Advice on delayed installation compensation

[sammyjomexico]

I was supposed to get my fibre broadband installed on 31st March. This was delayed. And delayed. And delayed some more. 

It finally got installed three weeks ago. Hurray! 

Aware of the OFCOM rules, I knew I was entitled to compensation of £5.25 a day plus £26.24 per missed appointment. Adding those up, I figured out I should be entitled to £1133.96 

Imagine my disappointment when only 1 missed installation at £26.24 plus 26 days of delayed installation at £131.25 had been applied to the account. After talking to a few different departments, they've added another credit of £204.75 onto the account. 

For me, this is still way short of what I should be compensated. They say that they only pay out when it's a one man job, not a two man job. It was only a one man job from August, therefore they're only paying compensation from then. 

Can anyone advise me on what that means and if it's worth pushing for more/just taking what they're offering? 

Thanks  

[goslow]

This one/two person installation claim has been mentioned on here before. It is fictitious and something VM seems to have invented themselves.

The key bit of information is the 'installation' date which you were first given in writing by VM when you first signed up to VM. This is the first date you were expecting a technician to install your equipment and activate your services (typically this can be after the date for pulling cables). Sometimes the cable installation and equipment activation is planned for the same day.

If you have seen the OFCOM info here

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/216962/Industry-Code-of-Practice-for-Automatic-...

there are a few legitimate ways VM can avoid paying for very specific parts of any delay (such as waiting for wayleave agreements, council permits for street works etc.). Any reduction in compensation is limited to those causes so, for example, if there is a 3 day wait for a council permit then VM could legitimately deduct 3 days but not more than that.

Detail is everything when trying work work out your claim and what you are due, particularly having good records of everything that happened.

That said, there is certainly a big difference between the £1000+ you believe you are entitled to (and the length of time you are describing) and the £300+ VM is offering.

[sammyjomexico]

Thank you, this is exactly what I thought, but didn't want to pursue further if I was mistaken. 

Really appreciate your advice.

All the best 

S