Dealing with Virgin Media after you've left

[midnightcatprowl]

Until recently I had a broadband and landline and TV contract with Virgin Media. For a variety of reasons I decided to give this up. (I've moved to Vodaphone for broadband and landline and I'm still meditating on what to do about TV which probably shows you that I'm not a TV addict).

I gave up my contract with Virgin Media by sending them by post a standard letter which I'm pretty sure I got from someone on The Lemon Fool - if so thank you to whoever it was because the letter worked a treat and they accepted my cancellation without further argument. The acceptance took the form of a letter which carried a reference number but intriguingly no address. This letter dated way back now in March stated that within a few days I'd be sent a bag in which to return my Tivo box - and presumably the modem and remote control as well but the letter wasn't very clear on that point.

Here we are getting towards the end of May and still no bag. Virgin Media have stopped claiming their monthly direct debit - and I've now cancelled the Direct Debit with the bank in any case. To my great surprise Virgin Media have sent me a small cheque for an amount owing to me once my 30 days notice was up - I say surprise because in their original letter they said any refund was on condition of the return of their Tivo box etc.

I've been trying to contact them. I can't find any email address where you can contact them about this issue. Their letter accepting the cancellation carried no physical address. On their website there is a 'chat' facility in theory but in actuality this seems to be permanently out to lunch even during the hours when it is supposed to be operating. I've tried phoning them but after going through one of the most layered press this for that and that for this I come up against a brick wall when I finally get somewhere which sounds useful because they demand a PIN. Now doubtless I set one up when I started with Virgin Media some years back but as, until now, I've never needed to call them I haven't the faintest idea what PIN I set up and there seems to be no way around this barrier.

Does anyone know how I can deal with this issue? I thoroughly accept their right to have the equipment back. Not to mention that living in a very small house I want to get it out of the way.

N.B. To my delight yesterday I had an email from Virgin Media pointing out that they have not been able to collect payments due and threatening to cut off my services.

[swill453]

If you're "not a TV addict" I suspect you haven't upgraded to the latest TiVo V6 box? If so I very much doubt they want your old one back. Similarly if you haven't got the latest cable modem/router they won't want it back either. When I recently upgraded, they told me just to recycle the old stuff ie take it to the tip.

I realise this doesn't actually help, since they have told you to expect the return packaging.

Not long after I upgraded, I sold my house and cancelled the contract. They did send me packaging to return the newish kit, and I did so. I later got an email acknowledgement from EquipmentReturns@virginmedia.co.uk You could maybe try emailing them quoting any relevant reference numbers.

Scott.

[UncleEbenezer]

I've been trying to contact them. I can't find any email address where you can contact them about this issue. Their letter accepting the cancellation carried no physical address. On their website there is a 'chat' facility in theory but in actuality this seems to be permanently out to lunch even during the hours when it is supposed to be operating. I've tried phoning them but after going through one of the most layered press this for that and that for this I come up against a brick wall when I finally get somewhere which sounds useful because they demand a PIN. Now doubtless I set one up when I started with Virgin Media some years back but as, until now, I've never needed to call them I haven't the faintest idea what PIN I set up and there seems to be no way around this barrier.

Yep, I've been through all that. Virgin Media's customer services are clearly inspired by Kafka: I suspect the purpose is to make contact so difficult that people just don't bother when suffering mild, moderate or even severe-but-less-than-critical defects.

The alleged PIN is particularly devilish. I've had automated calls from them asking for it, but at some point I also had a call from a human who admitted I had never had such a PIN. Note that calls "from" Virgin or their debt collectors may be impossible to verify: their numbers are a closely-guarded secret as evidenced for example by https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Fo ... -p/3093322 .

Does anyone know how I can deal with this issue? I thoroughly accept their right to have the equipment back. Not to mention that living in a very small house I want to get it out of the way.

I expect there's some rule whereby you can take their stuff to the tip after [prescribed period with no contact], but I couldn't help with details.

N.B. To my delight yesterday I had an email from Virgin Media pointing out that they have not been able to collect payments due and threatening to cut off my services.

That might be followed up by more such contact, including debt collectors. You'll find addresses they use to contact you are inevitably unreplyable: hence email to the address someone suggested is sure to bounce. Keep us posted!

[midnightcatprowl]

I suspect you haven't upgraded to the latest TiVo V6 box? If so I very much doubt they want your old one back.
I realise this doesn't actually help, since they have told you to expect the return packaging.

You are correct. I've never upgraded.

I later got an email acknowledgement from EquipmentReturns@virginmedia.co.uk

Thanks, I'll give that address a try.

[midnightcatprowl]

Yep, I've been through all that

Well in some ways it is helpful just to know that other people have experienced the same problem. It seems quite mad to be unable to find a way to contact a company to which you've been paying bills for several years

[gilesweb]

This seems to be a common theme with Virgin media. I had ADSL internet with them maybe 10-15 years ago, then left when I moved, but kept using their email service. Now with no warning they keep locking me out of it/blocking sending emails from it.

I accept that it s a condition of the email service that you use their broadband but really why not just email me to say I need to move to a new email provider - its not like they don't have my email address!! Its utterly impossible to get any sense out of their help channels

Not looking forward to changing email - I've had it for so long the thought of informing everyone of the change ...........

In contrast I switched my mobiles to them recently and they were very helpful on the phone

[midnightcatprowl]

Just had a letter from Virgin Media (with no return address of course) titled "Important Information About Your Information".

I'm pleased to say that one line includes the magic words "As you used to be a Virgin Media customer".

I think I'll keep that along with the letter which came with the refund cheque for the bit of service I'd paid for but not used as evidence should debt collectors ever come calling .

[didds]

I think you've answered your own question..

to whit

I gave up my contract with Virgin Media by sending them by post a standard letter .... the letter worked a treat and they accepted my cancellation without further argument. The acceptance took the form of a letter which carried a reference number but intriguingly no address.

I'd suggest writing to the same address, with your new reference number, asking them your questions, and that without any response within (say) 30 days (a very generous time ) you would take this as agreement to dispose of the various bits of kit as you see fit.

Howzat?

didds

[midnightcatprowl]

Well thought didds, I'm just about to print out the letter!

[Lanark]

The pattern I have seen is:
Cancel contract
You will need to return the box
no attempt to collect box or instructions on how to return
Verbal message: You dont need to return the box after all
time passes
You will need to return the box
Collection bag arrives.

Maybe I'm cynical but I suspect they hope you will throw the box away and then they can charge you for not returning it.

[swill453]

The pattern I have seen is:
Cancel contract
You will need to return the box
no attempt to collect box or instructions on how to return
Verbal message: You dont need to return the box after all
time passes
You will need to return the box
Collection bag arrives.

Maybe I'm cynical but I suspect they hope you will throw the box away and then they can charge you for not returning it.

Well in my recent experience it has been:

Cancel contract
You will need to return the box
Collection bag arrives.

Scott.

[midnightcatprowl]

I'd suggest writing to the same address, with your new reference number

Well just to report back that this did actually work. I wrote and within a few days they phoned my mobile. I didn't pick up the first couple of calls (I don't use my mobile while driving even on a hands free basis) so they sent me a text inviting me to phone them. I didn't bother knowing perfectly well there was no chance they'd answer unless I was willing to hang on for an hour or two but tonight they tried my mobile again.

The very pleasant customer service agent from the complaints department on grounds connected with GDPR wanted my PIN but accepted my suggestion that I couldn't remember a PIN I'd set up nine or ten years ago and never used since and we were able to agree that as they weren't asking me for information but I was asking them for information i.e. 'where's the bag to return the equipment' so we could pass on the PIN. He then said he knew I'd been asked by letter to return the equipment but in fact the file was now marked that none of the equipment was required back and please would I dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way via my local authorities scheme? We parted good friends on the agreement that my 'complaint' could be marked as resolved.

So maybe one day a bag will turn up and I've nothing to put in it and maybe debt collectors will follow but I feel I've done all I'm able to do so off to the Waste Management Facility it will all go but I'll file the correspondence and the date of the final call for a year or two just in case.

It does leave you wondering why local authorities have to carry the burden of the discards of Virgin Media and the like. I paid Virgin Media for a service, I'm not saying it wasn't a good service but it came at a fairly hefty price, so I feel they should be legally responsible for collecting and recycling their own equipment?

[chas49]

It does leave you wondering why local authorities have to carry the burden of the discards of Virgin Media and the like. I paid Virgin Media for a service, I'm not saying it wasn't a good service but it came at a fairly hefty price, so I feel they should be legally responsible for collecting and recycling their own equipment?

I agree - isn't there an obligation under EU rules? WEEE or something similar? (A beer or two means I'm currently disinclined to Google that, ot who knows what I may find....)

Still, you have a result I think, and it's probably not worth pursuing any further