Delayed installation - Eight months and counting

[neverconnected]

My order was originally placed in July 2022 and scheduled for install on August 1st 2022. At the time of ordering I contacted VM to advise that my property had no connection to the network and would require construction works. I knew this to be true having twice previously attempted to have VM installed but without success. However, despite warning of this issue, the representative I spoke to was very dismissive and said that we had a connection and the installation would go ahead.

On the day scheduled day on install the internal engineer arrives and lo and behold, the pre-pull had not been done because there is no connection to the network! Since that time I have had four additional visits from the internal engineers but the pre-pull has still not been done. In October a construction team visited my property to install the "T" outside, however they failed to test this and when the pre-pull team arrived they discovered a blockage and were unable to complete the works. I have had two additional visits from pre-pull but the blockage remains and the pre-pull is still incomplete.

Having continued to chase them regarding this a construction team turned up on Thursday 6th April 2023 only to report that "Unfortunately there is a blockage and we cant complete the work because we need hydraulics and don't have them. But we will be back tomorrow." Surprisingly, on the bank holiday that was Good Friday, they didn't show up and ive had no additional communication. So, in the six months from the initial blockage being detected in late October/Early November 2022, to the visit last week, apparently the fact that there is a blockage has not disseminated through VM. 

I have spoken to the customer services, pre-pull and construction departments on numerous occasions, totalling more than 70 calls and I shudder to think how many hours. I have taken days off work to wait for an installation that cannot be completed. I have three open complaints with VM regarding this issue, none of which have been resolved and all of which are outside the 28 day window for a representative to contact me. Despite numerous promises from VM representatives that they will chase this up and call me back within 48hrs, I have not once received a call from VM. As an existing SKY customer my contract has lapsed and I am paying out of contract rates - from £48 to £81 since September 2022 - but am determined to see this installation through as I am determined to extract every ounce of compensation I am entitled to from VM, plus a ludicrous amount of goodwill credit.

Failed installations, broken promises and no clue within VM as to how to co-ordinate my installation. Any ideas as to how I can escalate this to reflect my next-level dissatisfaction or what level of compensation I should be aiming for?

[goslow]

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@neverconnected wrote:

My order was originally placed in July 2022 and scheduled for install on August 1st 2022. <snip>

Failed installations, broken promises and no clue within VM as to how to co-ordinate my installation. Any ideas as to how I can escalate this to reflect my next-level dissatisfaction or what level of compensation I should be aiming for?

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Familiarise yourself with the compensation scheme for delayed installation.

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

and rates after April 2023 here

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/automat...

(rates befroe April 2023 were TLS £8.40/day, Missed appt £26.24/incident, Activation delay £5.25/day)

Start creating a timeline and working out what you are due based on the above.

The longest delay (often cited on here) is claimed to be 13 months.

A successful claim for compensation was posted a bit earlier today

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Managing-Your-Account-Cable/Compensation-Scheme/m-p/5304899#M22...

[Reece_MH]

Hi there 👋

I'm very sorry to hear about the experience you have had during your installation process and the problems faced due to the lack of construction work not being completed.

I've checked this on our side and can see your case is currently with the correct team, who will be reaching out to you in due course. If you have any further questions from the back of this, please let us know and we'll do our best to assist.

Thanks,

[-tony-]

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@Reece_MH wrote:

Hi there 👋

I'm very sorry to hear about the experience you have had during your installation process and the problems faced due to the lack of construction work not being completed.

I've checked this on our side and can see your case is currently with the correct team, who will be reaching out to you in due course. If you have any further questions from the back of this, please let us know and we'll do our best to assist.

Thanks,

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dear god - reaching out in due course - lets have that in real english - its been put out to the external contractors who will get round to it as and when - they may turn up and not fancy the job so take off at break neck speed hopefully before you see them

the correct team - is that within VM - if so they have no idea and no control over the external contractors - in fact they have no interest and certainly no info other than it will be sorted tomorrow - cast iron guarantee and when that does not happen then tomorrow - repeat until forever or hell freezes over whichever comes first

i know staff here cannot say any of that just the rubbish above but those who know and have 1st hand experience can - keep records and be prepared for further BS about permits - they take 48 hours nor 6 weeks as is the usual excuse and certainly not 8 months - be prepared for them to try and pay less compensation than you are due - they are good at that

[neverconnected]

That's superb. Thanks for the feedback. I'm quietly confident of breaking that 13 month record and expecting that in effect I won't have to pay for VM services for life! 

[neverconnected]

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@-tony- wrote
Dear god - reaching out in due course - lets have that in real english - its been put out to the external contractors who will get round to it as and when - they may turn up and not fancy the job so take off at break neck speed hopefully before you see them

the correct team - is that within VM - if so they have no idea and no control over the external contractors - in fact they have no interest and certainly no info other than it will be sorted tomorrow - cast iron guarantee and when that does not happen then tomorrow - repeat until forever or hell freezes over whichever comes first

i know staff here cannot say any of that just the rubbish above but those who know and have 1st hand experience can - keep records and be prepared for further BS about permits - they take 48 hours nor 6 weeks as is the usual excuse and certainly not 8 months - be prepared for them to try and pay less compensation than you are due - they are good at that

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Sounds about right. Luckily I'm retired now so have the time and opportunity to keep chasing them. Amazes me that any company treats new customers with such open disdain, but it's all being logged and on we go to a lifetime of free media services! (At some stage!) 

[neverconnected]

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@Reece_MH wrote:

Hi there 👋

I'm very sorry to hear about the experience you have had during your installation process and the problems faced due to the lack of construction work not being completed.

I've checked this on our side and can see your case is currently with the correct team, who will be reaching out to you in due course. If you have any further questions from the back of this, please let us know and we'll do our best to assist.

Thanks,

---

Hello Reece, 

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately it's utter garbage and has no basis on the facts surrounding my repeatedly failed installation. I have spoken to your colleagues numerous times (I have a full record but that's for later when compensation becomes my main agenda), and have been told time and again that it is with the right department and someone will reach out to me in due course. This has never happened. As such I have been consistenly lied to by VM and it's representatives.

Very simply, after such a length of time and so many unexplained and unjustified delays, I would expect my case to be passed to a senior management representative, who would act as a single point of contact and provide a regular update as to the status of my install. 

Unfortunately it's clear that VM doesn't care about it's customers or reputation and is happy to just ignore them along with any problems they may face.

I look forward to another stock response from you or a colleague explaining how you're working hard to resolve my issue. 

[-tony-]

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@neverconnected wrote:

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@Reece_MH wrote:

Hi there 👋

I'm very sorry to hear about the experience you have had during your installation process and the problems faced due to the lack of construction work not being completed.

I've checked this on our side and can see your case is currently with the correct team, who will be reaching out to you in due course. If you have any further questions from the back of this, please let us know and we'll do our best to assist.

Thanks,

---

Hello Reece, 

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately it's utter garbage and has no basis on the facts surrounding my repeatedly failed installation. I have spoken to your colleagues numerous times (I have a full record but that's for later when compensation becomes my main agenda), and have been told time and again that it is with the right department and someone will reach out to me in due course. This has never happened. As such I have been consistenly lied to by VM and it's representatives.

Very simply, after such a length of time and so many unexplained and unjustified delays, I would expect my case to be passed to a senior management representative, who would act as a single point of contact and provide a regular update as to the status of my install. 

Unfortunately it's clear that VM doesn't care about it's customers or reputation and is happy to just ignore them along with any problems they may face.

I look forward to another stock response from you or a colleague explaining how you're working hard to resolve my issue. 

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as a point of interest i was involved with a cable break 18 months ago - not VM's fault and the initial response from the lcoal tech was good - unfortunately the repair was beyond simple so its went to contractors - i had a named contact in the CEO's dept who again was excellent but and it become very obvious his hands were as tied as anyone elses as the rubbish from the contractors was fed back as lies - the CEO's dept contact repeated those lies as truths as he seemed to believe them

from the initial break it took 3 months for a contractor to think outside the box and sort it in 5 minutes

so a one to one contact will not help i believe - the culture within VM does not allow it

[John_GS]

Hi @neverconnected 

Thanks for coming back to the thread. I have checked with the relevant team today. There is still construction work so they're chasing an update today. 

Will keep you posted.

Best wishes.

[neverconnected]

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@John_GS wrote:

Hi @neverconnected 

Thanks for coming back to the thread. I have checked with the relevant team today. There is still construction work so they're chasing an update today. 

Will keep you posted.

Best wishes.

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Hi John,

Rest assured I won't be leaving this thread as it seems its the only medium by which I can get a VM representative to contact me. 

As for the construction work, if you check my original post and my account notes, you'll see that this has been a known issue since October 2022. After waiting six months, an update really doesn't cut it. What I require is a confirmed date for completion of construction and my installation.

Thanks.