We have been without a landline, internet and TV for 83 days and counting, because Virgin Media has been unable to connect us after we moved house. In the meantime, I’m being billed for services I can’t access. I’ve tried cancelling the direct debit but that means that every time I phone customer service, I’m automatically sent a link for payment and the call is terminated. If I call back, I’m automatically routed to the collections department, which tells me there is no outstanding balance on my account. I’ve had to pay the bills because I feel I’m being held to ransom.
IR, Macclesfield, Cheshire
It’s heartening that Virgin Media can act speedily when it wants to. It activated your payments in a trice and helped itself to the £39.50 monthly fee with efficiency. Activating your service was lower down the priority list. It had supplied the previous owner of your house, but problems with the cabling linking your property to the cabinet were identified three days after your service was due to start. A team turned up to relay them, but encountered blockages. Spade work was needed. That required a different team. Council permits were granted for the work, but noone showed up. No one showed up on three different dates.
