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Virgin Media to repay €3 million to 100,000 customers over 'post-cancellation charges'

Comreg said Virgin Media failed to proactively refund customers monies that were owed.

VIRGIN MEDIA IS set to pay 100,000 of its customers €3 million in refunds, following an investigation by regulator Comreg into so-called post-cancellation charges. 

The probe by Comreg found that Virgin was continuing to charge its customers after services were cancelled.

In a statement, the regulator said Virgin failed to proactively refund customers and instead retained the monies in inactive accounts. 

Its investigation concluded that Virgin Media retained these credits contrary to the Communications Regulations Act 2002, sections 45 (1) (a) (ii) and 45 (1) (b).

Comreg informed the company that it intended to seek a High Court restraining order, requiring Virgin Media to cease this practice.

Yesterday, Virgin Media provided formal commitments to Comreg that will see it pay out €3 million to customers that were affected.

Refunds are due to be paid to 100,000 customers by 31 March 2021.

The average refund due to customers is around €33.

Virgin Media will also review all other credits, other than those relating to post-cancellation charges, on any inactive accounts and refund those credits to customers by 30 June 2021.

The company has also established a dedicated helpline in respect of the refund process. It can be reached on 1800 941 770. It will also publish information on the Virgin Media website for customers affected by the issue. 

A Virgin Media spokesperson told TheJournal.ie: “Virgin Media takes regulatory compliance extremely seriously and it is our position that we are in full compliance with all our regulatory obligations.

“Virgin Media has proactively co-operated with ComReg throughout this entire process and we note the investigation has now concluded.”

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24 Comments
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    Mute Paul Heffernan
    Favourite Paul Heffernan
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    Aug 26th 2013, 10:20 AM

    Mains pipes in Limerick must be in a bad way. I work on the Ballysimon Road in Limerick and the amount of times the mains pipe on this road has burst is nuts.

    46
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    Mute Antonov Merinov
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    Aug 26th 2013, 10:35 AM

    By the looks of that pipe I bet the Romans had a better water supply.

    48
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    Mute Goebong
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    Aug 26th 2013, 10:37 AM

    Well done limerick country council great work getting the water supply back on do quick

    29
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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Aug 26th 2013, 12:21 PM

    Goebong.

    Am I reading your comment correct?

    Are you congragulating Limerick CITY council for actually doing the job they are being paid to do?

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    Mute Goebong
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    Aug 26th 2013, 1:51 PM

    Yes they done a great job water back on within hours great job people could have had no water all day

    17
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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Aug 26th 2013, 2:06 PM

    Goebung

    Thanks for confirming that we need to congragulate council workers for actually working.

    11
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    Mute Goebong
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    Aug 26th 2013, 2:27 PM

    So what do want to give out to them for doing a good job stop being so negative

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Aug 26th 2013, 3:40 PM

    Goebung

    Dont worry this time next year when their all transfered to Irish Water they will be too busy fixing water meters to have time to fix leaks, then you’ll be giving out.

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Aug 26th 2013, 3:48 PM

    It probably was a roman made pipe from roman times

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    Mute Robert Kelly
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    Aug 26th 2013, 12:10 PM

    Is that a stock photo of some pipe that leaked or a photo of water pipes typical of Limerick?

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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Aug 26th 2013, 12:23 PM

    Robert

    That is a stock photo. Howeveer it could also be a photo of typical water pipes anywhere in the country. Some water pipes have been repaired so often the councils would have paid 10 times less to actually replace them altogether.

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    Mute Bluemist
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    Aug 26th 2013, 10:37 AM

    That’s the council “engineers” for you

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    Mute Larry T Bird
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    Aug 26th 2013, 1:16 PM

    The pipe wil need to be fixed and stay fixed, as all the wh0res will need their weekly wash after the weekend

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    Mute Donal O'Byrne
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    Aug 26th 2013, 7:51 PM

    I guess the customers don’t wash at all?

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    Mute Ash
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    Aug 26th 2013, 1:52 PM

    Bit of plumbers mate… She’ll be grand….!

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    Mute Donncha Burke
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    Aug 26th 2013, 12:36 PM

    Do they use wooden pipes as in pic?

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Aug 26th 2013, 12:49 PM

    Pipes my side spear to burst a lot as well as the water is often off for repairs.

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