Ofcom Hits Virgin Media With A Record breaking £28m Fine

Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £28 million after finding serious, repeated failures in how the company handled contract cancellations between 1 January 2022 to 11 September 2024. This is a immense fine, and the largest of its kind to any UK mobile operator.

What Ofcom Says Went Wrong

• Customers faced unreasonable hassle when trying to leave Virgin Media and switch to another provider.

• Ofcom found systemic problems with Virgin’s cancellation process, meaning issues weren’t isolated incidents.

• Ofcom estimates millions of calls (Jan 2022 to Sept 2024) were likely mishandled in ways that delayed or made switching harder.

Why This Matters To Customers

Ofcom says these tactics acted as a disincentive to switch, preventing people from taking advantage of better deals, directly against Ofcom’s rules meant to protect consumers.

The Penalty And What Happens Next

The fine is Ofcom’s largest ever under its consumer protection rules. Virgin Media has agreed to settle, which affected the final amount they will have to pay.

Ofcom Also Says Virgin Media Must:

• Introduce changes to training, monitoring, and related systems

• check that affected complaining customers receive compensation/remedies they’re entitled to, within six months

In the following statement, Natalie Black, Ofcom’s Group Director, Infrastructure and Connectivity, said:

“The facts are clear. Virgin Media made it harder for customers to cancel their contracts and then did not fully cooperate with our investigation. As a result, we are levelling our largest ever fine under our consumer protection rules for direct harm to consumers.

Its a clear and harsh lesson to all telecoms providers in the UK , providing consumers with the comfort that Ofcom is protecting their interests.

If you have ever felt the pain of switching or think that a fine this big is not justified, we look forward to hearing from you.