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Loss of internet/very poor customer service

Cfrancis
Tuning in

Problems started in mid January when I was having intermittent Internet connection. 

Engineer came out on 26th January and tried to fix the cable and made it worse, causing complete loss of internet. I have been without the Internet since then.

Virgin arranged for technicians to come out on 10th February, which isn't great as I work from home, so I put in a complaint to resolution team and waited. 

On 8th February I got an email saying the resolution team tried to contact me, which is not true as I received no call text or email and neither did my wife, who they have contact details for. They then put a link in the email for me to claim compensation, even though a customer rep said it will be automatically applied, when I called them on the 26th. I clicked the link and it said that page can't be found. I replied to inform the resolution team of this and then got on the phone again to confirm with a rep that compensation will be applied automatically which they said yes it will. I have yet to hear back from the resolution team. 

Yesterday when the technicians were meant to come between 8am and 1pm, no one did and no one contacted me in any manner to update me. I phoned a rep again who cut me off. Phoned Again and a rep said someone will update me and they will be coming later that day as the previous job was taking longer.

I waited until 16:45 and phoned again as I needed to leave and pick up my child. The rep said I didn't need to be home when the work is being done, which is the 1st time I was told this! He also said they would be round before 6pm. I went out came back at 7pm and my Internet was still not working. I phoned another rep who couldn't tell me if engineers had actually been out to my address. She then gave a recall date of 23rd March, which is completely unacceptable. She also said the fix would take 2 people to complete, which virgin should know anyway and book accordingly. She then gave me a number of 02037065275 to call, which I called and is no longer in use and when I tried to phone back they office had closed. Showing she just wanted to get off the call and go home.

I phoned early this morning to get some answers and the rep said they would get a manager to call me back with some answers on why no one had updated me from virgin about anything and when the work is getting done. She said the manager would phone between 11 and 4.

15 mins later engineers turned up at my door to do the work. No one contacted me about them coming. Unfortunately because of the weather they couldn't do the work as the access they needed was frozen and they have to leave it to defrost and better weather then return but didn't give me a date when that would be as their contracted out be virgin. 

At 4:30 I. Rang back AGAIN and the rep saw my account was updated with a note saying a manager should ring me back. They tried to pass me to the field team to see what was happening and then cut me off AGAIN. I phoned back and the next rep passed me through to the construction team, who's office is closed at the moment so the automated service told me to ring back and hung up. 

So as I write this I'm on hold again trying to talk to someone who knows what's going on. I have spent hours on the phone waiting and explaining my situation multiple times. I trust no one to contact me from any team, especially the resolution team or a manager. 

For a communication company, no department actually seems to communicate with each other or their customers. I've never received a call text or email, it's always me contacting virgin. Virgin are happy to pass me links that don't work and numbers no longer in use. 

I've had enough of apologies, I want an actual person to update me who knows what's happening but I've given up on that happening as promises of contact never happen.

Even if I'm compensated the £8 a day for the loss of internet, it won't be enough to satisfy my displeasure at virgin

77 REPLIES 77

Barzey
Dialled in

I like many other people are having the very same or similar problems as you and there seems to be absolutely no way to get anything done or resolved. My contract runs for another 11 months. But in view of all these reports and my very own personal experiences I am seriously considering Cancelling the Contract and Blocking the monthly Direct Debit. Should or If they take me to Court then I am sure that any court in the land would take all these reports into consideration as they are seriously in Breach of the conditions of their contract to me (and many others) and find in peoples favour. It seems their entire system is designed to block anyone seeking help, make a complaint or deal with anything and as such I think they are culpable in their neglect of service to their Customers whom cannot reasonably be expected to pay for and remain in any contract that VM will not honour.

Somehow Virgin got even worse. After finally getting through and an engineer booked for Monday 15th and a confirmation text, I thought it was all sorted.

I then got a text saying they could get an engineer out to me on Saturday 13th. Finally, I thought they're turning a corner and have seen the terrible service they have provided. I agreed to the new date straight away and they confirmed they had received my text. Happy, my issue was getting sorted sooner.

Then 3 hours later I got another text saying they couldn't offer this new slot on Saturday and my original slot of Monday is when I should expect the technician. I asked them why they offered me this new slot then and why they no longer could do it? But of course, I got no reply. So now I sit here and hope they honour the Monday time.

Its like they're aiming to be the worst Internet provider I've ever had and Ive been with talktalk

Well I find all this unbelievable because EXACTLY the very same thing has happened to me this week. Firstly THEY booked me the Engineer for 16/2/21 and confirmed. The next day at 10:46hrs  I got a Text stating they are putting the Service visit on hold because they are investigating a problem in the area affecting my services and will update me when its fixed. 

Then at 15:16 hrs they offered to bring it forward to today Saturday13/2/21 between 12:00 & 16:00 asking if I would like the appointment to which I immediately replied "YES" as directed. So at 15:17 hrs they replied 'Great they will book it in for me and send me a confirmation'. Then at 19:49 hrs they sent another text stating they were sorry they couldn't bring my appointment forward and that it was now put back to the original appointment date & time !!!!!

What a way to carry on? It seems that VM is now run by a bunch of individuals whom have absolutely no idea or concept of what to do. They don't converse with anyone - not even themselves and really do not give a Fishes **bleep** about any of their Customers problems in the slightest. And yet they are still sitting at home, drawing their wages and laughing their socks off at people in trouble!  We cannot even get their 'Complaints Procedure' page to 'Send' just an "Oops sorry something has gone wrong". I guess that is there way of avoiding having to do something constructive and duck any Complaint Reports.

C'mon VM over to you, you have ALL my details, come around and talk to me or at least RING me and not HIDE BEHIND TEXT MESSAGES ALL THE TIME!

There is, and can only be one answer or option left for us on how to deal with such an ignorant, arrogant Company and that is to ditch them at the earliest possible time we can without ANY further costs to us as it is THEM whom are in breach of their contract to us by their very own actions or inactions. I for one wish I had never ever heard of let alone joined Virgin Media. Should my opinion ever change I shall post such on here, but I KNOW that I will not stay with them not even if it was Free.

 

. Then AGAIN

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

I dont want to get into a discussion with you both about VM CS (we all know its not great) and its no excuse for poor communication and indeed hesitant to comment in here without a tin hat on 😟    But VM (and all suppliers) are under real pressure due to Covid restrictions on repairs, etc (other suppliers have stopped all new installs for example) and also new equipment supplies due to chaos at the ports and Brexit.

However, I would just say that whatever you do don't just walk away and cancel the direct debit without going to through the proper cancellation process (see below). As you are not paying the bill for the provision of service (which they will still be supplying as you havent cancelled) they will just transfer any accumulated "debt" to a debt collection agency and black-mark your credit file. Now, whilst you may well ultimately win your day in court and recoup the costs - until such time, you will be plagued by that agency and the inability to get credit for anything. Can take ages to sort that out. Just not worth the hassle IMHO - better to cancel properly.

To cancel there are 2 options for giving your 30-days notice. There may be charges.

1. Call 150 from a VM phone or by dialling 0345 454 1111 options 1,1,4,4, from any phone - they are still picking up that option quickly - calling at 08.00 (09.00 Sun) is the best time to get through with no wait times

2. In writing to...
Virgin Media Sales Operation Support,
Diamond Plaza,
Daleside Road,
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire,
NG2 3GG.

Include dates, name address and all account details. Do it by registered mail with a receipt for signature on arrival. and save a copy along with the proof of sending and the proof of delivery with signature.

Some information on cancelling & early disconnection fees are here...

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services#end

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services/early...


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John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Hello John, Many thanks for your concern and post. I must admit that reading it through and mulling it over I am grateful for your thoughts and advice. I have decided that I am just going to sit it all out until next January when the remainder of the 18 month Contract ends. At my tender age and with current long term Health problems I would sooner spend my remaining days without all the stress and work involved, which in my younger years I would have thrived on. There are far far more important things that I would sooner attend to and enjoy. I do wish everyone else on the forum having these problems the very best of luck in getting things sorted for them

I will just compose a "Cancellation of Service" letter to notify them of my Intentions to leave in January 2022 and that I will certainly not renew when the current Contract ends. I will send it in within the next week or two using all the 'Signed For' and 'Special Delivery' Services that I cam muster. That way they cannot claim that I have not given them sufficient notice.

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
I wouldn't send it until 30-days before your contract period ends as they might just start the 30 day termination period from the day they receive it and so cut you off early !

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John
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I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Yes knowing them I actually thought that may just happen too, but in the letter I have started off with this:-

Dear Sir’s,

                    I wish to give you notice of my intentions to NOT renew my Current Contract with your company when it ends on 28th January 1922 so please accept this letter as the required “Cease of Service & Contract Notification”. I WILL OF COURSE EXPECT ALL THE CURRENT SERVICES ON MY “OOOMPH” PACKAGE TO CONTINUE PROPERLY AS PAID FOR UNTIL THAT DATE.

(This is a direct 'Copy & Paste' ...What do you reckon on the idea? As I am concerned that knowing what they are like by other comments on this forum and now my own personal experiences that they may state that they didn't receive the 30 day notice in time.)

                  

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
I wouldn't send it until 30-days before, because who knows, all your issues may disappear overnight when a known fault is fixed and you might just want to remain!

I know, I know.... they have CS issues but TBH - I rarely call them - if I have any issues I get them all solved with help on here 🙂

If you want help diagnosing what the issues might be then tell us what Hub you have and whether your connection issues are on wfi connections, ethernet cable ones, or both. And to see what is going on on your connection, do this.
___________________________________________________________

If you haven’t already, set up a free and secure “Broadband Quality Monitor” to continually monitor the state of your connection and record any true network dropouts , latency issues, packet drops, etc - it will thus allow you to differentiate between those and simple wifi dropouts. It does it 24/7/365 and it keeps a visual record of any/all of your network disconnections, useful data to have to match to the Network logs (in your Hub settings) and also in discussions with VM - note it will take a few hours to start seeing a sensible picture - post up the “link” to the “share live graph” (as per instructions on the TB website) when it starts to develop.

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality

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John
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I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Well tomorrow is the day they're meant to come round. Still not surprised they haven't contacted me about any of my complaints or messages I sent via text, email or community. 

If the issue is fixed tomorrow I'll be less stressed and can at least pursue them at my own pace.