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pbarneybarnes's avatar
pbarneybarnes
On our wavelength
19 days ago

No Internet Since 26 Feb - Reconnection Quoted As 6th June. Serious work repurcussions. Legal Options?

Hello

Due to a neighbour's construction cutting through my line, I lost internet on 26 February. 

The whole saga is relayed in this thread: https://community.virginmedia.com/discussions/Setup/engineers-never-show-up---every-day-installation-is-cancelled/5624714/replies/5631596

Since then, VM has sent two engineers, and promised - guaranteed - reconnection over 20 times, all with no coherent follow-up or explanation.

I work from home as a digital marketer. I cannot do my job properly without broadband and am facing the most severe consequences from the company I work for.

Now, next in this series, they are saying June 6th(!)

This has gone from an irritant to a very serious issue. Tethering on my phone is untenable for me and has impacted my job. 

Obviously, I'm at my wits end.

1) Would another company be able to provide me broadband if Virgin can't?
2) Do I have any legal options here?

Obviously, this has gone far beyond acceptable and well into the realms of major issue. 

11 Replies

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  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    19 days ago

    No legal options at all with a residential service. You will just get compensation, but you may have to fight VM for it. 

    In a job like yours you should certainly have a backup service. 

    • pbarneybarnes's avatar
      pbarneybarnes
      On our wavelength
      19 days ago

      I do, I have tethering on mobile network, which is viable stopgap in the short term, but there are issues whereby if I use the phone mobile data and laptop at the same time, it kicks the laptop off the tethering and it's a constant headwind as far as working with any agility on specific tasks.

      I'm currently paying Virgin a broadband subscription, plus the unlimited tethering.

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    19 days ago

    You could try finding an Openreach provider to install a service on a 30 day rolling contract. They may be hard to find and availability may be area-dependent. Installation cost and monthly cost is usually higher than a fixed term. Quality of provision seems to vary significantly from past reports on here.

    Can you find another location to work such as somewhere with public wi-fi, library etc.? Would a neighbour allow you temporary access to their network as a guest? Can you find a better means of using mobile wi-fi such as a hotspot device or a router with a SIM slot etc. rather than phone thethering?

    There are no guarantees or SLA on VM's residential connections. All you are entitled to is the automatic compensation scheme.

    https://www.virginmedia.com/help/billing-and-payments/automatic-compensation

    If you rely on broadband for WFH, you need a backup option always on standby and ready to go when needed.

    • pbarneybarnes's avatar
      pbarneybarnes
      On our wavelength
      19 days ago

      Yes, thank you. I'm on tethering at the moment, it's OK as a backup but there are tasks that I need my own network for. 

      I've used my parents' house for some tasks but it's a real pain. 

      I'm wondering if another company can install broadband, even if Virgin 'can't'.

  • -tony-'s avatar
    -tony-
    Alessandro Volta
    19 days ago

    any openreach based system can be installed or City Fibre if its in our area - the VM system is unique to them so just look at alternatives - another option an install via 3 - that can be 30 day rolling contract for about £25 - mobile sim in their router - you order it they send the router and sim and plug it in - can give 300 ish down 80 ish up - check on the 3 site they will look at your post code and advise - they do 4g and 5g - if you cannot get 5g then its pretty poor

    i ran on 3 for a year or so - purely home networking but it worked well - the position of their router is key - near a window and highish up

    • pbarneybarnes's avatar
      pbarneybarnes
      On our wavelength
      19 days ago

      Thanks, I've got 3 Mobile Tethering but it's inconsistent.

      It's just as much the fact that VM are charging me for the new couple of months and not providing a service. It's absolutely shocking. They refuse to pause or cancel my contract.

      • -tony-'s avatar
        -tony-
        Alessandro Volta
        19 days ago

        unfortanatly its the way it works - i dont think VM are alone in charging you even though you dont have a working connection - i think thats what the ofcom rules say but you are entitled to about £10 a day compensation - they can reduce the days by 2 as they are allowed that to repair the line - they can also reduce it by any days they are waiting for council permissions to dig the road or pavement if thats needed - they BS on that telling you it can be 7 or more days - complete rubbish - 2 at most - non in some areas so factor in 2 lost days 

        £30 if they miss an appointment that you need to be there and they either dont turn up or fail to tell tou 24 hours in advance

        at the end of it when all the planets are in a line and they turn up they will do their best to rob you of what compensation you are owed and make you a stupid low offer

        have non of it - work out what you are due and go to the arbitrator - open a complaint now as 8 weeks from a complaint has to pass before you can go to the arbitrator - if they close it in non understandable english thats good as thats out of the way

        keep recors and if you need help at the end come back here - if they mess you about with silly offers take no notice and when you claim add £100 - £150 to what you are dues for the lies and BS

  • pbarneybarnes's avatar
    pbarneybarnes
    On our wavelength
    19 days ago

    I spoke to them today and they refused to cancel the contract on an account where they are not providing service, and haven't for over a month.

    Should I cancel my direct debit!?

    • -tony-'s avatar
      -tony-
      Alessandro Volta
      19 days ago

      do not cancel your DD -  VM are rubbish in many areas but accounts and dept collecting work like a swiss clock - they will simply put your account out to a debt collector and put a black mark on your credit report 

      take the £70 ish per week which should more than cover what you are paying them and give you a profit at the end

      28th feb to now is 36 days or there abouts - -2 for the first 48 hours and 2 more [maybe] for council permissions - so tha 31

      so you have £300 in the bank - they might think differently but they are wrong - reduce that by whatever they take and you are still quids in i hope

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    19 days ago

    We have seen endless past topics on here where cancelling a direct debit (when VM is still expecting payment) has resulted in one thing and one thing only which is the launch of VM's debt recovery processes. This part of the VM organisation works very efficiently. The short term consequence is missed payment fees. The longer term consequences could be being cut off, having credit defaults logged against you and visits from debt collectors.

    If you want out of the contract with VM, log a formal complaint with VM requesting that as VM is failing to provide the service and also failing to fix in a reasonable time frame. Then escalate to the ombudsman

    https://www.commsombudsman.org/our-process

    In the meantime follow through and investigate the other suggestions to keep you online while you wait.

    It is totally unpredictable when VM will actually fix your fault. It could be next week or it could be months away. However, based on many similar past topics, when the date for the work gets booted weeks into the future, it is very likely that some show-stopping problem has been found (quite likely to do with cost/resources) and your wait may well be longer, rather than shorter. It would be entirely possible for you to find further delays are imposed on you. In the meantime explore other options and keep detailed notes of everything that happens in a timeline format along with accompanying evidence (texts, screenshots, emails etc.) to ensure you get paid the correct compo at the end.