Delayed installation

[Jimmy4444]

I recently joined VM and chose my installation date to be 23rd Jan. This date got pushed back twice, by VM, It ended up finally being installed on 22nd March. I received an email saying that my account would be credited £5.25 for each day it was delayed. My account has been credited some but not all this amount. Who do I speak to to get this sorted? Can't find any email addresses anywhere .

[goslow · Accepted solution]

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@Jimmy4444 wrote:

I recently joined VM and chose my installation date to be 23rd Jan. This date got pushed back twice, by VM, It ended up finally being installed on 22nd March. I received an email saying that my account would be credited £5.25 for each day it was delayed. My account has been credited some but not all this amount. Who do I speak to to get this sorted? Can't find any email addresses anywhere .

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In the topics which pop up on here, VM has a long track record of incorrectly applying the compensation scheme (generally either refusing to pay or inventing a sum of money based on package price or reducing the amount paid on the basis of some irrelevant excuses, generaly to do with delays because of 'permits' from the council to carry out works).

Work out what you think you are due yourself by reading

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

the past rates for compo were Total loss of service £8.40/day, Missed appointment £26.24/incident, Installation/activation delay £5.25/day

Has VM said how they reached the sum offered (i.e. given you an indication of their calculation used)?

Have you made a formal complaint to VM that the compo is less than you think it should be?

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

[Jimmy4444]

No explanation no.  I just had an email saying it would be £5.25 per day that it was delayed. From my calculations they've credited my account for 22-23 days, when it should be for 58 days. I'm sure they will have some excuse for this though 🤔🙄

[goslow]

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@Jimmy4444 wrote:

No explanation no.  I just had an email saying it would be £5.25 per day that it was delayed. From my calculations they've credited my account for 22-23 days, when it should be for 58 days. I'm sure they will have some excuse for this though 🤔🙄

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VM will certainly have some excuses. Unfortunately (for VM) the excuses they usually put forward either have no relevance to the compensation scheme or they are simply covering up the shambolic arrangements VM has with its cabling installation sub-contractors.

You have to make a formal complaint to VM first of all (which is highly likely to be a pointless exercise with a nonsense answer as a 'resolution'). If/when that happens you can reject the 'resolution' and VM should provide you with a deadlock letter to go to arbitration. 8 weeks after you log the VM complaint you can go to arbitration in any event

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/

https://partners.ombudsman-services.org/resources/guidance-notes/eight-week-and-deadlock-letters-com...

One of the VM forum team should reply here within a few days. They may offer to look at the matter for you or may do nothing more than offer to log a complaint for you.

[Jimmy4444]

Thank you for all the advice 🤞 can do something about it 

[Ayisha_B]

Hi @Jimmy4444 

Welcome to our Community Forums and thanks for your post. 

I am sorry you've not had the best experience with us. 

I can see you have spoken to our team since posting here and they were able to discuss things further with you and a resolution was provided.

Let me know if we can help with anything else.

[Jimmy4444]

Not resolved, no. Got a message saying it was with no further chance to explain anything. And nothing changing in regards to credit etc.

The 2nd delay was due to a faulty cable, which I got told is a construction issue and therefore not eligible for the compensation. Didn't realise virgin having faulty cables should cost me money 😕

[goslow]

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@Jimmy4444 wrote:

Not resolved, no. Got a message saying it was with no further chance to explain anything. And nothing changing in regards to credit etc.

The 2nd delay was due to a faulty cable, which I got told is a construction issue and therefore not eligible for the compensation. Didn't realise virgin having faulty cables should cost me money 😕

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Delays due to construction issues are exactly what the compensation scheme is intended for (where VM's bungling installation processes lead to unjustifiable waits for customers!)

You need to go back to 'the date initially confirmed in writing' when VM said it would 'activate' your services. That is the date your compensation would apply from (para 9 below)

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

VM has invented the idea of a 'provisional' installation date which they try to put into play when they come to do the installation and realise there is a problem. The word 'provisional' does not appear in the above document.

When you first sign up, VM will often give you two dates, a cabling date first of all and an installation/activation date. May look like the example at #5 below

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Install-date-date-can-I-have-an-honest-an...

or maybe a single date if they expect to do both together as per #21 below

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Very-disappointed-Virgin-cannot-install/t...

It is the original installation/activation 'date initially confirmed in writing' that compensation is counted from ('confirmed' being the key word).

(Also worth noting that quietriot1983 from the above topic won a compensation claim at arbitration where VM tried to claim a 'provisional' installation date but had no evidence they had ever told quietriot1983 that the date was provisional

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

So, if you have made a formal complaint already and VM has said no change to the compensation awarded, you should reject the 'resolution' and VM should offer a deadlock letter (you may need to demand one if not forthcoming). If VM fail to provide that, it would be an aggravating factor in any arbitration claim. Next stop after that is Ombudsman Services

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/

It costs you nothing (other than time and effort) put through a claim but it does cost VM a handling fee and the cost of any adjudication.

If the amount in dispute is a missing 35 days @£5.25 per day = £183.75 then VM will certainly lose that in fees alone, so a fairly dumb move from VM to keep contesting it with dubious dodges to avoid paying. But, this is VM so they probably will keep arguing.

If you think your case fits with all the criteria, and you have worked out what is due, then press on with your claim to Ombudsman Services.

[Chris_W1]

Hi Jimmy4444, thanks for the message and welcome to the forums. 

The auto compensation team will review the account and apply the correct credits within 30 days. 

This will be applied from when the issue is reported to when it is fixed. 

Kind regards, Chris. 

[Jimmy4444]

So it's been over a month now (over 30 days) and still nothing has been resolved, just ignored, apart from the odd message  from the virgin team on here saying it's resolved or is being resolved. Let's be honest, complete **bleep** !!