Virgin Media fined £28m for preventing customers from cancelling contracts

Virgin Media has been fined £28 million by Ofcom for deliberately preventing customers from cancelling their contracts. The communications regulator found that millions of customer calls between January 2022 and September 2024 were likely mishandled by call agents using tactics such as excessive transfers, repeated pressure to stay, and unnecessarily keeping customers on hold. Ofcom stated that Virgin Media's commission scheme financially rewarded agents for this behavior. The fine, which was reduced by 30% because Virgin Media admitted its failings and agreed to settle, is the largest ever imposed under Ofcom's consumer protection rules. Ofcom received complaints from 1,881 customers who reported difficulties cancelling. The regulator noted that Virgin Media had a two-tier system of retention agents, with only second-tier agents able to process cancellations, leading to over a million callers having to repeat their requests. Ofcom has since introduced a 'One Touch Switch' process to make changing providers easier.