Dear Virgin Media,
I would like to raise a complaint about my Broadband service. The issue occurred started on 24/03/2023. To explain in more detail I purchased Virgin Media broadband services (Volt M250 Fibre Broadband) on 4 Feb 2023. The contract was for 18 months, with a monthly charge of £XXX during this contract period. I was also given a £100 of credit as part of the contract for joining Virgin Media. The agreed date of delivery of equipment was 22 March 2023, and promised service activation with a Technician visit was 24 March 2023. During placement of my order, I was told that there is no need of any additional engineering work in order to provide the service. Hence the date of service activation is final.
The Technician visited on 24 March 2023 but claimed that there is a need to install Faceplate in the house for services to start.
I was given 29th March 2023 (8 Am - 1 PM) slot for the engineer visit for Faceplate installation. I waited the entire day but no-one arrived. I was also not informed about the no-show, and only after contacting customer care I got to know that appointment has been rescheduled to 3 April 2023 (1 PM - 6 PM) slot. On my grievance to customer service, I was given a delay apology credit of £15 (on 29 Mar 2023).
On 3 April 2023, I waited the entire day but no-one arrived. I was also not informed about the no-show, and only after contacting customer care I got to know that appointment has been rescheduled to 6 April 2023 (8 AM - 1 PM) slot. On my grievance to customer service, I was given a manager goodwill credit of £10 (on 5 Apr 2023).
The joining credit and the credits from two grievances add to £125 (£100+£15+£10). I raised a complaint online (reference number C-0504231154) on 5th April 2023 for the delay. I have not received any response or communication from Virgin Media on the status of this complaint till today (19th May 2023).
On 6 April 2023, I waited the entire day but no-one arrived. I was also not informed about the no-show, and only after contacting customer care I got to know that appointment has been rescheduled to 20 April 2023 (1 PM - 6 PM) slot.
On 14th April, I was sent a bill containing charges of £35.98 which was unfairly deducted from my £125 credit, thereby reducing my credit value on paper to £89.02, mentioned on this bill.
On 20 April 2023, I waited the entire day but no-one arrived. I was also not informed about the no-show, and only after contacting customer care I got to know that appointment has been rescheduled to 4 May 2023 (8 AM - 1 PM) slot.
On 4 May 2023, I waited the entire day but no-one arrived. I was also not informed about the no-show, and only after contacting customer care I got to know that appointment has been rescheduled to 16 May 2023 (8 AM - 1 PM) slot.
On 14th May, I was sent a bill containing charges of £17.99 which was deducted from my remaining credit of £89.02 (remaining after the unfair deduction of April), thereby reducing my credit value on paper to £71.03, mentioned on this bill.
On 16th May 2023, an Engineer visited but was not able to complete the installation, saying that some additional work is needed and there will be another visit. I called the customer service again to know that the next visit is scheduled for 24th May 2023, and it will be at least 2 months since the promised date of service installation of 24th March 2023.
During this period, I have had made multiple calls (over 50 calls I can estimate) to Virgin Media customer service and interacted with them on online chat and over Twitter conversations, where I had tagged Virgin Media and its Senior executives including the CEO, but none of this was helpful and most often the customer service had no answer. I had asked customer service to raise the complaints also but this was also not productive.
During this period, I also raised a request to customer service to provide me any alternate method of getting internet service like an internet provisioning dongle (I asked for this at the advice of a customer service agent). However, I was not provided any alternate arrangement.
This meant that 1. I have been suffering and have been without internet service from Virgin Media since 22 March 2023, including the promised date of service start of 24 March 2023.
2. I have suffered from 5 no-shows on scheduled Engineer visit appointments, without any information prior to the missing the appointment. I waited and took time-off from work to make sure I be at home on all of these instances.
3. I have to make alternate arrangements to get internet at my home from my own pocket, without any support from Virgin Media, causing immense stress.
4. I am on a contract with Virgin Media without any service.
5. Virgin Media has been sending me bills, without any service and deducting the same from my earned credit in the account.
In order to resolve my issue I would like you to I want Virgin Media to compensate me, specifically with the following:
1. Automated Compensation Scheme for no-service (at £9.33 per day for how many days the issue lasted since 24 March 2023) and for 5 missed scheduled appointments (at £29.15 per missed appointment). This is also promised on Virgin Media website - https://www.virginmedia.com/help/billing-and-payments/automatic-compensation
2. Virgin Media should provide me alternate arrangements for internet (e.g., an internet provisioning dongle with high speed similar to the service).
3. Virgin Media should compensate for my mental stress and multiple hours of conversations to go through with customer service over this issue.
4. Virgin Media should ideally tell me if they are able to make the installation or proceed to cancel my contract providing me additional compensation for false promise of services and causing me to lose on potential value alternatives available.
5. Virgin Media must provide me a detailed response to the complaints I made so that I can share it ahead with Ofcom.
Yours faithfully,
Vineet Gupta
