VM trying to worm out of agreed compensation for delayed installation

[DidcotJM92]

Had an e-contract with agreed installation and activation date of 5th April, booked from back in the beginning of March. Assured there were no issues and no works needed etc, as it was a new house and we're very reliant on broadband for both work and communication with family, doctors, for a young baby. 

They told us on 4th April it was now moved to 18th April due to external works needed. I literally watched the works get completed on the 5th and after many phone calls with the pre-installation team, got to the bottom of it - the works were completed quickly, they just don't have the engineers available, so will not bring the new date of the 18th forward for any reason. 

Was told by the pre-installation team I was eligible for daily compensation for every missed day from the 5th (£5.25 per day according the Ofcom regs). They also told me to buy an O2 dongle and sim card to work from home with and contact my son's doctor, and I would be able to be reimbursed once my broadband was activated. 

Now an agent on this forum is trying to tell me I'm not eligible for automatic compensation as the 5th was only 'provisional.' She also says they never advise anyone to buy O2 equipment and be reimbursed, so I must have been hearing things on multiple occasions. I sent her the Ofcom regs with no mention of 'provisional' dates anywhere and have asked to raise a formal complaint. She's now ignoring me and didn't raise the complaint. 

Apparently I also need 'evidence' the pre-install team told me I'd be reimbursed for the dongle, despite VM refusing to ever send email or text notes from a phone call. "The details of this conversation are all noted on your account sir, yes sir, I promise." Hmm, yeah. Sure they were. After hours and hours on the phone, no agent ever seems to make any sense regarding my case, despite them claiming all these notes and details are added after every call. 

So I've provided the dates, times, and call lengths of all the calls where these promises have been made. Apparently a manager will review the call recordings. I am (of course) not allowed access to the recordings or any written confirmation that this process is taking place. I did however voice record this most recent agent making these most recent set of promises, as I've learned my lesson. 

Has anyone else dealt with, or is dealing with, this kafka-esque nightmare? Never known an organization to be so openly dishonest and contemptuous towards a customer. Looking for advice and moral support!

[DidcotJM92]

Update - the agent has now responded and raised my complaint, so only fair to add that here. She is still trying to worm out of compensation with the nonsense detailed above though. 

[goslow]

Read through past topics and (unfortunately) you will find carbon copies of your installation story along with similar dubious information relayed by various branches of the VM organisation. The 'provisional' installation date is an invention of VM's to try to minimise or remove compensation pay-outs.

The provisional installation date concept does not appear in the OFCOM documentation for the compensation scheme but it would seem that the ombudsman has given the idea some validity in past adjudication cases where the outcome has been fed back on here.

From past cases it seems much depends on the info you were given as you went along. VM sometimes issues an activation date with no mention of possible variations (such as the example below which mentions the technician coming on a specific date to install equipment)

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Ofcom-compensation-on-installs/td-p/5416574

A notification which mentions other work might be involved might be considered as 'provisional' as below

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Technician-No-show/td-p/5396742

when it is assessed by the ombudsman

Much depends on what you were told along the way by VM but VM will always try the excuse to begin with that your date was only ever provisional (even if you have not been told this). They will also regularly use the fake excuse of waiting for 'council permits' as a cause of a long delay.

If you need access to past info and calls you need to make a DSAR

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

and I think there is a 180 day retention limit on call recordings.

Keep a detailed record of everything as you go along in a timeline format with items of evidence linked to each date/time on the timeline. This will help you when you present your case and (inevitably) have to go to arbitration to get paid any compensation due.