View Full Version : Moving Home - Qs not answered in VM FAQs
I hope that someone will be able to assist and apologise if these are stupid questions. We are moving in January but are not entirely clear of the following from the Virgin Media website (apologies if it is there and I have missed it, but spent ages looking!) - I thought I would check here before contacting customer support as whatever the outcome, we want phone/bb/TV from either VM, Sky or another provider:
1. The new house does not appear on the VM postcode checker (it kindly offers me VM Analogue/down BT phone line), but the next door neighbours have VM (and also do not show up on the VM postcode checker!), we are almost opposite the green box on the street and the cable manhole is on the opposite side of a cul de sac junction next to our house on our side of the street (the neighbour is on the opposite side of the junction) - from other threads, I assume that the computer system may be out of date/unreliable rather than it being unserviceable (though also see that it may be a possibility that we cannot have iVM cable)? There are no tell tale triangle covers at the end of the drive, but I understand that all the cable was put in at the same time as the new estate went up (1998/9).
2. If we move our VM service to the new house, do we start a new contract or does the existing one continue (we have been with C&W/NTL/VM for over 15 years - our Pace box actually says Cable and Wireless - incidentally, could we get a new box as part of the move?). In other words, once we get VM installed, are we tied in for another 12 months?
3. Is there a connection charge when you move as an existing customer as I see that new customers get charged £30?
4. Can/will our existing deal/discount continue (loyalty bonus - £27 in total for 2MB BB/TU24 and XL TV) or will we have to negotiate for a new deal/go on advertised deals which are not as good?
5. We have been considering getting V+ - would it be better (cheaper or at least a good negotiating tactic) to get this from the outset as part of the move or wait until we have moved in?
We have the option of Sky or another provider as the existing owners are on BT/Orange, and they have some cracking deals where you can get Sky+ for £49 (and £125 cashback from Quidco!), but I have been happy with VM for years and want to check my options with VM first while also checking the other options.
Many thanks
MrB
lostandconfused
31-12-2007, 13:24
1. If the system is not showing as servicable, you may be able to get services, but it could be an uphill struggle.
2. You will probably get a new box, everytime i've moved they have installed a new one, but i dont think its guaranteed.
Yes if you move it will be a new 12 month minimum term.
3. No theres no connection charge if its a housemove.
4. Yes you can carry your current package across to your new adress.
5. You can try, but it's unlikely they do have a half price install of the v+ but im pretty sure it ends today, so may be better to get it installed before you move.
Thank you for your responses. I was kindly PM'd by a board member who works for Vm - he checked and there are apparently only 4 properties on the new street that can receive cable and mine is not one of them. I phoned the moving team and they gave the same response - computer says no - I said that I would have to leave and he said they could action that :erm: (I wasn't even trying to get a discount!).
The weird thing is that in 20 houses, the serviceable properties are one near one end (4 houses in), one near the other (four houses in) and two in the middle next door to each other (ie nowhere near each other). From either end the cable has had to pass our house to get to the Green Cable Box. There is, apparently, only one property (next door to us) serviced by the green cable box at my end of the street - we are nearer the box and the manhole cover, but apparently no one else at my end of the street can have cable. It seems mighty strange that they would go to the trouble of installing a cable box and ducting (plus many manhole covers at my end of the street) for just one property to be serviceable. No. 32 has new tarmac across the pavement to the cable triangle at their boundary, therefore they were not connected without a little work.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a way forward please? We are now only a few weeks away from moving and I need to make a decision if we definitely definitely cannot get cable (I know, how many times do I need telling :rolleyes: - I have even filled in the online enquiry form mid-week to try and get a written response as well!), so that I can give notice to Vm and get an alternative set up. As a relatively happy VM customer (ex C&W and NTL for over 13 years ) I would prefer to stay but it is increasingly looking like I have no choice.
Incidentally, ideally I would like to be able to keep my email addresses as I have had them so long but if I lose VM, then that may not be possible. Could I switch to VM dial up and continue using the same email (but using cable provided by someone else to access it by pop3?). On the VM site it says that you have to have one of their phone packages to use Dial Up (and I won't be as it is more expensive than other BT line based providers!), whereas on the Virgin.net site it makes no mention of this?
Many thanks
MrB
lostandconfused
05-01-2008, 11:29
i cant really offer much help about not getting cable, but if you want to keep your email adress, call CS and they can transfer it onto a pay as you go dial up account, so you wont pay for it.
You would then need to use the webmail to access your mail
If a street is cabled but a property isn't, there is supposed to be the Spotters team that can go out and survey your property to see if it can be connected.
You can phone and ask to be put through to their answerphone service to leave your details.
However, it seems to be very hit and miss dependent on where you live, as to whether you get a response or not
Phoned to check again (in case the operator gave a different response - you never know!) - apparently it is something to do with construction and there is no way on their system of making any orders for that particular property, forwarding to spotters or anything else due to the status code used on the system he was looking at.
So, unfortunately it looks like I am off. Strangely, although I have considered leaving before it has never come to anything - it seems quite sad to be moving on ...
Thank you for all your help.
MrB
Phoned today to regretably cancel - CS told me I can keep the equipment in case I decide to have cable again or should they offer it on my new street in the future (!). Alternatively just leave it in the property (apparently not keen to have a C&W branded PACE box back ...).
I explained again that I was only leaving as their system says I cannot get their service (not sure how the reason I was given, where it is not physically possible, despite it being next door, tallies up with it may be in future unless "construction" is a policy decision?).
To be honest, I am not completely convinced by the reasons I have been given but clearly I have no choice and move at the weekend.
MrB
chickendippers
15-01-2008, 00:00
VM are legally obliged to pick up old electrical equipment for recycling. I suppose by getting you to hang on to it "just in case" they're trying to get round it.
Actually according to the WEEE regulations, you only have to offer a take back scheme if you provide new equipment in it's place
Quote from HERE (http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file40281.pdf)
"Everyone providing new electrical and electronic equipment (known as EEE1) directly to household users/consumers is a distributor, and must provide facilities for their customer to return old equipment free of charge on the purchase of a replacement item by:
Joining the Distributor Take-back Scheme (DTS) which will support a network of collection facilities where consumers can return their WEEE
or
By offering in-store take-back of old equipment when consumers buy a replacement item"
The way i read it if Virgin give you a new box at any stage, they are under a legal obligation to take back the old equipment (which is what they do if you have a box they can resuse) or contribute to have it recycled through a local site (such as a council's reycling centre, which they suggest you do for any equipment they dont reuse)
Update - I have now moved in to our new house and notice that there is a green cable ducting pops up next to our front door. I happened to notice a VM engineer working next door and asked him about the serviceability of the area. He said that it was as far as he was aware and didn't know of a technical reason why it couldn't (but he only dealt with rectifying errors, not construction). I then went next door and chatted to our new neighbours - they said that when they had it installed only 18 months ago, the installation was very straightforward (according to their VM engineer) as the cable had been laid to all the estate (and up to the house) when it was built, and only needed the cable end digging up and connecting to the property. Does anyone on these boards have any ideas (or any influence please) as I get connected to BT from tomorrow and would need to back out of that contract if I can get VM. Apparently broadband is slow at the new address due to the distance to the exchange, therefore keeping existing services would be a bonus.
Many thanks
MrB
PS - Sorry to sound like a broken record.
PPS - V+ - when this first came out, I seem to recall the advertising blurb used to say you could keep your old box and have it installed in another room, plus get the V+ box. If it is a fresh install (but moving account - assuming possible) would you get 2 boxes installed and still only pay your normal monthly rate? Many thanks
And another update - as I was phoning from my old house to amend the end date on the contract, I had a chat with the ever so helpful CS about my situation - she went on hold for a moment and agreed that it did sound odd that houses were serviceable at both ends (1 at each end) and the middle (2 only), but no other houses were serviceable and that it could be investigated further. She transferred me to Customer Services to ask for a Pre-Install Check ... who transferred me to Sales ... who transferred me to the Spotters ... one of whom was outside my new door in 10 minutes :nworthy:. He took one look at the green pipe, said that the property is serviceable (finally, someone agreeing with me after a month of being stonewalled due to the computer being out of date ), he would go away and update the computer (a known problem in my area for a few streets apparently ..:doh:.:fit:) and I would be able to arrange a transfer of services within a few days :clap::handshake. I did suggest he may wish to check all the other houses on the street and update their records as well as they could be missing sales, but not sure whether he will follow up my sales tip.
So, apparently computers can be wrong and "construction" most probably referred to the code applied when the estate first went up many years ago ... now how many of my 30+ neighbours who have been living there for over 8 years with the green pipe by the door have been told that they are unserviceable all that time (I've only been trying for a month:banghead:) and how much revenue has Virgin been turning away all that time (after already paying for installing all the cable etc) - it is no wonder they have trouble making money :redcard:.
Now just waiting for confirmation as I have to cancel my BT line which connnected yesterday ...
Many thanks
MrB
Glad it got sorted :) Knew it was the spotters lol
colin-bennett
24-01-2008, 02:15
please let us know how you get on
Spoke to team again today - new address is finally showing on the system:hyper:
However nothing is ever simple :(, the CS said that all existing discounts cannot be transferred to the new address (as they are attached to the address?) and I will be paying £46 for XL TV/M BB/XL T. This is clearly a significant jump (£19 per month) as apparently my loyalty doesn't transfer ... anyway, he wandered off, came back and said that the Spotter would have arranged for the transfer and that they can transfer the discounts. Now more confused than ever, as the Spotter told me I was on a better deal than he could arrange and therefore to simply wait 2 days and then phone moving team to arrange the move (and he did not leave contact details).
Also, I have the small matter of a BT line which, unless I am mistaken, is going to cost me £70 to disconnect (only came live on Tuesday!) as I had it connected when VM told me I wasn't serviceable.
I would welcome any ideas as I am losing patience with this and have spent many hours looking at alternatives, only for VM to come back into the available options (and one week into the new house without internet access is a nightmare for work, and no cable/Sky TV which I admit we miss already!). I could get Sky with all the current XL channels that we watch for £20 per month (£270 for the year, including £30 install/2MB BB/free talk evenings and weekends, or £369 also including Sky+, 2MB BB and free evening/weekend calls), minus £130 cashback from Quidco at the moment therefore £239 for Sky+, 2MB BB and Free evening and weekend calls, in addition to the £126 that we are now paying to BT for the year.
I just need to get things organised.
Many thanks
MrB
jungleguy
26-01-2008, 10:29
Spotters don't do Moves and transfers. They're targeted to get new customers. The spotter that sorted your problem out did that in good will. If you have disconned your services at your previous address, you could do the spotter a favor and get him back and give him the sale. Call telesales and ask for a spotter to come out.
Spotters don't do Moves and transfers. They're targeted to get new customers. The spotter that sorted your problem out did that in good will. If you have disconned your services at your previous address, you could do the spotter a favor and get him back and give him the sale. Call telesales and ask for a spotter to come out.
I haven't disconnected at my previous address yet as I had cancelled and given 30 days notice (house currently empty and didn't see the point in paying cancellation charges when it would be empty). With respect, I don't think the spotter has sorted my problem as a favour (although don't get me wrong, it is much appreciated!) - I wouldn't have a problem if the Virgin Media databases were reliable and I have wasted many hours trying to remain a VM customer and only after many calls did they finally send someone to check what I had been saying all along - the house is serviceable! To now go back and find I will be paying £20 per month more for the privilage of staying (on top of potentially paying BT £70 to cancel my phone line after 3 days because I was told I couldn't have VM and need a phone line!) is slightly annoying, hence asking if there were any other potential routes (the Spotter did say that the deal I was on was better than he could offer and ask them to transfer it across, so must be possible!).
MrB
jungleguy
26-01-2008, 13:05
Moves and Transfers can move your services free of charge to your new address. Give them a call and see if you can get a retention offer too. 150 from your VM phone then option 5 I think.
Thought I would provide an update - we were finally connected two weeks after moving in. As discussed on another thread, BB didn't work - given the runaround, an engineer came out the following day and changed the modem - all working,
Phone stopped working last week - engineer out, line fixed (not sure, believe it was a problem in the area).
A number of our email accounts have stopped working - I contacted online help using the form on the website - told it works from their end therefore I need to phone the 0906 number to investigate more (!). I see on the service status that they have been having problems but it appear to refer to blueyonder.co.uk only - my emails are @ntlworld.com - is this a connected problem or a different issue (for some reason when we switched from STB modem to Standalone, a new account was set up - the emails work based on my original account but not those under my newer one - could that be the issue?).
Phone line stopped working again yesterday - an engineer has been called.
My emails to the friendly CS in Movers who made the arrangements and told me to contact him if I had any further questions are still unreplied after 2 weeks ...
If I hadn't fought so much to get the services in the first place, I may seriously be considering whether to take up the 30 day cancellation option.
MrB
Update:
Emails did not come back - spoke to technical support (for which I have been charged nearly £5, despite this being a VM issue switching off an account rather than transferring it!) to have the most frustrating phone call EVER - situation not resolved, phoned Customer Relations who offered to explain the issue to Tech Support (!) -eventually put though to a UK team, explained, claimed to have it resolved ... email account set up NEW on my existing account rather than reinstating my account, all emails lost (it was attached to the old address as I suspected - I have given up on this issue!).
I was supposed to get L BB as part of my package (XL TV/XL Phone/L BB keep existing box plus new V+ in other room - £39 per month - as mentioned on another thread, it was suggested to change the V+ to a one off install of £75 instead of £10 per month, so should be £29 per month now) - have received the bill and getting charged slightly more than agreed and for M BB not L (and cannot get hold of the CS who agreed this deal in writing - he still has not replied after a month including a few polite reminders - and Customer Relations say they don't have the deal available to them and I need to get the original team to apply it!).
This is most frustrating ... in all this I have not tried to blag anything, I have had to fight for 3 months to keep my services, upgraded services (which I paid more for) yet have still been beset with problems and am not getting the service that I paid for. I have spent more time trying to get Virgin sorted than we spent on sorting the mortgage, dealing with the solicitor or any other aspect of the move!
MrB
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