Denied automatic delayed compensation

[Equus]

My installation date was originally confirmed for the 06/11/2024. Had Kelly Communications come out to pull the fibre under the road and drilled the brown box into my wall. They then packed up and left. Got a text message 30 minutes later saying install was being pushed to the 15th. Also received an email saying my install was being delayed at the same time.

Install happened today, and was just reading about automatic compensation for the 9 days, so went online to ask web chat did I need to do anything and when would I see the credits applied and got told:

"Perfect, now I have access of your account. Let me quickly go through the notes on the account and
I can see you took contract on 23/10/24 I can see installation has been completed today and prior to
this external work was pending not with the Broadband setup up installation and I am really sorry we
don't provide any compensation for the external work time duration."

I disagreed and said I thought I was due compensation, wasn't my fault that Virgin Media couldn't stick to their installation date.

He then turned around and offered me £5 compensation. which I declined as a slap in the face.

What are the next steps to escalate this?

[Cardiffman282]

Raise a formal written complaint with a view to escalating to the Ombudsman. The link is below. 

[jpeg1]

The external work is part of the installation, organized by VM. It's their responsibility and they would/should have known it was required when they accepted the contract. 

The only justified excuse would be if they were held up by outside causes, for example waiting for permission to dig up the pavement. Was that mentioned? 

[goslow]

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@Equus wrote:

<snip> What are the next steps to escalate this?

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Any compo starts from the 'date initially confirmed in writing' when VM said it would 'activate' your services. Usually that mentions a technician visiting to install the equipment.

Sometimes VM gives two dates, such as below, where the first is for the cable installation and the second is the activation date.

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/Install-date-date-can-I-have-an-honest-answer/m-p...

Sometimes the notification just gives the activation date as per

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/Ofcom-compensation-on-installs/td-p/5416574

Sometimes the notification mentions a possible delay as per

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/Technician-No-show/td-p/5396742

and this is where VM will try to play its imaginary 'provisional' installation date card so as to try to dodge paying any compo.

Mostly the ombudsman disregards the claim of a 'provisional' date, based on feedback in topics on here, but sometimes the ombudsman has considered it depending on what you were told by VM along the way regarding installation dates.

Good that you have rejected the £5 'goodwill' offer.

OFCOM compo doc is here

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/consultations/uncategorised/98684---automati...

Legitimate ways VM can avoid paying you are in para 40

If you think VM failed to fulfil it commitments on your install dates, press on with your complaint to VM first and then on to the ombudsman. It will probably cost VM far more ending up at the ombudsman than it will paying you the compo for the extra delay you have described.

[Equus]

Thanks for your reply. No digging or anything was required. They literally had to pull the fibre through from the manhole opposite my house using existing OpenReach ducting. Drill and install the brown PON outside. I think it's the XGS-PON

[Equus]

Yup, after ordering I received an email with "We're sending one of our technicians round on 6/11/24 between 8am- 1pm to install your Virgin Media services" 

Doesn't sound very provisional to me.

I'd also received another email stating external works would be done on the 29th, which was to pull fibre and install PON

[jpeg1]

Looks like you have a solid case.

Do let us know how you get on with the complaint, they mustn't be allowed to set a precedent with that outside work nonsense. 

[Equus]

Exactly. My contract is not with a 3rd party, but with VM.
Sorry, but the £5 goodwill gesture got my back up.

[Daniel_Et · Accepted solution]

Hi @Equus 👋 Thank you for your post and welcome to the Virgin Media Community 😀

We're sorry to hear about the poor experience you've had and that you feel this way 😔

In order to look into this for you further, we'll send you a private message on here. Look out for the envelope in the top right-hand corner.

If you're on a portable device with a smaller screen, click on the icon in the top right-hand corner and select "messages" from the additional menu options.

Regards,
Daniel