Does it get better?

[Stressednewcust]

Hi Everyone. 

We joined sky just last month, because it was cheaper than sky and times are difficult, with savings needed to be made. That said, I'm regretting the change, it seems cheaper isn't always better. 

At sign up, I was sent the equipment to set up myself, received equipment and could not set it up, plus the order was all wrong I wanted 2 boxes not 1. It took over a week before Virgin finally listened and agreed I needed an engineer. Charged for privilege both for service I wasn't getting and engineer visit. 

Engineer visit 1 - set me up, minus 2nd box. Although I'm piggy backing next doors virgin because I don't have wires to my property. 

Complaint made, Virgin said it wasn't added on the two previous occasions, despite been told it was set up and getting fitted during visit. Second box added. Charged for engineer visit and another fee. Outcome of Complaint Refund for the nearly two weeks we'd paid for no service, good will gesture, plus engineer charge and other charge refunded, supposed to be applied to second bill (I'd already paid first bill). 

So refund in progress, second box with engineer coming. What could go wrong? Nothing! Second box fitted, 2nd engineer visit Finally! Finally, we can enjoy Virgin.

Oh no you can't! Restricted on movie, sport channels etc. Took phone calls and chats, telling us it was fine. After about a week. Oh sorry it wasn't set up correctly. Sorted. Breath a sigh of relief. Not for long though. 

Got bill for next month, all charges incurred, no refund like promised, no refund of service, back to complain. Sorry, your next bill will be 20 odd quid payable January. I will get another bill. Yay. Finally sorted. Yeah right. Got bill last week. They've added 20 quid to the bill and now I have 2 bills covering same period 2nd higher than first. Seriously? Customer Service don't understand what we're saying! Typical. Bang head against wall for a week. 

Tonight, whole Virgin down, no Internet, TV, phone. Called virgin, we can't see an issue, we aren't sending you an engineer because you have an engineer booked for.... February 2022 (this is to provide me with my own line and not piggy backing next doors - baring in mind they didn't turn up for at least one it may be too other appointments) so I've no service till February and I'm paying double next week for month 2. 

I've cancelled my direct debit tonight. Two can play that game! 

Anyway of speaking to a person who actually knows what they are doing, apparently at one point tonight, I don't have an account. They can't find my account. 

Oh and on top of all that I cannot use the app and I've lost count of how many times they've rung me about that, telling me to change my email and password. Several times daily, to the point I don't answer the call because I don't have the time to sit on the phone going round in circles. 

So very annoyed right now. 

Thanks 

[japitts]

I'll admit to not reading all the gory detail of what sounds like a painful episode, but I will pick up one thing by means of advice...

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@Stressednewcust wrote:

I've cancelled my direct debit tonight. Two can play that game!

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Whatever you might think (probably with some justification) of VM's CS, cancelling your DD is the wrong way to go about and has the potential to make things a whole lot worse. You have a contract with VM to keep up your regular payments, and not doing so very rarely ends well. Late payment fees, service suspensions due to non-payment, and (if the situation goes unresolved too long) entries on your credit file that can cause you problems for years to come.

Hang around here, and VM staff should pick up this post sometime tomorrow hopefully, and they should be well-placed to try to resolve this. But once a complaint is open, their hands are often tied. And by cancelling your DD, that will only add unnecessary complications to this.

[John_GS]

Hi Stressednewcust

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community.

Really sorry to hear of this experience and I want to get this sorted for you. I shall send you a PM now to assist further.

Kind regards,

[Stressednewcust]

We entered a contract where virgin media provide a service and I pay that service, by not providing a service to me, I  cannot be expected to pay for nothing. Let alone pay one month's bill twice. 

Virgin media are not providing me with anything. So why would I pay? 

I'm aware of the implications, however, I'm also aware of the law and by not providing me a service and expecting me to pay twice for one month, a month I should have had my refund applied for the previous month I had no service, is well not acceptable. 

I refuse to pay twice for one month, and refuse to pay for nothing going forward, hoping they'll refund and never actually refund. My bill should be less than 50 quid... about 30 with all the credits and refunds, yet they want 150 and they still aren't providing me with a service for over half the time. It's not rocket science. 

Thanks though.