Leaving Virgin Media, Hotel California, and the Catholic Church

clohamon · 14-10-2023 09:21PM #1

...all difficult, apparently.

ComReg say most 'leavers' are persuaded to stay with Virgin

ComReg said Virgin appears to believe that “when some customers call to cancel, they (the customers) are being tactical and seeking a better deal”. Therefore, Virgin considers it is part of “consumer welfare” to seek to dissuade such customers.

Virgin Media's lawyerly defence,

We're allowed hassle leavers because the law doesn't say we can't.
We're not hassling anyway.

Regulation 25(6)b of S.I. No. 337/2011 - European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Universal Service and Users' Rights) Regulations 2011

(b) Without prejudice to any minimum contractual period the undertaking shall ensure that conditions and procedures for contract termination do not act as a disincentive to a consumer to changing service provider.

ComReg's original finding from 2021

The conditions and procedures for contract termination that act as a disincentive to a consumer changing service provider are as follows:

The requirement to provide 30 days notice when changing service provider (outside of fixed term contract).

The lack of information regarding cancellation in writing and the requirement in almost all instances to speak to a Virgin agent on the phone prior to the cancellation being actioned by Virgin.

The requirement to engage in save activity with Virgin.

L1011 · 14-10-2023 09:26PM

If Virgin didn't have such a ludicrous disconnect between their rack rates and the new customer rates, they wouldn't have to put such effort in to trying to stop people leave; nor would they even have as many people leave.

The sooner whatever moron decided on having the rates being so exceptionally different realises it isn't working, the better.

Leaving Virgin Media, Hotel California, and the Catholic Church

Comments