Dealing with Service Providers Shouldn’t Involve Reliving Personal Tragedy
It’s been a challenging 18 weeks since the sudden passing of my wife. Amidst coping with this loss, I reached out to Virgin Media to have our joint phone and broadband service transferred into my name. The company’s website indicated that such changes could also include switching to a more cost-effective plan. Therefore, I requested to switch to a package that was half the price of our current one.
However, the response from Virgin Media was far from straightforward. I was informed that to avail the cheaper deal, I would need to cancel the existing contract and endure a 14-day period without any service. This was not a viable option as it would disrupt my ability to work from home. The alternative given was to transfer the account to my name under the same conditions and reassess my package after a month. I reluctantly accepted this option.
When the 30-day period concluded, I logged into the app, only to find my late wife’s name still registered, which was distressing. During a webchat session, I was directed to contact the bereavement line again. This required me to explain once more the painful details of my wife’s demise. The representative on the line told me that a system update with my name was still pending, and a callback was scheduled for three days later— a callback that never happened.
Three weeks passed, and yet another conversation via webchat led me back to the bereavement line, where I faced the same unresolved issue. It has now been three months since my initial contact with Virgin, and I am still being billed double what is necessary. The thought of contacting the bereavement line again, having to repeat the circumstances of my wife’s death, is something I cannot bring myself to face.
GP, Ely
The repeated mismanagement or perhaps insensitivity from Virgin Media amounts to an inexcusable level of service, especially during a time of personal grief. Not only has this ordeal forced me to repeatedly discuss my wife’s death with strangers, but it has also left me paying £69.21 monthly for a service I do not want, instead of the £33.99 for my desired package.
Following my complaint escalated through a contact, Virgin Media responded promptly, citing misguidance by inexperienced staff as the reason for the misinformation provided. I was informed that transitioning to a new deal should only have resulted in a brief interruption of service, approximately an hour, not the 14 days I was initially told. They have since apologized for the delays and complications and have confirmed the setup of a new, less expensive package.
A spokesperson commented, “We apologize for the delay in resolving his query. We’ve now agreed on a new package at a lower monthly cost.”
We invite readers to share their experiences, though we cannot respond individually. Contact us via email at consumer.champions@theguardian.com or by mail at Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a contact number. Note that submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions.
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