Pre install work Blocked ducting

[RageCage]

What experience have you all had with blocked ducting on your pre install?

The guys said I'd need a different team to come out and asked how long till my install which, is 4 days, he just raised his eyebrows. 

I know some will find me pessimistic but I can see exactly where this is going. My sky and ISP are due to be cancelled by the end of the month and can see this taking longer.

I tried to phone up to talk to someone about this spent 6 minutes trying to get through only be told (by a robot) they are very busy and ended the call. Alarm bells are now ringing.

Anyone had the second team out within 4 days of the first? 

First team have left the monblock they lifted lying loose on top of the ducting as the other team will probably need to lift the rest around it anyway, who will fix that if the guys aren't able to come in time for the install and I have to cancel?

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

Potentially it will be done in the claimed time frame.  On the other hand there's people posting here who have had similar problems still not resolved after 13 months.  You need to get on to Sky and sort out something with them because one thing we see time and again is broken installation promises, and a complete inability to provide accurate information, or to expedite what should be a simple job, and if you do nothing then potentially you'll have no landline, no TV, no internet.  A search of the forum for delayed installation will give you a feel for how things might happen.

In terms of rectification (whether you cancel or not) that's VM's responsibility.  Maybe they'll come along and sort it all out without being asked and without a fuss....

[-tony-]

do some searchinh - the back stories are not good - i think the record is 1 year - 1 month and counting and there are more - the work to clear the blocked duct will go to subcontractors who may also subcontract it so thats all problems - contractors are a law unto themselves - you will likely get white vans and if they stop they are likely to tell you what they are going to do and disappear quicker than summer snow doing nothing in the process

if it means digging the pavement or road that needs a council permit which is usually granted in 48 hours but VM or their contractors turn that into 6 to 8 weeks - no one knows how

the thing to do is get your existing isp back on a 30 day contract or new deal - sit back and let VM do their thing - whatever that is as no one in VM knows - you will get promises that its guaranteed to be sorted tomorrow - when its not it will be the next day and the next and so on - dont cancel the install whatever you do - if you do that all work orders will be cancelled and if you want VM in the future you start where you left off - take the £5.25 a day compensation that they will try to get out off - that will likely need CISAS to prod them with a sharp stick

or it might all happen in the next 4 days - let us know if it does and someone will get the bunting out

[RageCage]

Thanks Andrew, I guess we'll know in 4 days or so, I've went out and had a look and it appears to be blocked with small stones at the house end, looks like it could be cleared easily by some small grabber tool but I'm no expert obviously 

[RageCage]

• Good Idea Tony thank you I'll see if I can reinstate the sky and ISP without a new contract and wait it out. Had no idea on the £5 a day compensation so I'll look into that too if need be

[RageCage]

 

 I see it now in black and white, how can they try and wriggle out of this 🤔😂

[RageCage]

Time to get the bunting out and serve myself up with a big slice of humble pie 🥧

Guy from virgin came out today and pulled about 3 foot worth of stones and dirt from the ducting, put a line through so the guys can come back and install the fibre. 

This was less than 24 hours after the first team highlighted the problem.

The guy said if he couldn't fix they would need to get open reach out as the ducting belongs to BT and that's where the delays would be