Forum Discussion

samba987's avatar
samba987
Joining in
6 months ago

Waiting for installation

Hi, 

We've recently moved house, 3 weeks before we moved we brought the Voltz bundle, Broadband, TV, Sim card. I brought it online everything went though, got an email, picked the installing date of the 14th August, than silence. 

On the 13th August  I phoned up just to confirm that they were coming the next day, the women told me very rudely if we said we will come we will and put the phone down on me.

None the less I booked the day off work, and what do you know, no one turned up. Phoned up and was told Virgin had made an error my order had gone though, but no engineer was booked for my order. Was told sorry that I would defiantly have it installed on the 28th August Today. 

I've been waiting all day, another day booked off work, no engineer. Phoned up and the machine told me my installing date is 16th October now. Went though to talk to a person, He told me somebody is coming today but to do a survey on the cable only. I asked about the October date and why thats now being said as the installing date and he put the phone down on me. I wasn't rude or anything he just put it down.

I tried the whatsapp messaging after, after 1 hour and many messages asking if I still needed help ( 1, yes, nothing has change in the last 10 mins since you last asked :)) I got though to somebody they said "I am checking on this please stay with me", 10 mins later I get a message saying "thank you you conversion is now come to an end".

I'm now over 2 hours waiting for the next person on Whatsapp to answer.

I still don't know if the October date is correct, is an engineer coming today? is a survey coming today? If the fibre needs connecting why cant' the satellite tv be installed.

I've wasted 2 days off work for nothing, I should be working from home 3 days a week but with no internet  have no internet over than a slow 3/4g phone hotspot. 

I have to say it's the worst customer service I've ever had, and are they close to cancelling altogether.

 

[MOD EDIT: Subject title changed for clarity]

 

  • samba987's avatar
    samba987
    Joining in
    6 months ago

    *Update* 

    Finally got though to somebody on Whatsapp, (she was very nice). Pre-install is now 7/10 and install is the 14/10, just a 3 moth wait. They did say sorry and I'm on the priority list.

    Think we'll have to discuss this and maybe cancel. Only problem is Virgin are the only Fibre option at the moment. in my area.

    • Ashleigh_C's avatar
      Ashleigh_C
      Forum Team
      6 months ago

      Hi there samba987 

      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 issue with your preinstall and I can fully understand your frustrations experienced. I'd be more than happy to take a closer look into this with you and see if we can see what exactly is happening via a private message. 

      I will pop you a PM across now, please keep an eye out for the envelope at the top of your screen alerting you to a new message.
       

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    6 months ago

    I would politely suggest you have a very good read through the hundreds of previous 'delayed installation' topics on here when deciding what to do next so you can see how VM operates in this kind of scenario.

    Firstly, you can have absolutely zero confidence in any of the dates handed out by VM in regard to any work actually taking place when scheduled.

    When VM kicks the installation date weeks (months) into the future, it typically means that some major obstacle has been identified in getting you connected. This might typically be due to predicted costs for VM and whether it is worth their while, and cost-effective, in getting you connected.

    VM's relationship with its cabling sub-contractors is highly dysfunctional for some unlucky customers. Poor communication and bad project management mean that you could be waiting right up to October to get installed only to find a further delay is imposed on you.

    If you do decide to wait, you should go into it with your eyes wide open about the possibility of future delays beyond the timescale you have been given.

    Some choose to wait it out and see what happens. You may be eligible for compensation at some point along the way

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

    but VM routinely quibbles about paying what is due in the topics described on here.

    For those who wait, some have used a mobile data SIM on a rolling monthly contract to keep them going in the meantime. Some have even gone to the lengths of installing an Openreach connection on a rolling monthly basis while waiting.

  • Jonny-M's avatar
    Jonny-M
    Fibre optic
    6 months ago

    If the 14th August date was confirmed as your installation date then that is what you need to work from when claiming compensation. VM will talk about "preinstall" but this is a made-up term, there's no Ofcom-recognised definition of what preinstall means. If VM tell you that the 14th August is your installation date then that is the date you can expect to be using their service - if they have cabling work to perform before this date then they can attend in advance and sort that out (which is often the cause of people having boxes installed on their houses when they aren't even customers), but it doesn't make the committed date given for the installation any less valid.

    • Matthew_ML's avatar
      Matthew_ML
      Forum Team
      5 months ago

      Hey Jonny-M, thank you for reaching out and my colleague is looking into this for them via DM,

      Is everything okay with your services?