V-Flyer

WARNING - THIS DOES GO ON A BIT

In Dec 06 - before Virgin Media took them over - I cancelled my broadband contract with ntl. Imagine my chagrin then when on Fri last I got a letter from Virgin Media saying that I had not been paying for my broadband service but that the 'right amount' would be taken from my account in future. The letter from the Customer Service MD, went on to say.... 'as this was our mistake, we won't ask you to pay the difference'.
I contacted Virgin Media customer services and after 20 mins or so managed to persuade the patronising operative that I had never had broadband from his company. He undertook to 'sort it' but, in answer to my question, saw no reason to provide me with written proof that I didn't owe any money.
I have since e-mailed the Customer Service MD with a request that he: furnishes me with a letter (or e-mail) stating unequivocally that I do not owe any money; deletes my details from the database inherited from ntl (they have my address AND bank details); and confirms that I have not had, nor do not have an account with Virgin Media.
Having witnessed at first hand the telephone operative's handling of the situation, I am less than sanguiine that I will receive the assurances I seek. Any ideas what else I can be doing?[ii]

Having had a similar experience with another broadband provider I would suggest:

(i) Keeping a close eye on your bank account to make sure no money is debited
(ii) Contact your bank and advise them of the situation - they may be able to stop any requests for money from you account before it goes out.

Hope you have a speedy, successful resolution to this matter.

Dean

As I understand it, if you were paying ntl by direct debit and have cancelled that facility Virgin cannot directly collect any money they claim you owe them from your bank account. If you did cancel the mandate and the bank does pay out to Virgin then the bank are in breach of the direct debit guarantee.

Paul

Originally posted by pjh
As I understand it, if you were paying ntl by direct debit and have cancelled that facility Virgin cannot directly collect any money they claim you owe them from your bank account. If you did cancel the mandate and the bank does pay out to Virgin then the bank are in breach of the direct debit guarantee.

Paul

That's the way I read it too, Paul. The DD was cancelled in Dec 06, and I have even been able to dig out a letter from ntl (yes I do hoard things) confirming cancellation of my account wef 31 Dec 06.

I'm not concerned that Virgin Media will present a request for payment to my bank (I have checked my DDs online and neither ntl nor Virgin Media feature in the list). What does give me cause for some concern is the fact that some 18 months after I cancelled an account with one company, my details are now in the possession of another company with whom I have never had any dealings. [?]

I think technically it is the same company - I think the way it worked was the ntl company was simply renamed to Virgin Media.

You could argue that they are breaching the DPA as must ensure personal information is: 'Not kept for longer than is necessary'

My mate got the same letter on Saturday, he canceled his account with Virgin over a year ago.