Virgin Media hikes prices for broadband, TV and mobile customers: here’s how to avoid them

Virgin Media is informing its prospects that this 12 months’s costs will rise “on common” by 13.8%, with the will increase taking impact on both 1 April or 1 Might, relying on the package deal.

It’s the newest supplier to substantiate worth rises for 2023, as telecoms suppliers pile on the strain at a time when many households are struggling to make ends meet.

Luckily, Virgin Media prospects have extra choices than many others: it’s attainable to change away, with out penalty, however this would be the final time prospects shall be in a position to take action.

How Virgin Media prospects can keep away from the hikes

Not like many different broadband suppliers who construct these annual costs into the phrases and circumstances, Virgin’s contracts don’t at present include the identical phrases. As such, prospects can swap with out exit charges – however they have to accomplish that inside 30 days of being knowledgeable of the value enhance.

However Virgin will make a change to its T&Cs, which can apply from April 2024, which can stop prospects strolling away with out penalty when subsequent 12 months’s will increase are introduced.

To make issues worse, whereas most different suppliers use the patron worth index (CPI) as the premise for worth will increase, including between 3 and three.9 per cent on high, Virgin Media will use the a lot increased retail worth index (RPI), and add. 3.9% on high of that. At the moment, RPI is at 13.4%, in comparison with 10.5% for CPI, so it’s a vital additional enhance. Virgin Media will change into the one broadband supplier to make use of RPI.

We requested Virgin Media about its pricing plans. It confirmed the modifications and stated that whereas a worth enhance is rarely welcome, it, like many companies, skilled considerably elevated prices to adjust to the request. It acknowledged its dedication to supporting prospects and that weak prospects (eg these on social tariffs) wouldn’t see the value of their deal rise.

For a lot of prospects, nonetheless, the newest announcement will characterize a chance to discover a higher deal.

Many purchasers have been sad with facets of Virgin Media’s service – learn our information to the best and worst broadband providers to see the way it rated, and who got here out on high.

Do you have to swap or discount as a Virgin Media buyer?

If you happen to’re pleased with the service you get from Virgin Media, you is likely to be tempted additional haggle for a better deal, quite than altering. Bargaining is best when your contract is up, however for those who’re struggling to pay your payments at any level, it is at all times price calling and explaining your state of affairs.

• Suppliers agreed new commitments to help customers struggling to pay their bills.
• For these on advantages, ours a guide to social rates explains how low cost charges can be found to assist cut back your payments.

Nonetheless, do not forget that bargaining usually includes signing a brand new contract, and as such you will not be in as robust a place subsequent 12 months when the brand new T&Cs stop prospects from leaving with out paying excessive exit charges.

Switching is likely to be the best choice. Switching broadband supplier is straightforward – 61% of switches in a latest Which? survey advised us they discovered switching provider simple to do, and 77% ended up with cheaper packages in consequence.

Our information on how to change bandwidth may help, or go to our number of the best broadband dealswith quick fiber packages from underneath £22 a month.

Which broadband suppliers are greatest and worst for costs?

Many suppliers have but to announce this 12 months’s will increase, however BT Group, which incorporates BT, EE and Plusnet, has already stated it would proceed with costs of 14.4% for the overwhelming majority of its prospects, together with those that are with out contract . The desk under reveals how we’d count on suppliers to extend costs this 12 months.

^{*Shell Power Broadband reserves the correct to extend costs by CPI plus ‘as much as 3%’}

Prospects of different suppliers take a special method. For instance, Sky sometimes units its personal costs, quite than following CPI or RPI, and above-inflation rises will not be at present constructed into the contract, so prospects can haggle or change when notified.

Some suppliers decide to protecting costs the identical all through the contract – Zen Web, Hyperoptic and SSE all promise to not increase costs throughout folks’s minimal contract interval.

Factoring in every supplier’s method to annual pricing may help shield you in opposition to future will increase.

Who? calls on suppliers to do extra to assist prospects

A Who? marketing campaign calls on important companies, together with telecommunications suppliers, to assist customers grapple with the affect of the price of dwelling disaster. Like supermarkets and vitality corporations, service suppliers should come collectively to create a fairer market, and assist these battling the monetary and emotional affect of rising costs.

We’re calling on all suppliers allow customers to leave their contract and switch without penalty if costs rise in the course of a contract – no matter whether or not or not these will increase may be stated to be “clear”.

Given the present financial circumstances, we’ve got additionally known as for all suppliers to think about extra rigorously what degree of mid-contract worth will increase is justified.

Rocio Concha, Who? Director of Coverage and Advocacy, stated:

‘Virgin Media O2 is hitting its prospects with an enormous price ticket when many will already be battling the price of dwelling disaster, however prospects with contracts can haggle for a greater deal or swap to a less expensive supplier with out having to pay a penalty. Virgin Broadband prospects specifically might need to swap, as the corporate is constantly among the many worst performers in Which?’s buyer satisfaction surveys.

‘Disappointingly, the corporate additionally plans to observe others by introducing the damaged mannequin of above-inflationary worth will increase baked into buyer contracts. Ofcom is investigating companies that use this observe over fears that they aren’t anticipating the eye-popping migrations folks might face. Many purchasers on these contracts at present discover themselves trapped and face a lose-lose selection between worth will increase or vital exit charges in the event that they need to swap to a greater deal.

– Who? requires all suppliers to permit all prospects to exit their contracts without spending a dime if their tariff rises mid-contract and for anybody eligible for a social tariff to be allowed to maneuver to at least one with out going through exit charges.’

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For extra methods to avoid wasting, learn our information 10 ways to save on your broadband and TV bills.