Installation damage with no call back as promised

[Sricho3]

I would like to raise a complaint about my Broadband service. The issue occurred on 09/08/2021. To explain in more detail Virgin installer (James) came round on the 9th to install my internet. We had chosen to move from SKY internet to Virgin (Due to poor performance and faster speeds)

The installer came round and my wife let him in, due to covid rules she went into another room to let him install. Please note that we are only getting the Virgin media 200Mb internet. (Not the TV or telephone)

I had a phone call from the installer at 16:21 to tell me that he had left his drill charger and he need to come back and collect. I was hoping to catch him as I was in the car on the way home, By the time I had got home he had been and gone. He seems very nervous when I said I was nearly home and could meet him.

When I did get home I found that he had installed the optical cable from the front street to my living room. There was some questionable installation in the front garden as the wires run over my tiles and its looks untidy. When I checked the connections in the house I had found that the installer had removed by satellite cable from my Humax freesat box and cut the cable back to the fence under the satellite dish. He has then used the hole drilled in the wall for the sat cable to install the optical cable.

This has removed my TV service.......(I have no idea why he has gone anywhere near my Free sat box or cable)

I followed the online Chat to complain and they raised a complaint on that evening . C0908211842 was raised. I received an email back to ask me to contact customer services to book an engineer.

I phoned up the next day (53 minutes) on the where I was passed round from department to department. I finally got through to a customer service member who initially stated that virgin would send an engineer to fix the issue but then put me on hold for 15 minutes to them come back and say they have a process and the issue needs to be transferred to the installation manager and he would contact me in within 5 days.

I raised a new complaint on Sat14th as I had no response to issue C140821466.

This meant that No TV service since 9th August due to Virgin installer.

**Internet has been fine since installed**

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

I'm with @-tony- that I'm surprised that this seems so easy, since the terms "straightforward" and "Virgin Media" are not common bedfellows.  I hope it is, but would caution that you should be prepared for VM to struggle with this, simple though it seems.

If there is any difficulty, then you will need to raise a formal complaint with VM, asking them to pay the amount of the invoice (or credit your account) within 14 days of receipt of the complaint, and advising that if the matter is not settled promptly then you will proceed to formal recovery action.  Most VM complaints can be escalated to the industry arbitration scheme CISAS, but property damage is excluded from their remit.  If at the end of 14 days the company haven't paid up, and there is nothing to persuade you to wait a few more days, then you may wish to investigate the Money Claim Online process which is the modern version of a Small Claims Court Summons.  

[-tony-]

i note the NON comment from the staff member who has posted - thats not meant as a criticism as i know they are restricted if and when complaints are open or its with the field team - but a confirmation either on the forum or privately that there in notes on your account to confirm what you have been told would have been good 

@Zoie_P 

[Zoie_P]

Hi Sricho3, 

I have had a reply from the field install complaints manager, he has assigned this to one of his agents and they will be in touch, regarding your install.

I would wait for them to reach out to you as we do have contractors, who we normally send out on this. Please disregard the message and I will get it flagged to the agent as this should not have been offered. 

Zoie

[Sricho3]

Hi Zoie

Too late to disregard the message as the contractor I have organised is half way through repairing the job. 

I will be sending the invoice to VM tomorrow as requested to sort out my refund or credit my account. 

regards

Sam 

[Sricho3]

I have just had a phone call from the installation manager Shaun. He confirmed this afternoon is the first he has heard of the issue.

He offered to get someone round tomorrow to fix but when I explained VM told me to get someone round and they have already fixed it. He has credited by VM account with 65 quid. (To credits one of 50 and one of 15). This should show on my bill next month

I have accepted to close the complaint now I have TV again and VM have covered the costs.

The forum process clearly gets better and quicker responses to complaints than online or over the phone. 

[Travis_M]

Hi @Sricho3

Thanks for posting on our community forum!

Great to hear the complaint is now closed and resolved and our installations manager has credited you an amount back, have a great day and be sure to contact us if you require any further assistance.

Regards

[Sricho3]

Thanks all for the support. VM have credited by account already and I have received a confirmation email from the resolution team.

Finally a happy customer 😆