Not an account holder but Virgin installed in my property without my knowledge

[AngryMe]

I am now at the end of my tether.

I am not, nor have I ever been a Virgin account holder.

My wife and I have a small property that we rent out to help our pension as we are now retired.

Our tenant who has now left the property, got Virgin to install at our property. Virgin did not seek permission or consent to have their equipment installed (which we would not have granted). We have only discovered the installation after the tenant vacated the property.

I have tried to get this resolved by calling VM and have now had SEVEN different conversations with so called Customer Service. To date I have spent many hours trying to resolve the issue. When I call the helpline number it asks for an account number (I don't have one) or other information relating to a Virgin account (I don't have any). There appears to be no way of getting through to someone easily, unless you are signed up.

So far I have been promised in each call that they would definitely sort out the problem - they haven't. I have been told during several conversations that I would receive a call within 48-72 hours from the appropriate team - I have not heard a thing. I was even told that they would call me at 11am on a Saturday morning to finalise what what going to happen - they didn't call.

In order to post this I have had to register, as because I do not have a Virgin account, nobody will talk to me. To make matters worse they will not talk about the situation in any detail as I am not the account holder - for the record the account holder/tenant left with no forwarding address!

So it seems that although Virgin installed equipment at my property without my consent (including drilling hole in wall and fixing a box on the outside wall of the house), they just do not care.

Any suggestions would be welcome with regard to how I get the equipment removed and the decorative damage done to the property repaired?

[Carley_S]

Hi @AngryMe 

Welcome to the community forums. 

Sorry to hear of your concerns about Virgin being installed on your property after the tenant requested this. 

We would've installed at the tenant's request based on the information provided. They would've also agreed to our terms and conditions and consent of access to complete works on the property to install to provide the service. 

Any property damage or dispute you have regarding this would be a civil matter between yourself and the tenant should you wish to retain any security deposit to restore the property. 

I appreciate this may not have been the answer you were hoping to here, but we hope this answers your query on this. Please let us know if you've any further questions at all and we can assist further should you need. 

[AngryMe]

An interesting response as each of the SEVEN calls I had with Virgin admitted that they should not have installed.

Also interestingly none of the SEVEN calls have resulted in anything actually happening.

However basically it seems that what you are telling me is that Virgin feel entitled to enter a property and carry out work, without first validating that the work can be done. This means that I could authorise Virgin to carry out an installation in any property that I happen to say (verbally) that I have permission for them to do so.

Whilst I may or may not have a case against my former tenant (no forwarding address provided), it seems that Virgin would like to think that a verbal authorisation to enter MY property and drill holes in the wall is sufficient and that they do not need to validate anything as they 'took the tenant's word for it ' and that is sufficient!

I would suggest that without my written authorisation, no work can be carried out in MY premises. If Virgin feel the need to blame anyone then it would have to be the former tenant (no forwarding address) who has recently taken out a new installation at another property (as I was informed by Virgin themselves!). I have asked for evidence that any permission was ever granted and funnily enough nothing has been forthcoming. 

If I turned up at Virgin HQ and started drilling a hole in the wall, I would like to think that someone would first ask to see authorisation for the work I was doing. Furthermore, without that authorisation, then I would not carry out any work. 

[Kath_P]

Hi AngryMe, 

We understand the frustration however there is nothing more we can advise on from here. 

As mentioned above, when the tenant signed up, they would have needed to agree to terms and conditions which confirms they have the relevant permission to allow the installation. 

In terms of removing of the cabling, we would only do this if there is a health and safety issue. We would come out and do remedial works to make things safe. If you wish to remove the cabling yourself, this is something you can do as the cables are not live. In terms of filling in any drill holes, this would be a cost you would need to claim back from your tenant. 

Apologies once again. 

[unisoft]

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@AngryMe wrote:

An interesting response as each of the SEVEN calls I had with Virgin admitted that they should not have installed.

Also interestingly none of the SEVEN calls have resulted in anything actually happening.

However basically it seems that what you are telling me is that Virgin feel entitled to enter a property and carry out work, without first validating that the work can be done. This means that I could authorise Virgin to carry out an installation in any property that I happen to say (verbally) that I have permission for them to do so.

Whilst I may or may not have a case against my former tenant (no forwarding address provided), it seems that Virgin would like to think that a verbal authorisation to enter MY property and drill holes in the wall is sufficient and that they do not need to validate anything as they 'took the tenant's word for it ' and that is sufficient!

I would suggest that without my written authorisation, no work can be carried out in MY premises. If Virgin feel the need to blame anyone then it would have to be the former tenant (no forwarding address) who has recently taken out a new installation at another property (as I was informed by Virgin themselves!). I have asked for evidence that any permission was ever granted and funnily enough nothing has been forthcoming. 

If I turned up at Virgin HQ and started drilling a hole in the wall, I would like to think that someone would first ask to see authorisation for the work I was doing. Furthermore, without that authorisation, then I would not carry out any work. 

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If you have legal cover on the house insurance, contact their legal team for advice on what you can or can't do. No point ranting on here as the forum staff are limited, and the only way you can properly deal with Virgin is legal to legal. Legal cover is for things like this.

[RetiredATCO]

I cannot see how this is anything else apart from a potential dispute between you and your former tenant who ordered the installation without your permission and obviously made an false declaration in the process.

Virgin have not actually done anything wrong or illegal.

[AngryMe]

Seven times in seven phone calls Virgin have admitted that they did wrong.

There was absolutely no validation by Virgin of who the property owner was and it is very clear that this check should be carried out. If the tenant made a false declaration (I have no idea and Virgin cannot or will not show me any evidence) then it was to Virgin who then proceeded to make an unauthorised installation. It is for Virgin to take that up with the former tenant who has subsequently had Virgin installed in another property (Virgin did inform me of this although not whether they had made proper checks this time). I have been left no forwarding address so cannot follow this up, and (rightly) Virgin cannot divulge the new address to me.

How is this any different to me turning up at Virgin HQ and starting to drill a hole in the wall on the basis that somebody told me it was ok? I do know who that person is but I cannot give you any contact details (GDPR) and they authorised me so your argument is with them.

[DanielFleetwood]

If your tenant requested Virgin Media to be installed, and they installed it - how are Virgin meant to know that it's a rental property if they are acting on the request of a new customer? Don't take this the wrong way, but it appears you have woke up finding things to complain about, and Virgin was your preferred choice.

[RetiredATCO]

@AngryMe how on earth were VM supposed to know that your tenant was not the homeowner or did not have your permission when they placed the order?

I have just ordered VM broadband and made the required declarations, they have done a hard search against me at this address so if you ex tenant did the same it is entirely their fault that you have got an installation in your property.

Think of it as a bonus, you can let it out with the infrastructure in place for a new tenant to be able to get a quick self install, with your permission of course!

[AngryMe]

@RetiredATCO I am pleased to hear that Virgin did a 'hard search' in your case - in my case the tenant ordered VM as soon as they moved in so a 'hard search' would not have been sufficient to confirm authorisation. I already have admissions in seven phone calls from Virgin that they were wrong.

Personally I see no advantage to having an additional provider installed in my property as broadband is already enabled.