Forum Discussion

scottm88's avatar
scottm88
Tuning in
2 years ago
Solved

Complaints ignored - Escalation Letter?

Hi, There is a lot to this, I will try to keep it brief where possible. I was completely without internet for over 4 weeks just over a year ago. I called numerous times for updates, also numerous t...
compensation
Complaints
Service outage
goslow's avatar
goslow
Alessandro Volta
2 years ago

Yours is a familiar story on here.

Customer has an outage, or outages, over a long period of time. VM eventually resolves the fault. VM claims no compensation is due (for a variety of dubious reasons). VM offers a much smaller 'goodwill' payment.

You will need to take the matter to arbitration.

Process for that is a formal complaint to VM first of all (a required first step but unlikely to result in any useful outcome)

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

If VM fails to resolve you can go to arbitration with a deadlock letter or in any event after 8 weeks

https://www.commsombudsman.org/our-process

There has been a steady stream of customer feedback on here (in similar circumstances) where VM has denied any compensation but this was rejected at arbitration.

Success at arbitration often seems to be when the customer presents a clear and easy-to-understand timeline of events, backed up with linked evidence, which the adjudicator can use to come to a decision. VM's evidence (if VM presents any) is likely to be a muddled mess of random information and unsubstantiated claims. If you can do better than that, then you are likely to win the case.

Here are a few past examples, under similar circumstances, which might offer you some encouragement that it is worth following up

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Landline-not-working/m-p/5230030#M184701

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Still-waiting-for-deadlock-lettet/m-p/5291958#M189731

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/A-tale-of-woe/m-p/5345224#M194067

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/Refused-compensation-for-total-loss-of-service/td-p/5388419

  • scottm88's avatar
    scottm88
    Tuning in
    2 years ago

    Thank you for your help.

    I did respond just earlier, it looks like it maybe didn't send.

    Thanks for the information, I'll get all my evidence together and contact the ombudsman after work. It's been over 8 weeks now since Virgin last contacted me.

    I can provide all of the SMs messages they were sending saying they would be restoring my service with identical fault numbers, then the message to say it had been restored. Also the call logs to show that I was calling them during that time.

    I didn't report it initially, I checked and saw there was a known fault in my area and wasn't aware that I also needed to report. I'm fine to accept from the dates I can prove.

    I'll include the emails from them too, as those have links to the OFCOM site and then give information that completely contradicts the information on there.

    I'll get this all sorted after work.

    Thank you

    • 用心棒's avatar
      用心棒
      Very Insightful Person
      2 years ago
      scottm88 wrote:

      ⋮
      I didn't report it initially, I checked and saw there was a known fault in my area and wasn't aware that I also needed to report. I'm fine to accept from the dates I can prove.

      ⋮

      Do consider stating that in your complaint and letting the independent arbitrator decide the matter.

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    • goslow's avatar
      goslow
      Alessandro Volta
      2 years ago

      You can also share your unhappy complaint experience with OFCOM.

      They launched an investigation into VM on 13 July 2023 specifically into VM's cancellation and complaints processes and how VM should facilitate access to ADR

      https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/bulletins/enforcement-bulletin/open-cases/cw_01275

      Case ref. no. and an email at the bottom of the above page or submit with same info via the contact form

      https://ofcomforms.secure.force.com/formentry/SitesFormCCTMonitoring

      Submitting information won't help your individual complaint but it will contribute to the OFCOM investigation and it sounds like your experience is directly relevant to the terms of reference of the investigation.