Have reported Virgin Media to BBC Watchdog - do the same - Page 3

cookie_365 · 13-02-2010, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

As much as I can see from your post that you may of been getting charged for dial-up as well as broadband... a couple of things spring to mind...

1st.. how did it take 3 years to spot the mistake on the bills?

2nd.. it is common practice for any mistake to be credited back to a maximum of 12 months only as it deemed a reasonable amount of time to spot any mistake.. it's the same with gas, water and electricity bills. VM will have fulfilled the obligation in this case even if they admitted a mistake has been made.. I'd very much doubt you'd get anywhere taking this any further.

Maybe you should get proper legal advice from CAB? At least you know where you stand then.

Fulfilling their obligation? Only if VM have special dispensation to make up the law of limitations to suit themselves.

Digital Fanatic · 13-02-2010, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookie_365

Fulfilling their obligation? Only if VM have special dispensation to make up the law of limitations to suit themselves.

Do you have a link to this? It may help the OP?

m419 · 13-02-2010, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by damian78

Hi All,

Due to ongoing billing problems I've been having with Virgin Media, dating back to 2005, I have now reported them to the BBC Watchdog programme in the hope that they can be investigated.

I'm aware of a number of other customers having billing issues, such as charges (e.g. late payment fees) being wrongly added to bills. A call to Virgin Media sometimes resolves this, however, what about those who don't notice the extra charge, or the occasions where Virgin Media simply add it onto the next bill instead. They could be making a lot of money out of these incorrect charges.

If you are having problems with this, then I would recommend you also make a complaint to BBC Watchdog so that they can investigate this serious matter.

You can complain at http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/.

Thanks.

Damian

Hmmm Hardly had any problems, but when I did find something, they resolve it on the spot.

Welshchris · 13-02-2010, 23:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Welshchris, you are right that the billing is at fault, but didn't you notice you weren't being billed, or that the money wasn't being taken out of your bank account?

nope to be honest with u i had a rough few months back then, i not only moved, i had split from my partner of 4 years, had a car accident involving 5 cars, trying to get my new place all sorted before christmas as this was Nov 2008, with all that i didnt check i thought they would have transferred the billing over with the account.

Digital Fanatic · 14-02-2010, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

Do you have a link to this? It may help the OP?

Sorry, mean Dougthrow

cookie_365 · 15-02-2010, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

Do you have a link to this? It may help the OP?

This page has a nice summary.

Digital Fanatic · 15-02-2010, 15:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookie_365

This page has a nice summary.

ahh you are confusing credit debts owed to companies with overpayment here. AFAIK it's a maximum of 12 months to claim back on overpayment of a service. The Statute of Limitations Act has no bearing on this case.

**Kymmy** · 15-02-2010, 15:39

Even so a company that admits there is a mistake yet hides behind a liability limitation is bad for publicity

Digital Fanatic · 15-02-2010, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Even so a company that admits there is a mistake yet hides behind a liability limitation is bad for publicity

Well, thats for the business (VM) to sort out.. but I must say 3 years is a long time for someone to spot a mistake!

**Kymmy** · 15-02-2010, 15:57

I don't deny that, but thier defence is the limitations on thier liability, not the length of time it took an ignorant person to realise a mistake had been made when they should have noticed it within the first couple of bills..

BenMcr · 15-02-2010, 17:09

If it's an obvious error - e.g. the account was upgraded to broadband but the dial up account was not disconnected then I would expect that VM should refund all the way back to the date of the error.

If however it was a grey area - e.g a customer upgraded to broadband but requested that dial up stay active and then forgets it's there, then I would say they aren't entitled to all of it back

I know I've certainly arranged credits for obvious overcharging going back years.

cookie_365 · 17-02-2010, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

ahh you are confusing credit debts owed to companies with overpayment here. AFAIK it's a maximum of 12 months to claim back on overpayment of a service. The Statute of Limitations Act has no bearing on this case.

No I'm not

One person's credit is another person's debt

How do you figure things would work if a creditor had 6 years to bring proceedings against a debtor yet at the same time the same debtor could avoid paying the same creditor if proceedings weren't brought within 1 year?

But if you want to stump up a reference supporting your AFAIK I'll take a look at it

dougthrow · 22-02-2010, 20:23

The saga continues.
VM say that it is up to the customer to cancel an old dial up service when changing to broadband. Can't say I was ever told this when I changed, but they can not prove that they have told a customer this or track if this was ever asked for. And despite taking over £500 not due to them, they still offer only £180. perhaps VM are tilting to the dirty tricks that Richard Branson has always fought against.

Rainman · 22-02-2010, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougthrow

The saga continues.
VM say that it is up to the customer to cancel an old dial up service when changing to broadband. Can't say I was ever told this when I changed, but they can not prove that they have told a customer this or track if this was ever asked for. And despite taking over £500 not due to them, they still offer only £180. perhaps VM are tilting to the dirty tricks that Richard Branson has always fought against.

I have talked two of my friends to change from VM dial up to broadband so I better tell them to make sure they have cancelled the old dial up and check the bills.
Its only obvious that if you ask for broadband you don't want dial up, I will let you know what they say about this and if they had to ask to cancel the dial up.

BenMcr · 22-02-2010, 22:49

When it was ntl I know it's it's a question that used to be during the online broadband activation e.g 'I have a dial-up account which I wish to close and transfer the e-mail to broadband'

I can't remember if it's still part of the current online activation pages