No updates about pre-pull work - installation delayed for months

[FernandoJM]

Hello! I want to thank this community for giving me insight into this trouble. I'd like to also share my back-and-forth shenanigans with Virgin Media.

It's been two months since I initially reached out to hire Virgin Media broadband services. They kept pushing my installation forward, claiming this infamous "pre-pull" work and that they needed permission from the council to perform it. A week ago, I talked to someone in sales, telling me that the consent was granted but that they couldn't get in touch with the pre-work installation team to confirm a date. If I track my order online, it keeps saying that the work will happen "today" between 8AM and 6PM, which is a complete lie as that date updates daily. 

The lack of updates and any estimation on when (or if) the work will start is deeply frustrating. At this point, I'm left with no choice but to consider other options, especially after reading some of the horror stories associated with this problem. 

I'm posting this message hoping that someone from VM admins will take pity on my case. 

[goslow]

You seem to have already worked out a lot for yourself on how this works (or rather doesn't work) for some unlucky customers-in-waiting.

As you have already realised, the installation date just rolls over one day at a time until something eventually happens. It has no meaning as far as anything actually happening (although VM's agents on the phone will regularly 'guarantee' customers an installation will happen on the given date).

'Council permits' causing delays is VM's other favourite go-to excuse for non-installation. Past topics on here have proven that it is invariably VM's own flawed installation processes that are the cause of the delay, not the council. Some customers have gained useful information by contacting their local highways authority directly to find out when permits have been granted to VM. Often customers find that no permit has even been requested.

You might also see if any work is listed here

https://one.network/

and you can search upto 12 months in the future (although not all street works are always reliably listed)

If you give up waiting for VM, you should still be eligible for compensation

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/billing-and-payments/automatic-compensation

but it is best to keep a detailed timeline of everything that has happen with your non-installation (along with accompanying evidence such as text messages, emails, screenshots etc.) as VM frequently tries to dodge paying what is due, or reduce the payout, as reported in topics on here.

You may eventually have to refer any claim to the ombudsman to get paid

https://www.commsombudsman.org/our-process

[John_GS]

Hi @FernandoJM 

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community. Sorry to hear of any install delay. Pre-pull work can take place at any point including the day before the install. The date you see therefore will be a place-holder but apologies if you have not been told this.

I'll send you a PM now to assist further.

[jpeg1]

---

@John_GS wrote:

Hi @FernandoJM 

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community. Sorry to hear of any install delay. Pre-pull work can take place at any point including the day before the install. The date you see therefore will be a place-holder but apologies if you have not been told this.

---

But the customer should be told this. And the remote agents who repeat the lie about it should be told too.