Help needed won't pay

[hartreviews]

Hi peeps. I joined with virgin on the 22rd July.

Since the 8th August I had 3 failed external works done, even thou they said it was complete. Then a few days ago from this post I find out virgin cancelled my order due to an issue with trees not on my property.

I've discovered that am somewhat entitled to the £5.83 a day for 3 failed installation.

Remember this is around 4months of waiting for any service to be contented at my home.

Virgin are claiming am only entitled to £50 compensation.

Any help will be gratefully received as this is mind boggling. To add to this I've waited 4years for virgin to be available in my area😭😂

[Kath_F]

Hi hartreviews, 

Thanks for taking the time to contact us via the Community. It's lovely having you on board with us in the Forums. ⭐

We're sorry to hear that your installation was originally delayed but then later cancelled. 

Whenever there is a delay to your installation, the account is assessed to determine if automatic compensation is due. If so, it is then applied to the account either once services or active or once the account is cancelled. When external works are required by a third party contractor or permits are needed or if we're unable to install due to a reason outside of our control, this would not trigger a credit under the scheme.

If you've not received any credits then this would mean the reason for your delay did not meet the compensation eligibility criteria. You can view more about this here. 

Thanks, 

[goslow · Accepted solution]

This is a common story on here. After a lengthy wait, the customer is told they do not qualify for compensation and is offered a very small 'goodwill' payment instead.

You need to go back in your records to the 'date initially confirmed in writing' when VM said it would 'activate' your services. This usually mentions a technician coming to your house to install your equipment etc.

VM has come up with a range of elaborate excuses to avoid, or reduce, what it pays out in compensation. The most common of these is 'council permits' and the 'provisional' installation date.

You need to map out your timeline of events in chronological order (dates, times, messages, texts, emails, call records along with no-show visits from VM and failed visits where VM turned up but no work was done). Match any evidence of each of these along the timeline.

Refer to the compensation scheme

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/216962/Industry-Code-of-Practice-for-Automatic-...

and updated rates

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/automat...

and work out what you think you are due.

Inevitably you will need to take this to arbitration to get any kind of pay-out so first you have to submit a formal complaint to VM

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/complaints

This will, most likely, result in no useful outcome but is a required first step to go to arbitration. 8 weeks after you complained, or earlier with a deadlock letter, you can go to arbitration.

https://www.commsombudsman.org/

The 'council permits' excuse, which VM uses to avoid paying, applies to any delay exclusively caused by a wait for a permit. Most councils turn permits around quickly within a couple of days.

VM generally tries to blame the whole of a long delay on the council to try to avoid paying. You can phone up your council to ask when permits were requested and granted. This has demolished VM's argument in past arbitration cases when the customer obtained this evidence.

The 'provisional' installation date has been dismissed at arbitration in the past but in some cases the adjudicator has made reductions in the pay-out. In cases where the 'provisional' installation date excuse was dismissed, VM gave the customer no indication the date was a provisional one and kept issuing new dates when there was no prospect of any installation happening without a cable being in place.

Some past topics may offer you some encouragement to go via the ombudsman. In many of these cases the customer was told they were due no compensation and in many cases the adjudicator awarded some meaningful compensation by way of a 3 or 4 figure sum

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Compensation-awarded-by-CISAS-after-faile...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Pre-Pull-Nightmare/m-p/5275679#M226421

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/Compensation-Scheme/m-p/5304899#M22...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Compensation-advice-please/m-p/5326587#M2...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/Compensation/m-p/5375731#M236832

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Waiting-for-pre-installation-work-can-I-c...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/My-Install-Tale-of-Woe-Since-October-So-F...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Delayed-installation/m-p/5420709#M238025

[hartreviews]

Thank you for your reply and sorry for my late response. 

I've since asked VM to try again to install my Internet. They did say its human error, once yes but 3 times😂

They offered £50 on which I declined.

I will keep you updated as my date is 6th Nov. Again thank you for reply, really appreciate your help. 

[John_GS]

Hi @hartreviews 

Thanks for coming back to us.

I'll send you a PM now to assist further.

Best wishes.