Pre pull work Delay

[den12]

We recently moved into a new area, and last week I requested the services to move to the new home. I was given an installation day of 26th September. Saying the pre install would be done the same day. I reached out to customer services multiple times, and in different occasions they said the pre pull would happen at different times, they said Friday the 27th, then Saturday the 28th, then finally Monday (Today). In my area I was told by the engineer who came that the connection to the property needed to be checked by the people who do the pre pull work. The same day the pre pull work came into the property and said to us why the engineer that previously came didn't use the cables from our neighbours as they also use VM. So the pre pull team just left saying that they couldn't to anything and that they would send somebody else. I voiced this to customer service multiple times in the hopes of getting a solid time and date, then finally someone said that apparently now they have the permissions to do the work and that they'll show up on Monday. Each time I keep getting told today or tomorrow. Seeing all the stories from the community we are just scared that this could happen to us. No one has been very helpful, so I hope to speak to the community team or an area manager to discuss the actual status. Hope this get resolved quick so can show people how fast VM resolves delays. Thanks.

[goslow]

You will get no reliable answers from VM, unfortunately. The cabling work is sub-contracted and, once the job is allocated, it seems the task is left entirely to the sub-contractor. The dates VM keeps handing out, when you phone, are just automatically generated on the screen in front of the call handler and typically have no relationship with the reality of when an installation may happen.

Splitting a cable from a neighbour is a temporary measure to get you working but often, when this happens, the split cable ends up left like that indefinitely. If you are having a new installation, VM should provide you with your own cable (particularly if you are on the highest tier speed).

You should start keeping a detailed record of events (dates, times of all calls, messages, texts etc. along with any missed appointments and failed appointments where someone turns up but no work was carried out). Keep the record in a timeline format with links from the timeline to each piece of recorded evidence. This will make it easy for you in the future to put forward a case to arbitration for the correct compensation, should that be necessary.

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

[den12]

Ho thanks for the reply

Do you think then that is going to take a while ?

Because we were thinking about buying unlimited data plan as it looks like it’s going to take forever as I have seen in the community.

[goslow]

Unfortunately, one of worst aspects of VM's installation processes is that there is no consistency in how the installation is (mis)managed when it deviates from the expected schedule. You may get installed and working on Monday or you may be in for a long wait. No one (including VM) can give you any information that you can truly rely on.

Having a data SIM on a rolling monthly contract is a useful standby in case it looks like your installation is going to drag on.

If you look through the 'Quick Start' forum for similar past topics (there are hundreds of them by now, I imagine) you will get a good idea of how VM behaves in such circumstances.

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi there @den12 

Thank you so much for your post and welcome to the community forums, it's great to have you here. 

I am so sorry that you have faced this is issue with your install, I am so sorry that this has been a frustrating journey for you. 

I know you have mentioned that the teams were due out again today, can I ask if the work has been completed as of yet?

[den12]

Hello Ashleigh,

No it hasn't been completed as of today. Someone meant to be here today but they didn't show up. We haven't had access to our services for a while now and we are trying to do everything that we can to access it as must of the family works from home. I hope that you or someone from your team can help our situation because we like virgin media and we hope to get this solved as soon as possible

Thanks

[Rosebush18]

OK you have to work on the basis that VM aren’t going to connect you up anytime soon (incidentally, I believe the record delay as reported on here is still 13 months - no not a typo, it really was over a year). On that basis, you need to start investigating alternative suppliers, what can they offer, for how much, how soon can they connect you up?

I’m sorry to say that the advice from ‘goslow’ above is sadly true, alas the way that VM have decided to work means that nobody including the forum team or the semi-legendary ‘area managers’ can help - they simply don't know, or have any means of finding out, they certainly don’t have any way of expediting or have any influence over the contractors - it’ll happen (or not) when it does! It’s simply the way that VM operates.

[Matthew_ML]

I am sorry to hear this, let me send you a DM and we can take a look. 

[den12]

Update

No one came in as of today and its almost two weeks and half without service from virgin media

[jpeg1]

Be careful that they don't connect you by running across a "temporary" cable to the box on your neighbour's wall, unless they have got prior permission from the neighbour.