Installation

[Phelan583]

Good afternoon,

I took out Virgin Media Fibre back in early Feb 2022. The technician came to my property on 15 Feb 22 to conduct the install, but found that the cable out side my property was damaged and would need to be replace. He managed to conduct a temporary repair with a cable running across my driveway and said that a new cable would need to be installed by another team.

16 Feb 22 - A cable replacement was arranged by virgin to be conducted on 14 Mar 22.

14 Mar 22 - Cable replacement cancelled by virgin media with no reason provided. Rescheduled for 21 Mar 22 by virgin.

21 Mar 22 - This morning the cable replacement team arrived and started work. I spoke to one of the guys who said they were replacing the cable, would cement it in and that they needed to replace the box (didn’t know what at the time as the box was fine - found out why later). However after a short amount of time (while i was in the shower) they left without saying anything. When i came downstairs i found that the internet was no longer working. I went outside to look at the work they had done and found that the cable hadn’t been touched and was still on the drive, and i also found that the box on the front of my property had been smashed and left in two half’s (one not attached)

I waited a few hours to see if they were just conducting work on the cabinet etc and if they would return. When the internet failed to be restored i contacted virgin media to find out what was going on. Funny enough nobody there could tell me what was going on and couldn’t explain why the work had been stopped. I was told that the field service team would contact me.

At 13.27 today i then received a text message stating my cable repull had been rescheduled for the 06 Apr 22 (almost 3 weeks away). I immediately called virgin media who again were unable to provide me any assistance. They claimed the cable had been cut and that’s why it needed to be changed - except they couldn’t explain how a cut cable had been providing broadband for the last few weeks. They also claimed that the installation had been completed, but then changed that to that the installation hadn’t been completed. I therefore asked why i had been getting charged if the installation wasn’t completed. Again virgin could’t explain any of this.

I am now awaiting a call back (within 4 hours - stated by the virgin customer service) to see what they intend to do about this ongoing issue. 

When i asked if i was within my rights to cancel due to being unable to complete an installation within 5 weeks (will be almost 8 when the next attempt is made) i was initially told i couldn’t.

Am I entitled to cancel?

Am entitled to any compensation?

Should i be getting charged while i have no service?

Thanks

Dave

[goslow]

Some past topics on here about cable replacements have described similar situations where the installers have tried to remove the old cable (presumably to make space for the new one) and broken the old cable in the process, then been unable to install the new one leaving the customer with no connection at all. Sounds like something similar could possibly have happened in your case

Take a look through this forum to see the large numbers of topics all about delayed and failed cable installations.

First thing to do is to make sure you have 'formally' reported a total loss of service (TLS) to VM by phoning them (which is one of the approved methods to report the TLS). Ideally record the call if you can. If not, make good notes of dates, times and details of all VM contacts. By logging a TLS you should start the clock counting to receive automatic compensation from VM for the TLS

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/automatic-compensation

https://store.virginmedia.com/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services/automati...

As to what happens next, you are going to be subject to the random lottery process of VM's unlucky wheel of misfortune which governs cable repairs and replacements.

If you are lucky, your cable replacement may progress smoothly and be renewed on 6 April. If you are unlucky you are about to experience the never-ending pantomime that is VM's cable installation service which is akin to an episode of the Chuckle Brothers do telecoms and may last for some months. Unfortunately, no one (including VM) can reliably tell you which outcome you are going to get.

[Phelan583]

Goslow,

Thanks for the advice.

I’ve tried to log a TLS by phone call, but they are refusing to log it. Is there an alternative method?

Can’t believe how poor there service is.

Dave

[goslow]

(You might like to unmark the 'helpful answer' at #2 as I have never worked out if this might actually delay a reply from the official VM forum team)

I assume that you had the misfortune to speak to the offshore call centre. You are reporting a total loss of your broadband service so am not sure how/why they would refuse to do that.

Suggest you start keeping detailed records of all comm's with VM from this point forward as your story has all the ingredients for a recipe for a VM customer service disaster in the offing.

You can log your early experience of joining VM with OFCOM here

https://ofcomforms.secure.force.com/formentry/SitesFormCCTMonitoring

sadly this won't help you individually but will contribute to an overall picture of VM's ineptitude when things go wrong.

Refer to VM's failings in the OFCOM fairness commitments 4 and 6 here

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2019/broadband-and-phone-firms-put-...

Wait for the VM forum team to advise here. They should reply within a day or two. Reporting a TLS via the forum though is not an 'official' means of doing so to claim compensation (although the forum team may have means to do so behind the scenes) so VM may use this as an excuse not to pay out later down the line.

[Phelan583]

Goslow,

I have a feeling you are right that this is going to be a very long and messy process. I have spent over 4 hours today on multiple calls, being passed from person to person, and I’m still not clear what is happening.

I have no had the appointment for the 06 Apr cancelled due to the incapable oversea call centre who have not understood the issue and have tried to book other things instead.

I have also experienced one of the worse call centre personnel ever. The unprofessional woman was laughing at the situation, was not listening and therefore failed to understand the issue. She was that incompetent she ordered an new hub and tried to charge me £35 for a technician to come to the property. She tried being condescending, stating “that if i was struggling to understand the cause of the fault, then she would try to help me”. This condescending immediately stopped when i explained to her that i was a degree qualified engineer who probably had a better understanding of the technical aspects then she did, ha ha ha ha

I have taken your advice and raised a TLS and have raised the OFCOM monitoring form. As this has been going on for 5 weeks already (from installation) i will also contact the ombudsman to raise an initial complaint.

Dave

[goslow]

Sounds like you have done all you can for now. Wait for the VM forum team to respond here. They can sometimes convert disaster into success but, unfortunately, they are still limited by VM's mangled procedures and processes (especially in the case of cable installations, where nobody at all actually seems to be in control of the processes when it all goes wrong).

As far as complaining to the ombudsman goes, unfortunately you have to complain to VM first (which mainly seems to be a pointless process, driven by automated systems and cut/paste responses). VM have 8 weeks to respond or issue a deadlock letter, at which point you can refer to CISAS. Explained here

https://www.cedr.com/consumer/cisas/complainnow/

See what the forum team say when they get here (usually within a day or two). I wish you luck in progressing and resolving the issue.

[Paulina_Z]

Hi @Phelan583,

Welcome back to our Community Forums! Thank you for your post and I'm very sorry to hear that this has been your experience with our team. I completely understand that this is not the service we aim to be providing to our customers and this is not how you should have been treated by our staff. I do apologise.

Can I ask if you've been in touch with the Pre-Install team directly on 08000521734 to see if they can move the newest appointment to a sooner date? If so, what did the team advise?

Have you been able to raise a complaint about this ongoing issue? If so, you can take a look at our Complaints Code of Practice on our website to read more about the process, and I can assure you that our install team will look into your enquiry as soon as they can.

Please let me know if you need any further assistance, and I'll do my best to help.

Thank you.

[Phelan583]

Paulina,

Thanks for your message. I have spoken to many people over the past few days (over 6 hours spent on the phone being passed from person to person) and was also given the direct number for the local engineering department to see what could be done about the issue. Unfortunately nobody so far has been able to get me an earlier appointment and I am now in the situation where I will be without service until at least 07 Apr 22 when the cable repull is booked for (provided this fixes the issue the engineer has created). 

i have tried to raise a complaint but have also found this to be extremely difficult to do, especially when dealing with the overseas call centre. I think I have finally managed to get a complaint raised but cannot confirm this for definite. 

I finally received a call back by a supervisor last night (which I had requested for the 3rd/4th time) who has now asked for pictures of the situation and has said he will re contact the area engineering manager to try and get things moving. He agreed that this situation is not acceptable, as there is no reason the engineer should have cut me off and then just left it. 

i have found the general level of customer services, when dealing with overseas call centres, to be appalling. They seem to have very little interest; do not understand the situation despite explaining it repeatedly; have lied to me about billing, compensation and the situation (admitted by the call handler when I highlighted the lie to her); tried to charge me for them to send a technician out; have been rude to the point of laughing down the phone at the situation. 

overall I am absolutely shocked and appalled at how the situation was caused by the engineer and how it has been handled so far. 

regards 

dave

[Paul_DN]

Hi Phelan583,

We are sorry for your ongoing issues, so we can help further and look into this I will send you an invite into a private chat, once received please click on the purple envelope.

Regards

Paul.