What to do before you cancel Virgin Media broadband
Before you go ahead and contact Virgin Media to cancel, there's a little preparation to do. First, if you're still in contract, check if you’re liable for any early cancellation fees. You'll also need to find a new broadband deal.
Check your contract
Virgin Media broadband contracts are fixed for a set length of time, usually this is 18 months. After that, they switch to a rolling monthly contract. If you're within this fixed period, you may be liable for an early disconnection fee.
You can read our guide to checking your Virgin contract end date to find out how long's left of your contract period.
Depending on your circumstances, Virgin Media can sometimes waive the termination fee. So you’ll want to contact their customer service team. Especially if the reason you’re changing your provider is that you’re having problems with your broadband service.
Find a new broadband deal
Finding a new deal before contacting Virgin Media means you can sign up to a new service in plenty of time and have it begin the moment it's needed. This could be either when you move into a new home, or as soon as your Virgin Media contract ends. As Virgin works on its own, separate network, there's a good chance you could overlap a new service, so there's never a day without an internet connection.
For more help, read our guides:
- 'Switching from Virgin Media to BT Broadband'
- 'Switching from Virgin Media to TalkTalk'
- 'Switching to a provider on the Openreach network'.
Here are some of the best deals available now:
Or to check availability in your area, start by using our deals checker:
How to cancel Virgin Media broadband
If you’re out of contract: cancelling Virgin Media broadband for free
If the fixed-term part of your Virgin Media broadband contract has finished, or you're still within the 14-day cooling-off period, you can cancel for free. There might be attempts to persuade you to stay, but there's nothing to say you have to if you don’t want to.
Call Virgin Media and select the option ‘If you’re thinking of leaving Virgin Media’. Call 150 from your Virgin Media telephone, or call 0345 454 1111 from any other phone to cancel. For more information, check out our Virgin Media customer service numbers page.
Cancelling Virgin Media broadband if you’re still under contract
If you're still within the fixed-term of your contract, you might be charged a cancellation fee if you leave early.
You can see how far into your contract you are from the 'Your Account' section on the Virgin Media website. A customer service agent will also be able to tell you.
There's no set fee as Virgin Media will make an assessment depending on the reason you’re leaving, the package you have and any other circumstances. Usually, this is either the whole monthly fee, or a percentage of the monthly fee for the remaining period of the contract.
Cancelling Virgin Media broadband when moving house
You'll need to get in touch with Virgin Media in good time before moving home. You can start this process through its live chat service. Bear in mind, it might not be possible to transfer your current package if it isn't available at your new address.
There's a £20 charge to move home with Virgin Media. This will rise to £35 if you joined or renewed your contract after 25th May 2023.
It won't be a problem if your move date falls through. You'll either be able to make changes, or get your broadband service back up and running at your current address without fuss.
Cancelling a broadband package due to death
Virgin Media has a dedicated bereavement team who you can speak to by phoning 0800 952 2302. You can find more information about Virgin's bereavement and critical illness support in our separate guide.
Virgin Media broadband early cancellation fees
As mentioned, Virgin Media calculates early cancellation fees on an individual basis, but will usually include all or a large part of your monthly fee. It will be multiplied by the number of months you have left in your contact to come up with a figure. Here's a guide to Virgin Media's current early disconnection fee calculations. You can also check its early disconnection help page.
Keep an eye out for switching credits if you want to move to another provider. They do exist! For example, if you wanted to move to Sky but still had a couple of months left on your Virgin Media contract, Sky Broadband will reimburse you for this. There's more info about this in our guide - 'Switching from Virgin Media to Sky'.
Frequently Asked Questions about cancelling Virgin Media
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What's Virgin Media broadband’s notification period?
The standard notice period for cancelling Virgin Media broadband is 30 days’ notice.
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Do I need to return my Virgin Media Wi-Fi router or TV box?
Virgin Media loans you the equipment for the term of your contract. Depending on how long that's been and how old the router or TV box is, you may have to return it. If you need to, you'll be sent prepaid packaging for any equipment returns.
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Can I keep my phone number?
You can keep your existing phone number when switching providers. You will need to notify both Virgin Media and your new provider that you want to keep your number and they'll arrange it.
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Can I keep my email address if I leave Virgin Media?
If you have a @virginmedia.com or @ntlworld email address, this will be closed within 90 days if you leave Virgin Media. For more information, visit our guide: "Can I keep my email address if I change broadband provider?"
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Can I cancel for free if my Virgin Media broadband is too slow?
Yes, this may be possible. Virgin has signed up to the Ofcom broadband speed code of practice, which includes a right to leave a contract if a provider is unable to deliver a minimum speed. Speak to technical support first; free cancellation will only be an option if Virgin Media agrees your speed doesn't meet the required minimum standard, and it's unable to fix the problem.
Expert Summary
Cancelling your Virgin Media broadband contract should be pretty easy, although it can be pricey to leave whilst you're still in contract.
We recommend only changing providers once your contract is finished. However, if you’ve really had enough and don’t mind potentially paying out, you can leave at any time.
Before cancellation, use our deals checker to see what deals are available in your area. You can compare and get something sorted, so you won’t have to be without broadband.
Remember, as Virgin Media works on its own network, it's possible to organise a new broadband supplier and have some crossover time. This means, if you switch from Virgin Media, you should be able to arrange it so you never experience any internet downtime.