Awful customer service - installation issues

[Arronb1]

The customer service that we have received from Virgin media has been appalling.
We have been waiting over two months to have our broadband installed. We were told originally we would have Wi-Fi in October, then it moved to November and now the date has again moved to December.
We have had engineers outside our flat in October who installed a box on the wrong side of our property, after they had been told which side we were on as I had gone outside with them to physically show them.
Once the box had been installed on October 17th (incorrectly but not to our knowledge yet) we had our interior installation updated to October 23rd with no explanation why, so we waited.
We then received an email stating our interior installation had been moved to November 16th with no explanation. An engineer came on November 16th alongside his manager. The engineer then informed us that the box fitted in October was actually on the wrong side of the property and the cable would not reach our flat. Therefore he was unable to complete the long awaited installation.
After explaining how long we have been waiting the engineer and his manager said they will have someone come to fit the box that same evening or the next day (nov 17th) and to get in touch with the engineer as soon as it is done to see if he can be released by his manager to complete our work
November 17th, the box is installed outside on the right side of the property, we contacted the engineer as instructed and he informed us that he will contact his manager and come back to us with an update on if he himself or someone else can come to us.
Nobody came to our property, but we were instead given a date of installation for December 6th and it’s completely unacceptable.
We both work from home and this has really disrupted our working ability.
The people we call at virgin media stay silent on the phone when we explain out situation, which is infuriating in itself.
We have taken time off work to wait for engineers just to be told that nothing can be done.
The entire experience with virgin media has been one headache after another and on top of it, my online account shows I am going to be charged a bill for December when I don’t even have any virgin media installed yet.
I would not recommend going with virgin media, save yourself the hassle.

[MOD EDIT: Subject title changed for clarity]

[goslow]

Sadly, you'll find this sort of fiasco is quite common in the topics on here.

You should start keeping a detailed record of events (dates, times of all calls, messages, texts etc. along with any missed appointments and failed appointments where someone turns up but no work was carried out). Keep the record in a timeline format with links from the timeline to each piece of recorded evidence. This will make it easy for you in the future to put forward a case to arbitration for the correct compensation, should that be necessary.

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/billing-and-payments/automatic-compensation

[Arronb1]

Thank you for your reply. That’s very useful - we have been keeping track of everything so far. Hopefully this doesn’t carry on any longer

[Adri_G]

Hi, Arronb1.

Thank you for taking the time to make a post here and for joining our help forums, welcome to the VM community as well. Nice to have you on board! 🙂

Sorry to see you've been having issues and delays in installing your services as well as the poor experience you've had over the previous calls with our teams, this is not the level of service we aim to provide and we'd love to see how we can best support you.

In regard to this install, could we ask if it's a new customer install or you've moved from another property as an existing customer recently?
Also, have our Pre-Installs team (found at 0800 052 1734) advised that there's more work to complete before we can install you in your past communications and have you raised a complaint with us for this delay?

Let us know a bit more and we're eager to advise further upon your feedback.

[Arronb1]

Hi there,

This is a new property we have moved into. I spoke to the pre install team yesterday and they confirmed that the outside works have been done and an engineer will be with us “as soon as they can” which is not specific or helpful, even after I asked to please have it done within the next week as we can’t wait til December now.

Regarding raising a complaint, I raised a complaint on virgin media’s website on Friday 17th and have heard nothing back hence why I have posted on this forum.

[jpeg1]

As you've been correctly advised above, this is a common problem and your only real answer is to collect the due compensation. Making a complaint at this stage is a waste of time as it will dealt with - if at all - by an internal person who will send a meaningless note to say it's been resolved.

When you placed the order, they would have known that a new installation was required and the chosen date was untenable.

But they don't tell you the likely real date in case you go elsewhere.  Much better for them to get you signed up and then let you wait it out week by week.

Welcome to Virginmedia's customer service. 

[timmybc]

I'm in a similar position and still waiting for my service to start. Everything is installed but no connection due to, supposedly, an issue with local roadworks (which have also been delayed.) It would be nice if VM could inform you, or keep you updated with what's going on, but, as you say, their customer service is lacking. It's such a test of customer patience to get proper answers from VM.