Elderly parent

[NatashaG]

Hi

I've just got back from visiting my elderly father and his girlfriend. While I was there I tried to help them with their technology, but came up against a problem. Well 2 problems really.

The first problem:
They have virgin media broadband which keeps dropping WiFi. I rang 150, and they did something which made it work, but it's happened before so I suspect the router may be faulty, and possibly needs replacing, so I thought I'd ring and get an engineer out to check, but then the real problems started. 

Problem No 2

They don't seem to have any bills (online or paper), so no emails from Virgin media. All I can find is a service agreement from 2019 signing them up to broadband and TV at £70 a month. They don't have a Tivo box (and don't think they ever have had) Their TV  is currently Freeview from a satellite dish on their roof. I'd set up Netflix etc on their smart TV on a previous visit, which had stopped working. They'd assumed a TV problem, but it's actually a WiFi intermittently dropping out problem. My dad's partner is in a wheelchair, and loves watching netflix/iplayer etc, but now has to manoeuvre herself and wheelchair to the wired in computer to watch (wifi not working)

They are very confused when it comes to technology, and don't seem to know if they have an online account. We spent 2 hours text chatting with someone at Virgin, who just kept telling us to re-set the router, when what we were asking was for details of their account as paying £70 a month and never seeing a bill, or to be able to access their account details seems crazy. 

They only use 2 email accounts, and the virgin person promised an email detailing their account but it hasn't arrived. 

The account holder has had a stroke, so dealing with this is beyond them, but all the room shuffling to watch Netflix is putting her at physical risk. Also very out of pocket as she's paying for services she hasn't got

Just to add- We tried to log in using the 'forgotten password' but it said there was no account with that email address.
We tried to log in using 'forgotten email address' using customer number etc, and just got an error code

Please help!

[Zak_M]

Good afternoon @NatashaG 

Welcome to the forums and thank you for taking the time to post. 

I am really sorry to hear that your farther and his partner are having these issues. 

I would really like to be able to assist you with this,  would you be able to pass DPA on behalf of the account holder? 

Kind regards,

Zak_M

[NatashaG]

What is DPA?

[Zak_M]

Thank you for coming back to me. 

DPA is just data protection.

Kind regards,

Zak_M

[NatashaG]

I'm sure they don't mind me dealing with it, but now I'm back hoe miles away from them. How do I officially get their permission?

[Zak_M]

Thanks for coming back to me. 

We would still need the Account Holder to pass security and consent to speak to you I'm afraid. 

Kind regards,

Zak_M

[NatashaG]

I have all the information that they have, but they don't seem to know or remember much

[NatashaG]

Is there someone (a real person) that they could ring on the phone who can simplify things and talk them through what to do. How to access their account, maybe get paper bills, and sort out their package so they are either getting what they pay for, or are put onto a package that is right for them. Someone who won't make them do lots of technical stuff?

[Zak_M]

I am a real person, however we are a web based department so I wouldn't be able to give them a call. 

I can pop you over a PM and we'll go from there.

Kind regards,

Zak_M

[NatashaG]

Yes Please. The problem is doing anything online is really difficult for them.