How to cancel your Virgin Media contract
Dan Howdle • December 8th, 2025
Cancelling Virgin Media isn’t as simple as clicking a button. We wish it was. But unfortunately for Virgin Media customers it's one of the least straightforward cancellation processes of any major provider.
Between notice periods, early-exit fees, bundle complications with separate billing elements and contract timelines. and the fact you almost always have to phone them to cancel, the process can feel deliberately awkward – and who knows, maybe it is. So let’s break down exactly how cancellation works, what you’ll owe if anything, and the steps to follow if you want your cancellation to go as smoothly as possible.
Virgin Media cancellation – the basics
Cancelling Virgin Media is a very specific process. Not complex per se, but specific. It's Virgin's way or the highway. Unlike most providers, Virgin Media doesn’t offer a simple online cancellation option where you log into your account and hit a button. In all cases, you must give 30 days notice, and contact them directly by phone or live chat to start the process.
The 30-day notice applies whether you’re in contract or out of contract. And if you’re still within your contract term, you’ll usually pay early exit fees on top. If you're out of contract, there won't be any fees, but the 30 days still apply, which often catches people out, since it usually pushes you into a whole extra month of billing.
Bundles (with TV, home phone and maybe a mobile SIM) add another layer of complexity. Cancelling broadband will automatically cancel your TV and phone – both of which rely specifically on having Virgin Media Broadband – while downgrading anything mid-contract will trigger new minimum terms. A brand new contract, basically. Here's an overview:
| Service | Minimum term rules | Notice period | Cancellation method(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadband | 18-month minimum, exit fees apply if leaving early | 30 days | Phone or live chat only |
| TV | Linked to your broadband, removing TV may restart or extend your broadband contract | 30 days | Phone or live chat only |
| Phone | Bundled with broadband by electing to have it, standalone cancellations uncommon | 30 days | Phone or live chat only |
| Bundles | One contract covers all your services and removing one may trigger a new contract | 30 days | Phone or live chat only |
Virgin Media’s approach is consistent across all its services. There's a fixed notice period, no instant cancellations, and unless you'll have to speak to Virgin Media directly. You may think you can avoid speaking to them by switching to a new provider and letting your new provider sort it out, but Virgin Media will phone you anyway to try to convince you to stay. There's no way around it.
Cooling-off periods and cancelling penalty-free
Virgin Media does allow penalty-free cancellations during your contract except in the case of your 14-day cooling-off period, which applies when you first join or start a new contract. Outside of that, you’ll only avoid exit fees if your broadband or TV service is broken and can't be fixed, if the terms of your contract or monthly cost radically changes, or if they can’t provide their service at your new address.
Virgin’s 14-day cooling-off window
If you’ve just joined Virgin Media or upgraded to a new package, you have 14 days to cancel without paying any exit fees. This covers broadband, TV, phone and bundles. Once the 14 days are up, the normal minimum-term rules kick in and early termination charges apply.
Significant contract changes or unscheduled price hikes
You can also leave penalty-free if Virgin makes a change that affects what you pay or what you get. This usually includes price rises outside what your contract originally set out (though they're very careful about this these days), major alterations to your terms, or instances where the service repeatedly fails to meet the guaranteed minimum performance and can't be remedied.
When you move house to somewhere Virgin Media's not available
If you move somewhere Virgin Media isn't available, you can cancel without paying early termination fees. Virgin can only charge you for leaving early if they're available at your new address, so if they're not, you can leave without penalty. Used to be Virgin Media would charge you for the remainder of your contact anyway, but it got in a lot of trouble with Ofcom for that and was forced to change its policy.
Understanding Virgin Media's early exit fees
Virgin Media’s early exit fees are based on the remaining monthly cost of your contract, with VAT added on top. This means leaving early can be extremely expensive, especially if you're signed up to a super-duper bundle like Max Volt. But in essence, more months you have left on your contract, the more you're going to pay if you leave early.
Broadband cancellation rules
If you're on a broadband only package, Virgin Media simply charges you for the remaining months of your minimum term at the standard monthly rate plus VAT. Discounts you received during your contract don’t reduce the exit fee, and if you came in on some sort of bill credit or reward card offer, you may have to pay that back! It's quite brutal, but by no means a policy that's exclusive to Virgin.
Cancelling TV – why it complicates everything
Virgin TV contracts are tied to your Virgin broadband – you can't have TV on its own, in fact. But Virgin Media makes this even more bonded by putting them under one contract, which means if you want to cancel your TV, but don't want to cancel your broadband you'll need a whole new contact, which means you'll be restarting your 18 months.
Virgin early termination fee examples
| Plan type (from screenshots) | Months remaining | Estimated exit fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband (£18.99/m) | 6 months | £114* |
| Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband + Calls (£32.99/m) | 6 months | £198* |
| Virgin Media Max Volt (1.1Gb + TV + Netflix + O2 SIM, £84.99/m) | 6 months | £509.94* |
*Estimated based on monthly prices correct at time of writing: Remaining months times monthly cost including VAT.
Easily compare the best deals, providers and speeds where you live. It's free and takes less than a minute to check your postcode.
How to actually cancel Virgin Media
Virgin Media doesn’t make cancellation especially easy to be absolutely frank. And unlike some other providers there’s still no online cancellation route for most customers beyond Virgin's livechat. The process is built around routing you to the retentions team, confirming your identity, and having a shot at convincing you to stay. Here’s how that works in practice:
Phone cancellations
Calling Virgin Media is still the only effective way to cancel. You’ll be put through to the retentions team, who’ll verify your details, attempt to persuade you to stay, and then process your 30-day notice. Expect the call to take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes depending on how hard they try to convince you to stay.
Cancelling via WhatsApp or chat (limited and redirected)
Virgin Media offers WhatsApp as well as live a chat option on its website, but they're really just a means to direct you to retentions. They can answer basic questions and begin the process, but you'l still be told to confirm your cancellation by phone.
Cancelling via post (slow, but possible)
You can technically cancel by writing to Virgin Media (Virgin Media, Sunderland, SR43 4AA), but it’s slow and not without risk, because postal delays can push back your 30-day notice period, and Virgin may continue billing you until the request is received and verified. Once your request is received then, you guessed it, they're going to phone you anyway.
Full Fibre 900
First month payable upfront
910Mb
Average speed
No phone line
24
Month contract
Zero upfront cost
£31.99 Per month
Effective monthly cost is calculated by adding up all the monthly costs, price rises and any discounts and dividing it by the contract length.
Once activated you'll receive claim information by email and must claim within 2 months, then activate within 3 months of it being issued.
Full Fibre Gigafast
600Mbps speed guarantee£5 fee refunded to first bill
900Mb
Average speed
Pay as you go calls
24
Month contract
Zero upfront cost
£39.00 Per month
Effective monthly cost is calculated by adding up all the monthly costs, price rises and any discounts and dividing it by the contract length.
You will be sent instructions on how to choose your Gift Card up to 120 days after your purchase. You will have 90 days to claim your Gift Card by sending it to your email or mobile phone.
Gig1 Fibre Broadband
Fixed price until March 2026 bill
1.1Gb
Average speed
No phone line
24
Month contract
Zero upfront cost
£30.99 Per month
Effective monthly cost is calculated by adding up all the monthly costs, price rises and any discounts and dividing it by the contract length.
£145 bill credit, meaning no charge for the first four months, then month five is reduced.
Returning Virgin Media equipment
Once your cancellation is confirmed, Virgin Media will ask you to return all of your equipment. This usually includes your Hub router, TV box, and any remotes, power cables or mesh boosters you were supplied. Anything classed as 'loaned' must be sent back, and that will include everything but the cables and breakout box on the wall.
Returns are handled through prepaid kits or drop-off services. Virgin typically sends packaging and a returns label, but you may be directed to use a Collect+ or EVRi drop-off point. In some cases (for example where mobility is an issue for you), Virgin will offer a home collection, though this isn’t guaranteed and isn’t the standard method.
If you don’t return the equipment within the required timeframe, Virgin will add charges to your final bill. These fees vary depending on the hardware, and TV boxes generally carry the highest non-return fee.
The bottom line
Cancelling Virgin Media isn’t difficult, but it’s rarely as quick or as simple as most of us would reasonably expect. Virgin Media doesn't like haemorrhaging customers, so you’ll almost always need to call them. You’ll also need to give 30 days notice, and you may face exit fees unless you’re out of contract or covered by one of the penalty-free exceptions we've talked about in this guide.
So make sure you know where you are in your contract before calling, gather any details Virgin Media might ask for, and be ready to return any equipment promptly to avoid extra charges. With the right preparation and a clear understanding of how Virgin Media handles cancellations, you can navigate the process cleanly and avoid any nasty surprises on your final bill.
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