Virgin Media has received a €255,000 fine for failing to issue some Irish customers with a permanent record of their contract with the company.

Commission for Communications Regulation's (Comreg) investigation found that 26,046 customers who signed up for services by phone and online were not given a copy of their contract in a 'durable form' such as a print copy or an email.

This broke rules introduced in 2013 which offer protections to customers who sign up for services in these ways.

The regulator said that this "made it difficult for the affected Virgin Media customers to recognise and see exactly what they were being charged for by the company." It says that this issue was brought to their attention after customers complained to Comreg.

The firm is now required to contact the affected users and to issue them with concrete records of their contracts. They will also be given a 14 day period during which they can cancel their contracts if they are unhappy.

Virgin accepted the findings and will pay the fine in full.