VIRGIN Media customers could dodge an incoming £26-a-year hike to their bills by following one of two easy rules.
The telecoms firm is hiking its broadband, mobile and TV prices from this month, but the amount they are increasing by depends on when you took out a contract.
The price hike comes as part of the firm’s annual mid-contract price rise, which means bills will go up automatically for many customers.
Rivals Sky, BT, EE and Vodafone have all similarly hiked prices, with some increasing their bills by as much as 13%.
For Virgin Media customers who signed their contract before January 9 this year, their rise will be based on the Retail Price Index (RPI) rate of inflation, which was 3.6% in January, plus an extra 3.9%.
Anyone who joined more recently will face a flat £3.50 increase to their bills, following a crackdown by regulator Ofcom on inflation-linked price hikes.
But there are ways you can dodge the price rise this month, saving yourself up to £26 this year.
Haggle and stay
The first thing you can do is simply haggle with your provider. Threatening to leave if they company raises your price can often be enough to get a better deal.
Use a comparison site such as MoneySupermarket.com or Uswitch.com to find the best deals available in your area.
If you find a comparable deal for a better price than you’re being offered, call the Virgin customer retention team and tell them you would like a discount or will think of leaving.
Make sure to remain polite, but be firm and don’t take no for an answer or be prepared to leave.
If you’re not comfortable haggling over the phone, you could try chatting to a customer service agent through the live chat feature via www.virginmedia.com/help/live-chat.
It’s also worth checking your account, as Virgin often offers existing customers “exclusive deals” to stay with them.
Ditch and switch
If you are out of contract, which around 32% of broadband and pay-TV customers were as of June 2024, you can always cancel your contract penalty-free at any time.
This means you can cancel and then look for a cheaper deal. Remember, new customers are often offered better deals than existing customers, so you’re at an advantage.
You could also try going SIM-only for your phone if you are out of contract on a Virgin mobile tariff, as this tends to be cheaper.
It’s also never been easier to switch to a new broadband deal since Ofcom launched its One Touch Switch last September.
This means you now simply need to contact a new broadband provider in order to initiate switching. Just give them your address and the name of your current supplier.
The new provider should explain what steps you need to follow and it should then do the rest of the leg work for you.
Remember, you should not lose broadband for more than one working day during a switch. If you do or if anything else goes wrong, you may be able to claim compensation.
Even if you are not out of contract, you may still be able to leave your contract early, but be aware you may have to pay an exit fee.
You can generally only exit fee-free if your supplier has broken its contract, for example if it raises prices more than it stated in your contract, so check your contract first.
A spokesperson for Virgin Media said of its price rises: “We know that price changes are never welcome, but with broadband usage on our network up by nearly 10% last year, we continue to provide excellent value for connectivity that our customers are relying on more than ever before.
“We also continue to support customers who need it most – for example through exempting social tariff and Talk Protected landline customers from any price changes.”
CUT YOUR TELECOMS COSTS
By James Flanders, Chief Consumer Reporter
Switching contracts is one of the single best ways to save money on your mobile, broadband and TV bills.
But if you can’t switch mid-contract without facing a penalty, you’d be best to hold off until it’s up for renewal.
But don’t just switch contracts because the price is cheaper than what you’re currently paying.
Take a look at your minutes and texts, as well as your data usage, to find out which deal is best for you.
For example, if you’re a heavy internet user, it’s worth finding a deal that accommodates this so you don’t have to spend extra on bundles or add-ons each month.
In the weeks before your contract is up, use comparison sites to familiarise yourself with what deals are available.
It’s a known fact that new customers always get the best deals.
Sites like MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch all help you customise your search based on price, allowances and provider.
This should make it easier to decide whether to renew your contract or move to another provider.
However, if you don’t want to switch and are happy with the service you’re getting under your current provider – haggle for a better deal.
You can still make significant savings by renewing your contract rather than rolling on to the tariff you’re given after your deal.
If you need to speak to a company on the phone, be sure to catch them at the right time.
Make some time to negotiate with your provider in the morning.
This way, you have a better chance of being the first customer through on the phone, and the rep won’t have worked tirelessly through previous calls which may have affected their stress levels.
It pays to be polite when getting through to someone on the phone, as representatives are less inclined to help rude or aggressive customers.
Knowing what other offers are on the market can help you to make a case for yourself to your provider.
If your provider won’t haggle, you can always threaten to leave.
Companies don’t want to lose customers and may come up with a last-minute offer to keep you.
It’s also worth investigating social tariffs. These deals have been created for people who are receiving certain benefi
