Broad Band & Phone Packages

[mgread1200 141]

Be aware that once your contract runs out you will not be informed and will be transfered to a 1 month rolling contract that can almost double the cost you were paying under contract, and that was BT!. Also that if you enter into a contract over the phone you are legaly bound once the phone call ends with no change your mind period.

[catfan 14,793]

Don't Distance Selling Regs apply ?

[mgread1200 141]

Sorry Caftan I don't know what they are, I thought that the consumer protection would cover a cooling off period but according to BT it does not and all they have to do is record the phone conversation to make the contract legaly binding. It would have cost me a £130 to cancel. I did get a deal out of them on the new you view box but the point I am making is that you have to be so much on the ball nowadays even with people you have been a customer of for years, if they can do you for a few quid they will!!

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

I am of the opinion that the DSR would apply as the telephone call should be followed up in writing. You also should have been given certain details over the phone before the contract becomes enforcible. You are then allowed a 7 day cooling off period during which you can cancel the contract. A quick google will give you lots of info.

Colin

[mick2me 3,033]

Virgin did this to me.

I had been cable with them since early 90s, Diamond Cable - NTL - Virgin.

I checked my virgin account something I had never done, some months I was paying up to £60!

I told them I was leaving as I had been made redundant and could not afford their prices.

In the end I stayed with them because I needed internet access, they dropped my TV down to

the same I could get with an aerial and said they would charge me £20 month.

They then charged me £25 per month. I rang and complained and told them I was leaving.

They told me I had entered into a new contract, I said I had been with them for over 20 years,

I had never been made aware I was entering into a new contract, and did not consider I had done,

and if that was the case they had broken it by overcharging me.

I found a cheaper provider and rang Virgin cancelling my account. A few weeks later they sent me a bill

for over £100 for cancelling my contract early.

I rang them and told them I had not agreed to any new contract and did not consider I owed them any money.

"And what if I don't pay this bill." "We will take legal action against you sir"

"I've got a better Idea, I will send a letter of complaint, attaching a Check, with the warning, if you cash it I will sue you"

This I did, and I later rang their customer services who told me they had cashed the check.

After going round in circles with the idiot on the other end, he said "OK sir I will credit it to your account"

"But I no longer have an account with you, I cancelled it!" I got nowhere.

I sent them a letter threatening legal action commencing in 14 days.

The name on the legal papers would be Richard Branson.

A check arrived within that time and was promptly cashed.

VIRGIN ARE BASTARDS and I would never ever deal with them again

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

Thanks Mick you and others like you have made a difference at Virgin and I for one have to say thanks.

I had to deal with them just 3 weeks ago and whilst not easy when I got to the right person 'resolution manager' I got exactly what I asked for for less than I was paying before.

Cheers medears

Colin

[Beefsteak 305]

I had a similar problem with 'Talk Talk' a couple of years back. I wanted to leave them after many different problems, culminating in my having no phone line for a month or so, I kept ringing and every time I was put through to some person in foreign climes who then refused to speak to me because my name was not the one on the contract !!

They then claimed I'd 'agreed a new contract' over the phone (Which I hadn't) and would have to pay £118 to leave them. I asked for proof of this 'verbal contract' as they always refused to speak to me as I was not the 'bill payer' . I'm still waiting !

[barclaycon 569]

Talk Talk are the absolute worst of all the broadband companies.

They claim to deliver unlimited broadband but it's certainly not!

They operation a contention system whereby after a certain amount of downloading, your line slows down to crawl - or even cuts off completely. The people they employ to deal with customers are morons and I would even go so far as to say: liars.

They seem to make up the bills as they go along and withdraw from your bank account at bizarre times. For instance, you may expect that if you are on a monthly tarif then once a month they will withdraw the fee. Instead of which they will wait 3 months and then withdraw all at once. Makes it very difficult to keep track of what you have spent, but then maybe that's their intention.

I found loads of errors in their billing and claimed money back lots of times.

All this bollocks about cancellation fees and disconnection charges. It's nonsense.

I've had run-ins with Talk Talk, Plusnet and several others. If you decide to leave, make sure you get the MAC code first then cancel the direct debit and if they try and charge you for some such nonsense (other than what is owed to them) just refuse.

The ball is totally in your court because you an always say that their poor service had caused you considerable hardship.

I have always refused to pay the spurious charges and never had a comeback.

I would imagine that the cost of them going to court is considerable and not worth it anyway.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

I have Broad Band, Telephone & Television in one package from "Virgin" & costs about £45 a month which I think is good value.

So I don't use the phone that much & the line rental is more than the calls but I still think I'm getting a good deal.

[mgread1200 141]

Online opinion and imformation vary! some say the companies are wrong and others have tried to take them on and died. Do you want the stress of it all, just read the posts and be careful before you say Yes!!. Be sure of exactly what you are getting and how much it is costing you, and keep a diary or use a pc reminder so that you know when the contract is running out. I like a quite life but just like everyone else I hate to be fleeced.