Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Ofcom says that it is concerned about the number of complaints it has received from Virgin Media customers who have tried to leave but said the company had made it difficult.
The regulator says that some people have struggled to get through to an agent on the phone, and some found their call was dropped mid-way through or were put on hold for long periods.
Ofcom says that rules are clear that the conditions or procedures telecom providers have in place must not act as a disincentive for customers who wish to cancel their contract.
As well as probing whether Virgin Media has complied with our contract termination rules, the investigation will also look at whether it has failed to meet requirements for complaints handling. This will include whether customers were appropriately informed of their right to escalate their complaint to an independent ombudsman.
Ofcom has also published an update on its action plan to support telecom customers during the cost-of-living crisis.
This includes renewed pressure on the major telecoms providers from Ofcom’s Chief Executive, Dame Melanie Dawes, who – in a letter to their Chief Executives – calls for immediate action from them on social tariffs. Dawes urges providers who have yet to introduce a social tariff to do so as soon as possible and, for those providers that do offer them, to step up their efforts to raise awareness – for example, through social media campaigns.