Poor communication for a new setup

[stevesch]

Hi

I'm beginning to wish I hadn't signed up for Virgin broadband.....

We have a poor Sky connection thanks to a new school using Sky for internet so Virgin looked the way to go.

SO far, its 3 phone calls , one engineer visit and still no realistic prospect of being connected.

22nd September I signed up, quick start kit ordered, but when it arrived, no connection to the internet. After contacting the helpline, and being told they could see my hub, I foolishly hung up and waited....
An hour later I rang back - apparently they couldn't see my hub after all, and an engineer would need to come out. No problem.

Engineer booked for the 6th October - no show, but I got a text mid pm saying it would be the 8th. Now this I think should qualify for automatic compensation......

Very nice chap turned up 8th, confirmed no connection to the cabinet in the street and I would get a text confirming an external installation date to connect.

text arrives - appointment for the 10th Oct - win! No show.....

Contacted the helpline tonight - apparently there's no history of the appointment on the 6th oct (I have text proof) therefore no compensation unless I email them, but he couldn't give me an email address, but did promise that someone else would call me within 48 hours....
He can't register me for auto compensation, because he can't see the earlier appointments - in my world, having to register for something, doesn't make it automatic....

I have a new appointment showing 20th Oct (this doesn't appear in the App, so I can't even try to reschedule)

Have I made a mistake attempting to switch? Is this normal for VM? I do hope not....

Any advice appreciated - I'd lose a complaints email address.....

cheers

Steve

[goslow]

Do check out the VM T&Cs for compensation here

https://www.virginmedia.com/legal/fibre-optic-services-terms-conditions/automatic-compensation

and OFCOM's minimum standards here

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/216962/Industry-Code-of-Practice-for-Automatic-...

A failed 'Quick Start' under VM's scheme (para 6 at link 1 above) is counted as a total loss of service (TLS) so counts at the better rate of £8.40 per day compared with a delayed installation at £5.25 per day.

A missed appointment where VM does not provide 24 hours notice is £26.24

The above is the outline of the scheme but do read the T&Cs in detail as there are plenty of loopholes VM can/will deploy to try to avoid paying (some legit and some not quite so legit). Read some other topics on this forum about the same issue ref installations (which are quite common on here).

Complaints procedures here

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/complaints

which you might find are as useful/successful as VM's installation processes.

[stevesch]

Thanks goslow - very helpful.

There seems to be no joined up systems for help, but at least the wait for someone to answer the phone is only usually 3 songs - they answer when Rag n Bone man is halfway through, thank god.....

I hope the actual broadband service is good when I get it....

[stevesch]

This is comedy gold!

I just went to the virgin website to raise a complaint, as no-one has contacted me yet, as promised.

I entered the complaint details, sent the form, but got no case number, just a row of stars......

I tried choosing different options for the complaint type - still just stars

No complaints to be seen in my account...

So, I used the form again, to complain about my complaint, and got a Case number! I don't know how this will work, as my complaint can't be seen, unless its the complaint about the complaint that they can't see.....

I'm ever so puzzled....

[stevesch]

and now my thread is marked as solved.....  sigh

[goslow]

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@stevesch wrote:

and now my thread is marked as solved.....  sigh

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A little 'quirk' of the forum system! If you mark a 'helpful answer' that also marks it as 'solved'! If you go back to #2 above you can 'unmark' it as helpful.

[stevesch]

but it was helpful! 🙂

[Tudor]

Unfortunately like most thing about VM it’s cack handed, ‘helpful’ means solved and ‘kudos’ means helpful.

[goslow]

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@Tudor wrote:

Unfortunately like most thing about VM it’s cack handed, ‘helpful’ means solved and ‘kudos’ means helpful.

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And 'cancel' can often mean 'renew' in regards to VM contracts! 😁

[stevesch]

The saga continues... Episode 4 I think.....

The outdoor team turned up today, unannounced, but that's a win.....

Knocks on the door to ask what needs doing...... sigh

But, we now have a little cover at the end of the drive. It looks nice. I await a cable pull I think.

I also got a very nice, but incomprehensible email about my complaint (the one about my complaint). They have raised it internally....  which doesn't help me get broadband. If I want to keep the complaint open, I have to call them even though I said my preferred contact method is email. Sigh
Apparently, they can't give me the complaint number about installation, because of data security.... What?

I bet they don't pay out much for compensation, as this is ridiculous.

I await the 20th appointment with interest, as people in my street have had messages form VM saying engineering works will be happening that day (which is all my fault 🙂 )