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Multiple Failed Installations.... zero communication

JBe
On our wavelength

Hi all - desperate plea of help here 😢

Since ordering Broadband services on October 11th we are still without Internet.  Installation promised 4th November. Engineer turned up to set up in house.   No cables from street so couldn't.   November 24th - Engineer turned up to set up in house.  No cables from street so couldn't.  Today is Dec 7th.   No cables in street.   Next date set 10th Dec.   Guess what's going to happen on that day......

We have been without internet now for an unacceptable period of time due to continued failed installation attempts by Virgin Media or their contractors.   We also have a vunerable person staying with us and have relayed that to VM.   

The time we have wasted either taking time off work to be present for the installs and stuck in the system of their call centres trying to get any sensible information is truly shocking

The following complaint numbers refer and are all unresolved.   (Moderators please blank if more appropriate):

C-031221667

C-021221648
C-121121542

We're not normally 'complainers' and just want to understand what has gone wrong and for someone to take ownership of this and stop the generic rhetoric / fob-offs we get from all of our attempts to contact VM.   And urgently connect us to the internet.  That's all we ask.

In the absence of any sensible response could we refer a dispute to the European Online Dispute Resolution (“ODR”) platform at http://ec.europa.eu/odr.  or cisas@cedr.com?    I add this out of total desperation and zero communication from VM.  We feel trapped.

Additionally, should we be discussing compensation and breach of contract?   I'm sure if the shoe was on the other foot we'd be receiving letters of this type by now?

We have asked on multiple occasions for a manager or supervisor to explain to us what has gone wrong here, and why we have wasted so much time trying to extract information from Virgin Media.   But still no-one in a position of authority has contacted us.    We are totally stuck and deflated by the whole experience.   It's mentally draining.

I can't believe a company is allowed to operate like this in this day and age.  

Sorry for the rant, thanks for reading

Thank you in advance for any help or pointers....

 

 

65 REPLIES 65

Hayley_S
Forum Team (Retired)
Forum Team (Retired)

Hello @JBe,

I am sorry for the wait on this.

I have emailed the agent you was speaking with in private, once they have responded I will let you know what update I have. 

Many thanks,

Hayley
Forum Team



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JBe
On our wavelength

Hi Hayley

Many thanks for your note.  

For the record I believe Ash has acted as best as possible, but it's become clear my business is not wanted.   As mentioned above that's clearly caveated in VM's terms & conditions and seemingly up to them to choose as appropriate.

My main gripe is no-one from VM has been in touch for weeks apologising / taking ownership /  giving regular updates / giving me any indication or reassurance that this installation will ever take place.

It should be really simple to have an escalation process in place in cases such as mine - and clearly many others - where a tiny bit of 'care' is offered and a timeline of how these issues get driven to completion (or not).    Again I'm currently without internet and without any clue as to what has happened and what the resolution may be.

I'm definitely escalating this to CISAS once the 8 weeks from initial complaint (Nov 4th,still unresolved) was lodged if only to maybe help others in a similar situation.

My main regret has been trusting all the dates given to me for the installation to happen "without fail" and subsequent cancellation of my previous internet provider.

Please only come back to me if you have PRECISE information about MY case with a guaranteed timeline of resolution.  Note this is all being recorded for the escalation process - so please don't reply unless you feel comfortable.     I do understand you're only trying to help.

Many thanks

 

Hello JBe

Thanks for your reply 

Your account and complaint are with our Install Complaints Team who are looking into this

Sadly we don't have any more updates and the dates you have been advised are still the same 

Apologies for this, some issues are out of our actual control 

Gareth_L

JBe
On our wavelength

Hi Gareth

Thank you for replying.  

I do appreciate your limitations and offer to help, like your colleagues above and the odd private message..

It's the sort of information I've come to expect now - ie.  we're looking into it, etc etc.    No one picking up the phone to me or offering a committed timeline for resolution.   Dates I've come to believe now mean nothing.   So we're still totally in the dark.

For a laugh, we had an unexpected visit yesterday from a VM engineer.   A new one, this time - not seen him before.   Pleasant enough chap.  We're really not sure why he came, and are not entirely convinced he did either.    "Looks like there's no cable in the street yet Sir" .      You can't make this stuff up  🙂

Merry Christmas!

 

 

Thank you for the update @JBe.

We can understand the frustration caused by the ongoing wait for the installation. I have had a further look into your account regarding this and I can confirm that the dates mentioned prior remain. Our team will aim to get your service up and running as soon as possible to get you connected with your services.

Thank you in advance for your patience 🙂  

Akua_A
Forum Team

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JBe
On our wavelength

Hi Akua

Thank you for your note, and for confirming the dates are all good with no further "no-shows" expected.

The first date (via the VM app Orders & Appointments section) is today - Monday 27 Dec 8am-6pm.    We've stayed in (again) in case we're needed.   I'm hovering by the window and outside in the street looking out for those VM (or subcontractor) vans to appear....... 

As it's now 1pm and no sign of a spade in the ground yet, would you like to place a bet as to whether you think it's actually going to happen?    Perhaps I'm too cynical now, and should trust the system and all the efforts you and your colleagues have made to get me some cables & internet by now....???  🙂

Kind regards

 

JBe
On our wavelength

4pm update.  

I hope these guys will bring torches, because it's starting to get dark now.   Still zero signs of any activity in the street.   I can see the cabinet which is about 100m from my house - that's got a bunch of cobwebs around the doors but no engineers hidden inside.

@VM Moderators - could you find out and share precisely why we're looking at yet another No-Show again please?   Please try and avoid using any of the following words in your reply:   Covid, Xmas, Really, Busy, Apologies, Sorry, Frustrating   because that will only serve to wind me up even further.

Fully expecting the date on the App to change from 27 Dec to 28 Dec any second now.  Then 29 Dec.  Then 30 Dec etc etc

I think I'm done with this now, I would have quit a while back but it's almost become an unhealthy addiction now...   and if my boring saga helps just one other person in some way I'll be happy.   

For the record - still zero response to my 'complaints' or request for precise information regarding my case.    Clearly not going to happen.  

Happy New Year everyone 🙂

@JBe for the record, the forum team have their hands tied almost as much as everyone else, they simply aren't in any position to find out exactly what the problem is.

VM appear to be run as a series of outsourced contractors, when it all happens to work (which is probably most of the time to be fair), then it's all good, but once something even slightly out of the ordinary happens then all four wheels immediately fall off the wagon! This is not helped by what appears to be a corporate policy of absolutely do not communicate anything to anyone else especially the customer.

So VM might want to connect you up, the physical work is contracted out to another company, who will sub contract any digging required to another company and so on. Once something doesn't happen, (designated digger is off sick, dog ate his worksheet, shovel was stolen etc.) then there appears to be no means of that being communicated up the chain so to speak. Probably the first time that VM even know there is an issue is when the job isn't marked as being done and so the automated system simply moves the date on by a day; ad-infinitum - it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if there is absolutely no human intervention in the process at all.

It would further appear that VM have simply no interest or ability to fix these systemic issues - possibly they are actually so rare as to not be worth the investment, not that this helps you out in any way whatsoever.

So what can be done to expedite matters for you? It would seem to be B-all would be my guess, it'll happen when it happens or when VM decide that it's all not worth the hassle and cancel the whole thing - probably without letting you know either.

Here's what you do, assume that VM don't want or can't be bothered to get your custom, don't cancel the installation request just forget about it and sign up with an alternative provider, if you can do this on a rolling monthly basis then so much the better. If, by some (Christmas) miracle VM do get you connected up sometime this decade then you have a choice of cancelling your alternative provider having seen what the VM provision performs like, or cancel the VM contract within 14 days cost-free.

If the latter option then you will have at least had the schadenfreude of knowing that it has cost VM a not inconsiderable amount of money to get the cable laid and set up and they won't get a single penny back. In addition you will know that the cable is there and working, should you ever want to join VM sometime in the future.

Happy New Year!

John

Paulina_Z
Forum Team (Retired)
Forum Team (Retired)

Hi @JBe,

Thank you for coming back to us and for keeping us updated on this issue. We understand your frustration and are relying on the Install team to have your services connected soon. Can you keep us updated and let us know if there have been any changes since your last post?

Your complaint is in the right hands and the team will come back to you as soon as they can. We are really sorry for the delays in your install.

Please keep the thread updated on how you're getting on.

Thank you.

Paulina_Z
Forum Team

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JBe
On our wavelength

@Jem101 

Thank you John, I totally understand and agree with all of your comments.     When reading that back a few times it's clearly sad that anyone should have to play these 'games' with a modern communications company who committed to providing a service.   

I also do emphasise with the Forum Team here and understand they're doing their best to help.   The only slightly frustrating bit in my case as you can see above is I get a different person each time where I was hoping a single point of contact would be able to take this on behind the scenes and help fight my corner.   If you look at the replies they're all very polite and the offers to help are appreciated. but there is no specific information to give me the warm glow of "stick with it - there's an end in sight" etc.   I now understand that, but I originally hoped this forum would be the local 'personal' help I so needed after the utter shambles of the (Indian?) call centre experiences and hours wasted there.

As you say, I accept it may never happen but just wish I was told that back in October (or 4th November when the first site survey was made).    I wouldn't have cancelled my existing broadband provider and would not have to enter into a fresh 18 month contract again if VM had communicated better during this whole saga.

But hey - install promised again this Tuesday (4th Jan 2022) - got the automated Text message confirming the Engineer visit - shall I start taking bets this time again????    🤔