Just what do I have to do...?

[KevD]

Hi folks, I've just found this forum whilst looking for some information about what I can do next, and it looks like this might be the place to ask. Apologies in advance for the length of this post.

At the beginning of October, my wife paid our NTL bill the way she usually does, by ringing up the bank and transferring the money to NTL. Except she gave them our old account number (they've recently changed the acc no.).

We then had our phone line suspended because NTL claimed not to have received the payment.

A quick phone call, and NTL apologised and put the telephone back on.

November's bill came, again the money appeared to have not been received, the same day we had our phone line suspended again. I rang NTL, where I was basically accused of "trying it on", and asked to fax my bank statement to prove that I had paid it.

A call to our bank gave us the details of the NTL account the money was paid into, the statement number, item number and date. Another call to NTL, and we were again told that the money has been found and they would put a note of it on our account.

Last Tuesday (14th) we had our phone line disconnected due to this payment still not being found.

A phone call to NTL's Credit Control... "Yes, we have now found the payment, and your account is now up to date."

I was told that my phone service will be back up and running within 24 hours, and that someone based in Coventry was dealing with it personally.

Since then, I have spoken to numerous NTL staff from all sorts of departments (Deconnections, Customer Services, Cancellations, Credit Control, etc etc), never being able to deal with the same person twice, and being given a different story every time.

I have been promised that someone will call me back later in the day on 4 seperate occasions, not one of which has materialised.

All I want to know is when will my phone service be reactivated. Why is this such a problem?

I know I should just tell them to stuff it, but I do need this phone working, and BT can't install until mid-January.

Thanks in advance for any info you can give.

[jellybaby]

When ever i've had a problem and my phone has been suspended, it has been reinstated by the time i've put the phone down, so i can't see why it's taking so long.
I'm sure someone with a bit more knowledge will be along to help soon.

to the site by the way. I hope u stick around and have a good look round

[KevD]

Originally Posted by jellybaby

When ever i've had a problem and my phone has been suspended, it has been reinstated by the time i've put the phone down, so i can't see why it's taking so long.
I'm sure someone with a bit more knowledge will be along to help soon.

to the site by the way. I hope u stick around and have a good look round

Thanks for the welcome

Yes, when they suspended my line before, on both occasions it was reinstated right away. But this time they have totally zapped it.

They have said that they will waive the £50 reconnection fee though.

[Neil]

KevD- to the site.

I suggest you ring someone listed here: http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/article.php?a=28 to get this mess sorted out.

I have to say it sounds like fairly typical ntl to me.

Telephone ping pong, no one owning the problem, no one calling back-yep, that's ntl all right....

[Florence]

Originally Posted by KevD

Thanks for the welcome

Yes, when they suspended my line before, on both occasions it was reinstated right away. But this time they have totally zapped it.

They have said that they will waive the £50 reconnection fee though.

to the forums.. I would make sure you have all their names you talk to and their telephone extension numbers for starters. Also armed with all this information including a photocopy of where the money came out of your account ( blanking out the bank account details) and post, take or/also if you can scan the information then email it to the person incharge of your area. You will find who that person is here
Should let them know politely but firmly you are unhappy with the service you have recieved after a small error on your part at first has allowed NTL to keep youn of the phone for howmany ever days you have been without a phone.

[Neil]

Did you see my link above you Kits?

[Florence]

Originally Posted by Neil

Did you see my link above you Kits?

yes sorry after I had posted

[KevD]

Originally Posted by Kits

to the forums..

Thanks

Originally Posted by Kits

I would make sure you have all their names you talk to and their telephone extension numbers for starters.

Yes, I've done all that, but I still can't get back to the only extension number I've been given (no-one else seems to have one), and there is no point in asking for names... I only get first names, and with staff running into hundreds spread over 3 (?) call centres, the chance of getting back to the same person is zero.

[KevD]

Originally Posted by Neil

I suggest you ring someone listed here:

Thanks for that info... Most helpful

If nothing happens tomorrow (I've been promised yet another call back), they can expect a call on Thursday.

[KevD]

I don't believe it. I really do not believe what I have just heard.

Two days ago, I did actually get a call back as promised, and was told that my phone line would be reconnected today (24th).

I rang today to check what was happening, and I am now told that there was a problem with some (internal) form sent on the 14th, a new one was made on the 20th, and I will now have to wait 10 days from the 20th to be reconnected.

Ten working days that is... By my calculation that means I wont be back on until January 6th.

What is involved in reconnecting an NTL phone line? Why can't I be dealt with as the "special case" that I was promised I was being treated as? I was originally promised that my phone line would be back within 24 hours.

Why I am being pushed so far that I want to cancel my account?

[Shaun]

All I can say is give BT a call on 0800 800 150 and ask to take your phone line over to them

[KevD]

Originally Posted by dellwear

All I can say is give BT a call on 0800 800 150 and ask to take your phone line over to them

Too late, although I'm not sure that'll be the end of it. I've just rung up NTL and told them that I want to cancel my account...

"Which account would that be sir?"

"My telephone line."

"That's already been disconnected sir"

"I know that, I've spent the past 10 days trying to get it reconnected."

"You'll have to speak to Reconnections about that sir"

"I did try, however I now admit defeat and wish to cancel my contract with you."

"Your phone line has already been disconnected sir."

I have this funny feeling that my dealings with NTL have yet to reach a conclusion.