You never actually own any of vm's equipment. Even modems always belong to vm although they often wont collect them and simply ask you to keep them incase you ever reconnect. If you do keep a modem under these conditions then you are agreeing to keep it only for reconection - you do not have the right to sell it !
i'm still uncertain as to why they have the rights to ask for what amounts to no more than a donation of £150 for these boxes. sky asks for this kind of money or more for hd boxes but after the subscription ends the box belongs to you...
They basically class the £150 as a connection and administration fee but, as DavidH mentioned, if you haggle you can often get this fee either reduced or waived altogether.
I had to pay £60 installation fee and they wouldn't budge on that
I little annoyance I have is that it sometimes cuts the end off of recordings, I have set it to 5 mins before and 10 after but I guess it's when two other things are about to start recording immediatley afterwards, very annoying all the same