waiting for installation

[danielbenaim]

Here is a letter I sent the CEO at Virgin 2 days ago and no response.

Shameful.... if i do not get any satisfaction today, I will post letter on social media as I have had enough, 6 appointments cancelled many on the day, after waiting for Virgin, and now another 4 weeks wait, with no guarantees... .entered contract with Virgin on 18 May !!

Have just called again and been told by the installation dept based in the Philippines, that they can not do anything, nor any manager as its the 'system' which I pointed out clearly does not work !!

Dear Mr Schuler,

I booked a broadband package with Virgin on 18 May 2021. I was advised that you would undertake an external survey of the property before sending an engineer to make the connection in the flat.

I was told the installation would be due on 3rd June 2021.

Having taken most of the day off, no one turned up and when I called, I was told the appointment had been rescheduled for 8th June. See attached notification.

Again no one turned up on the 8th June and I was advised on the 9th June that the appointment would now be the 9th June.

Again no one turned up and after various phone calls, I got another email on the 11th June saying the installation had been delayed-AGAIN !

I then got an update saying that the installation would be on the 28th June ! I called probably 6-7 times to understand the reason for the further delay, and it was like talking to zombies. Apologies but no concrete information, no one seemed to be in charge or think that clients should deserve some information.

I took another day off to wait for the engineer.

I got a text this morning saying the installation would be the afternoon and a call from the engineer, saying he would call me before arriving at the property.

Then out of the blue, I got another text today at 15.43 today saying the installation had been rescheduled AGAIN until the 26 JULY 2021 ! I spoke to the engineer and he said he was free to do the job but it was now showing on his schedule as postponed !

One hour later and 7 calls and no one has been able to assist. I was transferred to wrong departments 4 times and had to call back each time, and I am furious that I have wasted another day AND WITH NO RESOLUTION TO WHAT SHOULD BE A ROUTINE INSTALLATION FOR A NEW CLIENT.

I don’t know, what sort of people you employ at Virgin and what sort of service NEW CLIENTS should expect, but this is shambolic, and no one seems to be in charge. Considering having broadband today is imperative at all sorts of levels, Virgin seems to be stuck in a system that is run by people with no capacity to deliver a basic service. How does Virgin expect to increase its clients within the current system ?

I am a client of Sky and Vodafone, and have never encountered such terrible service, mismanagement, and unaccountability in an organisation. Virgin Media are abusing clients and their loyalty but I have noticed on social media and Virgin community that there are many complaints, which clearly are being ignored.

I am hoping you will be able to resolve this within the next 24 hours, failing which I will have no option but to post my email with attachments on social media.

Enough is enough !

Sincerely

[sloncek]

Hi Daniel,

I had a similar experience. Ordered broadband in April with installation originally scheduled for 15 May.

After multiple delays, it's now supposed to take place on 5 July, but they're still uncertain about whether the prerequisite constuction work can be done before then. I even checked with my local council and they're actually waiting on the construction contractors to provide some information.

[jbrennand]

Without excusing it..... therein lays the issue.   They assume all connections will be ok to set up, but as soon as they come and investigate/preinstall and find, for example - a "blocked duct", it all starts going pear-shaped.

The local council has to be involved to approve any "digging" required to connect a new installation and they wade in treacle. Then 3d Party constructors get involved to do that, then VM have their own different pre-pull teams and installation teams.

Its a communications disaster and an even more complex clusterxxxx than the classical "Drama Triangle". More like a "Drama Pentangle".

As soon as delays happen for these reasons it just takes a life of its own and no-one can say when it will end with any certainty

[Sasha_W]

Hi @danielbenaim, 

Welcome to the forum page and thanks for posting this on here, 

Incredibly sorry to hear of you experience with us so far and can appreciate this isn't ideal at all. 

With installations, it can be that they do get pushed back due to external work, permissions from the neighbours and the council, which means that sometimes it is out of our control when we can carry out the install. I do appreciate this is not ideal at all and can understand your frustration, but from looking at your account, I can see that you have spoken to our team today to get this clarified further. - Did they manage to clarify any questions or concerns you had? 

Regrettably with installs, this is totally out of our control and we can't push for an install to be brought forward as it does all depend on the external work and permissions that do need to be carried out. I can see your new install date and do appreciate it is longer than expected but our engineer should install on this date as I can see that the work is expected to be carried out soon. 

If you do have any issues or concerns, please do let me know and I am more than happy to answer them. 

Thanks 

[danielbenaim]

No permissions are required. Virgin already serve at least one of the neighbours in the house ! Same platitudes and ridiculous excuses. When you see your CEO's letter on social media, at that point, I hope action will be taken !

[danielbenaim]

Thanks John. No permissions are needed, Virgin already supply the building and they said they would need to add one cable. They have assured me that it has gone in but they then change their minds and say it has not and cancel the installation at the last minute ! really shambolic system. I signed up with Virgin on 18th May

[Sasha_W]

From looking at the notes on your account, it does state that there does need to be some outside work carried out in order to have this installation go ahead, however the install should occur soon. 

Thanks 

[jbrennand]

If its external work as just stated - it may still be in the council's hands - have you looked on their website - they advise in advance when external work is to be conducted so that the local residents can make provision.

But are you in a block of flats - if so.....

On which floor ?

Is the building served internally from a VM cabinet somewhere within the premises or externally from a wall mounted box? Is there ducting to your flat from that point or is it all coming from the outside box that serves the whole building?

Not that this discussion will help solve your issue (after all only VM can do that) but there have been lots of threads on here over the years where installations get delayed for odd reasons. For example if you are above the first floor they may need a "heights" team to get involved. And they wont access "attics". Or, I have seen some where the feed was to come from a VM "cabinet" located in a room serving the whole apartment block - and no-one had a key for that room for them to access it and install the cable and the landlord couldnt be contacted or claimed they had no key!

Lets hope the next date sorts it !

[danielbenaim]

Thanks Sasha. Yes but that was discussed on the 18th May when I signed up, and many times thereafter and we are now in July and Virgin think it absolutely normal for me to have to wait until 26 July-after confirming to me that the outside cable had been installed and sending me appointments for the installation in the flat ! 

[Robert_P]

From checking the account we can see you spoke to the installation team yesterday, during the call they advised the reason for the reschedule was for some external work to be carried out. It looks like this work is due to be completed on the 9th July.

Rob