How do I get compensation if I canceled my contract?

[Lenly]

Hello,

Id' really appreciate any advice as it seems to be an endless battle with VM.

I had an 18-month contract with VM and moved house in the middle of the contract. Despite my very advance notification VM failed to connect me on the date they promised.

They silently changed my contract date from the 30th of May to the 22nd of June and kept giving me promises everything would be sorted.

All this time I didn't have internet and had to buy mobile internet from my phone provider as I work from home and it's vital for me.

On the 17th of June, I got a call from an engineer who came to access external works they would need to do before my installation appointment. He said it would take another couple of weeks.

I called VM, canceled my contract, and was connected by BT in 5 days instead.

But I do want to get my compensation because Ofcom rules are:

When you should receive compensation

Compensation should be paid no later than:

• 30 calendar days after a delayed start of a new service is resolved or the service is canceled;
• 30 calendar days after the loss of service is resolved or the service is terminated;
• 30 calendar days after the date of the missed appointment.

I don't have an account with VM anymore, so they can't send this compensation to me. I also very much doubt they would do anything without me chasing them.

I also have an open complaint with them, but nobody is trying to resolve it.

What would be my next step to get my compensation?

Thanks!

[Andrew-G]

Option 1 - forum staff may be able to pick this up and resolve things for you.  As you mention moving mid-contract and then cancelling, whilst delays and poor service can be valid grounds for cancelling without an early disconnection fee, unless you've already agreed that then VM will be looking for early disconnection fees of around £250.  And if you stop the direct debit, they'll treat any failed payment request as a default under a credit agreement, put a big black mark on your credit history, add late payment fees, and then pass it all to debt collection agencies.  You really don't want those outcomes.

Option 2, you check the criteria for escalating the matter to CISAS, asking for compensation for the loss of service and for any poor service, and if relevant for release from contract without penalty.  Whilst for interruption to service you should get compensation (after the first few days), you won't get compensation to additionally cover (eg) a wifi dongle or mobile data costs as your contract excludes consequential losses.  If you need to involve CISAS, any complaint normally needs to be eight weeks old and still unresolved, or before the eight weeks you need to have been offered and rejected a VM "resolution", and at the same time asked for what's called a deadlock letter.

[Kath_F]

Hi Lenly, 

Thanks for your post and welcome back to the forums.

I'm sorry to hear that you've ended up cancelling the move due to the issues with installing your new address. 

When the installation is delayed, there are some criteria that must be met. As installation dates are only provisional, these can be changed if issues crop up such as external cabling works need doing. 

If we need a contractor to complete the works then this can take some time. Not all delays fall in with the Criteria set by OFCOM though so you may not be due any compensation. 

The account is assessed automatically and if any compensation is due then it is applied to the account. 

If you were within your minimum term when moving then there would be an early termination fee due. Any credit on your cancelled account would go towards the balance on your old account. If there is any credit remaining, this is then sent via cheque. 

Hope this explains things further for you. 

Thanks,