Help !!! Default from Virgin Media for a disputed amount ???

[learnerlawyer]

Back in 2008 we had an agreement with cable & wireless for the provison of internet and phone services, they were then sold to Virgin media. In 2010 I advised Virgin media both by letter and phone that I was going to terminate the service with them and move elsewhere for a better deal. They stated a fee for termination would be due of £180.

I refused to pay this fee as I had never agreed to their terms and conditions and many discussions took place where I advised them to take me to the small claims court and if the court considered the fee for £180 was correct I would pay it.

I now have a default notice on my credit file for the £180 from Virgin Media.

Much correspondance has been exchanged and they have refused to remove it until I pay the £180

I have reported this to the Information Commisioner however Virgin have been granted a further 28 days to respond to them and I am concerned that Virgin will just refuse to respond and the matter will drag on further.
If anyone has any advice or help as how I can resolve this matter asap I would be hugely grateful. My credit history is completely clear other than this default yet I have now been advised I cannot renew my mortgage deal or renew my business overdraft. It is causing huge problems within my business and I really do feel Virgin are trying to blackmail me into paying an amount which I do not believe I owe.

I suppose I'm looking for some advice and opinion as to whether the default is indeed correct, and if it isn't what can I do about it ??

To say I'm angry would be an understatement

[CleverClogs]

Re: Help !!! Default from Virgin Media for a disputed amount ???

If a wrongful default has caused damage or distress to you, you can sue for compensation.

[bluebottle]

Re: Help !!! Default from Virgin Media for a disputed amount ???

Usually, a legally-worded letter to the CEO of Virgin Media, pointing out the finer points of the law and the penalties and consequences thereof, seems to do the trick. I did this when they got Moorcroft to harass a friend of mine for something that was Virgin Media's fault. Virgin Media were on the phone literally crawling up my friends backside within two days of receiving the Special Delivery letter they were sent, addressed to the CEO and marked "To be opened by addressee only".

Just out of interest, were you still in contract with Virgin Media when you served the termination letter and email on them or were you coming to the end of the contract period? Also, did you act quickly when C & W informed you they were selling out to Virgin Media? Were you given a right to terminate if you did not wish to go over to Virgin Media?

[CleverClogs]

Re: Help !!! Default from Virgin Media for a disputed amount ???

Virgin Media were on the phone literally crawling up my friends backside

I do hope she did not have too much difficulty expelling them.

[bluebottle]

Re: Help !!! Default from Virgin Media for a disputed amount ???

Actually, CC. she came out of it pretty well. Give Virgin Media credit where it's due, they put their hands to their foul-up straight away, put things right and sent her some gift vouchers, which she accepted. They also admitted, in writing, to their foul-up. A lot of companies won't. IMHO, companies would achieve far more if they readily admitted to their shortcomings and mistakes and put things right, instead of behaving like numpties and trying to fight people off.

[learnerlawyer]

Re: Help !!! Default from Virgin Media for a disputed amount ???

If a wrongful default has caused damage or distress to you, you can sue for compensation.

Please can you tell me more ???

I've just spoken to the IC and she is due to make a response today however Virgin have failed to supply any documentation so I expect it will be that the default has been applied incorrectly.

I have previously been down the CEO route with Virgin and I was simply assigned a senior customer service person who couldn't understand that a specific procedure had to be followed in respect of the issueing of defaults, he was more interested in insisting that I owed them the money :tinysmile_hmm_t2: