 days before, they will end up committed for another month's line rental...........)

 

Is this correct? if it is, is it "sharp practice"?

 

The best way forward? Would a letter, stating when I wish to end the contract, (sent by a guaranteed delivery (and signed for) service) work?.

[unclebulgaria67]

Had grief from Virgin Mobile, with an unhelpful call centre staff member (not for the first time).

They want to sell you a new phone, or a larger tarrif, but asking questions about the tarrif isn't what they want, and when I asked for help and followed their instructions : it didn't fix the problem.)

 

I'm in credit with them, which credit runs out in 3 months (it was a PAYG SIM initially, topped up numerous times to get 'free data' the next month, and when it had accumulated a large balance I was never going to use, converted to a pay monthly SIM, to use up the credit balance). [VM suggested the swap to Pay monthly, given the credit balance].

 

So, I asked to disconnect, on a date in the future, once I've used up almost all of my credit, as one has to give at least 30 days notice.

 

They (customer retentions) declined to take my cancellation request.

Whilst I accept I have to give them at least 30 days notice (and 3 months is more than 30 days),

they claim they also can't take notice any more than 30 days in advance.

 

"It is the customer's responsibility to call us 30 days before, we can't take notice in advance"

(the rep also agreed that if the customer doesn't remember to call exactly 30 days before, they will end up committed for another month's line rental...........)

 

Is this correct? if it is, is it "sharp practice"?

 

The best way forward? Would a letter, stating when I wish to end the contract, (sent by a guaranteed delivery (and signed for) service) work?.

 

Make a formal complaint in writing threatening to go to the relevant ombudsman. They cannot expect you to phone them exactly 30 days ahead of the date you wish to cancel.

 

I am finding with VM that their US owner is cutting customer services based in the UK. The other day i phoned them and it was answered in a call centre in India. I later phoned and spoke to someone in Scotland who did not have access to the information i was seeking, presumably because they are in the process of having work outsourced.

[BazzaS]

Make a formal complaint in writing threatening to go to the relevant ombudsman. They cannot expect you to phone them exactly 30 days ahead of the date you wish to cancel.

 

I am finding with VM that their US owner is cutting customer services based in the UK. The other day i phoned them and it was answered in a call centre in India. I later phoned and spoke to someone in Scotland who did not have access to the information i was seeking, presumably because they are in the process of having work outsourced.

 

They are persisting with their statement of the situation : their social media team say :

"we can’t log the disconnection until 30 days till the contract is due to expire. Sorry for any inconvenience. "

[unclebulgaria67]

They are persisting with their statement of the situation : their social media team say :

"we can’t log the disconnection until 30 days till the contract is due to expire. Sorry for any inconvenience. "

 

Raise the issue with the relevant ombudsman as their process is designed to stop customers leaving, when they want to.

[BazzaS]

Raise the issue with the relevant ombudsman as their process is designed to stop customers leaving, when they want to.

 

VM's complaints page (from 2011) has CISAS as their independent adjudicator.

http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/media/pdf/Complaint_code_Jan_11.pdf

 

Oftel's webpage has a link to otelo, but it is a dead link ...

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/oftel/publications/news/on59/otelo0303.htm

 

Do I need to exhaust VM's complaints procedure +/ use CISAS before going to the Ombudsman?

 

Is it Otelo

http://www.otelo.org.uk/website/html/content.php?ID=11

Or Ombudsman services?

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/communications.html

[BazzaS]

Had grief from Virgin Mobile, with an unhelpful call centre staff member (not for the first time).

They want to sell you a new phone, or a larger tarrif, but asking questions about the tarrif isn't what they want, and when I asked for help and followed their instructions : it didn't fix the problem.)

 

I'm in credit with them, which credit runs out in 3 months (it was a PAYG SIM initially, topped up numerous times to get 'free data' the next month, and when it had accumulated a large balance I was never going to use, converted to a pay monthly SIM, to use up the credit balance). [VM suggested the swap to Pay monthly, given the credit balance].

 

So, I asked to disconnect, on a date in the future, once I've used up almost all of my credit, as one has to give at least 30 days notice.

 

They (customer retentions) declined to take my cancellation request.

Whilst I accept I have to give them at least 30 days notice (and 3 months is more than 30 days),

they claim they also can't take notice any more than 30 days in advance.

 

"It is the customer's responsibility to call us 30 days before, we can't take notice in advance"

(the rep also agreed that if the customer doesn't remember to call exactly 30 days before, they will end up committed for another month's line rental...........)

 

Is this correct? if it is, is it "sharp practice"?

 

The best way forward? Would a letter, stating when I wish to end the contract, (sent by a guaranteed delivery (and signed for) service) work?.

 

You couldn't make it up. I thought I'd try to call in again and see what I got told.

 

They were adamant they could only accept 30 days notice.

I asked what would happen if I gave 30 days notice.

 

They prefer to end my contract in 30 days, refunding me £20-odd.

£20 less in their accounts that I can spend with a different provider.

 

Seems bizarre that

a) they don't follow standard contract procedure allowing for notice to be given in advance of the 30 day minimum

b) they prefer to end the contract sooner than I wanted, and give me a refund instead of letting me use the credit up,

 

But their choice, and I'll accept the resolution.

[citizenB]

Have you got a record of this call, Bazza ?

 

I don't understand why it is so difficult to end a contract !

[BazzaS]

Have you got a record of this call, Bazza ?

 

I don't understand why it is so difficult to end a contract !

 

No recording, as Virgin don't allow 3 way calling, so the iPhone call recording apps don't work.

I do :

a) have a witness to the call, and

b) have the text they sent, while I was on the call of them moving my SIM to PAYG in 30 days.

 

As a result of that text I also made sure (& my witness heard) that the £20-odd will be refunded to me within a week ("5 working days", in fact) and NOT applied as a credit to the PAYG account, as that was my concern when I got the "we've cancelled your contract tariff, you'll move to PAYG on 3/12/15" text

 

It wasn't hard to cancel in the end.

They just didn't want to cancel in February 2016 having run my credit down (my preferred solution)

They prefer me to cancel in early December (2 1/2 months earlier) and refund me £20-odd! : not my preferred solution, but acceptable to me.

 

Either they just wanted to get rid of me, realised their position was nonsensical but wanted to save face, they don't know what they are doing, or the £8/month tariff isn't proving profitable & they want shot of it ...... Just as long as the promised refund happens....

[BazzaS]

The promised refund has indeed arrived.