Virgin Media has been fined a record £28 million by Ofcom for repeatedly preventing customers from cancelling their contracts, marking the regulator's largest-ever consumer protection penalty.
Ofcom investigation reveals deliberate call-dropping tactics
The telecoms watchdog found that Virgin Media stopped or delayed millions of customers from switching to rival providers through widespread and often deliberate mishandling of calls. Over a near three-year period from January 2022 to September 2024, the company caused customers on millions of calls unreasonable effort, hassle, or undue difficulty when trying to cancel.
Ofcom said Virgin Media used tactics including attempts to pressure customers to stay, unnecessary call transfers to other departments, keeping callers on hold, deliberately dropping calls, and failing to process cancellations on the system. The company also repeatedly failed to comply with Ofcom's information-gathering process during the investigation.
Record fine under consumer protection rules
Natalie Black, Ofcom's group director for infrastructure and connectivity, said: "The facts are clear. Virgin Media made it harder for customers to cancel their contracts and then did not fully co-operate with our investigation. As a result, we are levelling our largest-ever fine under our consumer protection rules for direct harm to consumers. Today, we are sending a clear message that any provider who wilfully acts against the interests of their customers will pay a heavy price."
Virgin Media was previously fined by Ofcom in 2018 for breaching the same rule, which requires communications providers to treat customers fairly and handle complaints transparently.
Virgin Media responds with customer service overhaul
A Virgin Media spokesperson said the company had "completely redesigned" its customer service in recent years and addressed the "historic shortfalls" through a number of improvements. "Our customer service turnaround strategy, underpinned by significant investment, has been transformational. Ofcom's latest data shows that Virgin Media is now the least-complained-about broadband provider with complaints at record lows, and complaints specifically relating to 'difficulties leaving' were 89% lower last year than in 2023," the spokesperson added.
