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DidcotJM92's avatar
DidcotJM92
Tuning in
2 years ago

VM trying to worm out of agreed compensation for delayed installation

Had an e-contract with agreed installation and activation date of 5th April, booked from back in the beginning of March. Assured there were no issues and no works needed etc, as it was a new house and we're very reliant on broadband for both work and communication with family, doctors, for a young baby. 

They told us on 4th April it was now moved to 18th April due to external works needed. I literally watched the works get completed on the 5th and after many phone calls with the pre-installation team, got to the bottom of it - the works were completed quickly, they just don't have the engineers available, so will not bring the new date of the 18th forward for any reason. 

Was told by the pre-installation team I was eligible for daily compensation for every missed day from the 5th (£5.25 per day according the Ofcom regs). They also told me to buy an O2 dongle and sim card to work from home with and contact my son's doctor, and I would be able to be reimbursed once my broadband was activated. 

Now an agent on this forum is trying to tell me I'm not eligible for automatic compensation as the 5th was only 'provisional.' She also says they never advise anyone to buy O2 equipment and be reimbursed, so I must have been hearing things on multiple occasions. I sent her the Ofcom regs with no mention of 'provisional' dates anywhere and have asked to raise a formal complaint. She's now ignoring me and didn't raise the complaint. 

Apparently I also need 'evidence' the pre-install team told me I'd be reimbursed for the dongle, despite VM refusing to ever send email or text notes from a phone call. "The details of this conversation are all noted on your account sir, yes sir, I promise." Hmm, yeah. Sure they were. After hours and hours on the phone, no agent ever seems to make any sense regarding my case, despite them claiming all these notes and details are added after every call. 

So I've provided the dates, times, and call lengths of all the calls where these promises have been made. Apparently a manager will review the call recordings. I am (of course) not allowed access to the recordings or any written confirmation that this process is taking place. I did however voice record this most recent agent making these most recent set of promises, as I've learned my lesson. 

Has anyone else dealt with, or is dealing with, this kafka-esque nightmare? Never known an organization to be so openly dishonest and contemptuous towards a customer. Looking for advice and moral support!

compensation
Delays
installation

9 Replies

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  • DidcotJM92's avatar
    DidcotJM92
    Tuning in
    2 years ago

    Update - the agent has now responded and raised my complaint, so only fair to add that here. She is still trying to worm out of compensation with the nonsense detailed above though. 

    • goslow's avatar
      goslow
      Alessandro Volta
      2 years ago

      Read through past topics and (unfortunately) you will find carbon copies of your installation story along with similar dubious information relayed by various branches of the VM organisation. The 'provisional' installation date is an invention of VM's to try to minimise or remove compensation pay-outs.

      The provisional installation date concept does not appear in the OFCOM documentation for the compensation scheme but it would seem that the ombudsman has given the idea some validity in past adjudication cases where the outcome has been fed back on here.

      From past cases it seems much depends on the info you were given as you went along. VM sometimes issues an activation date with no mention of possible variations (such as the example below which mentions the technician coming on a specific date to install equipment)

      https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Ofcom-compensation-on-installs/td-p/5416574

      A notification which mentions other work might be involved might be considered as 'provisional' as below

      https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Technician-No-show/td-p/5396742

      when it is assessed by the ombudsman

      Much depends on what you were told along the way by VM but VM will always try the excuse to begin with that your date was only ever provisional (even if you have not been told this). They will also regularly use the fake excuse of waiting for 'council permits' as a cause of a long delay.

      If you need access to past info and calls you need to make a DSAR

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

      and I think there is a 180 day retention limit on call recordings.

      Keep a detailed record of everything as you go along in a timeline format with items of evidence linked to each date/time on the timeline. This will help you when you present your case and (inevitably) have to go to arbitration to get paid any compensation due.

  • DidcotJM92's avatar
    DidcotJM92
    Tuning in
    11 months ago

    UPDATE

    Took them to the ombudsman. Virgin Media offered me full compensation for the delayed install and the dongle they told me to buy. They didn't even let it go to the decision stage (where they obviously would have lost). I also got my written letter of apology, as requested. This is after agents on here (Zach and Carley) assured me I was entitled to nothing as my install date was 'provisional.' 

    Advice to anyone who finds this thread and is in the same boat. Ignore the agents on here and over the phone who will argue until they're blue in the face that you're not entitled to any compensation. Stay calm and jump through the hoops until you get to the ADR stage. They're not on your side and just want you to give up and go away.

    If more people stick with it and get the compensation they're entitled to, VM might have to start treating customers better in the first place. Good luck. 

    • goslow's avatar
      goslow
      Alessandro Volta
      11 months ago

      Well done in getting what you were owed. It is also useful to have your feedback on here for others to read in the future. It offers some encouragement, to those in a similar situation, that it is worth following through with the ombudsman.

      • DidcotJM92's avatar
        DidcotJM92
        Tuning in
        11 months ago

        That's the hope. So many must believe the agent's BS and give up.

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    11 months ago

    Congratulations, and well done to have beaten this grasping company. Your case will help others who have been treated badly like you. 

    • DidcotJM92's avatar
      DidcotJM92
      Tuning in
      11 months ago

      The annoying thing is they know they're lying, they just won't admit it until you drag them to the ombudsman.

  • _wibble_'s avatar
    _wibble_
    On our wavelength
    11 months ago

    I will eventually be going through this as my original "provisional" (complete nonsense word) date was the 20th Feb.
    I know they are going to argue that some of the time has been spent waiting for Openreach to come out but since I don't have a contract with Openreach that is irrelevant as far as I am concerned.  Plus, around 2 months and not even a date strongly suggests whoever's job it is to make these arrangements doesn't feel it is worth their time. 
    Fully expect to have to go through to the Ombudsman (I do have someone here helping but they hit the same brick wall as I do)