5th Time Lucky?

Xn1 · 21-01-2010, 10:48

Hi guys and girls, new to the forum, though you might enjoy this one.

3rd of December 2009, I order a triple package over the internet and schedule installation for the 14th of December. I receive an email to conform this will all be going ahead.

Monday 14th December 2009, installation was scheduled between 1pm and 6pm. At 7pm the installation (and I use that term loosely) engineer arrived and right away tells me that he has no V box to complete the installation, however, will set the rest up. After a search round the house, he discovers that there is no cable run into the garden, something that I was not asked about at any point, and tells me that he will not be able to install anything because of this. Not much of an installation engineer if you ask me, a child could plug a box into a wall.
After he had left, I phoned up their customer services department and explain the situation, I was told that the engineer must have got confused; he then said he would “look into this right away and get right back to me.”

Tuesday 15th December, roughly 2pm I phone again the customer service department and have to explain the situation again and the fact that I was not called back as promised. I was put on hold while this was looked into and told that my installation would be rescheduled and I would be called back right away.

Wednesday 16th December, roughly around 2pm again, I phone up the not so customer service department and have to explain the situation again and explain that twice now I have not been called as promised. I was told that my installation was not rescheduled as promised and was put on hold. After a short while, I was told that this was all in hand and someone would call me back the end of the day or tomorrow at the latest.

Friday 18th December 2pm, no call received so I phone again, I don’t bother explaining anything I just tell them to check my records. I am apologised to and put on hold, after a few minutes I am told that the installation department manager is sorting out my problem, he is reliable and will call me between 5pm and 6pm, and he was aware how many times I was not called back.
7pm and still no call received so I phone back again and lodge a complaint against the manager who didn’t call me and refuse to get off the phone until a date is set. I am told that Tuesday 5th of January is the next date available and this would include a cable run into the garden and the installation.

Tuesday 5th January, too much snow. Despite the fact, there isn't enough snow to make a snowball here and the installation engineer said there was no snow where he was, the decision was made that it would no go ahead until January 13.

January the 13th, too much snow. I understand that weather condition can affect things but by this time, it was starting to become a joke. My installation is rescheduled for Wednesday the 20th of January.

January the 20th, the installation is set between 1pm and 6pm. At 6.30, a man knocks at the door and tells me that he is the installation area manager and he is coming ahead of the engineers (plural intended) as they are running late. He first asks me if I have a cable box installed on the house. After explain that of course there isn’t that’s what he was here for, he tells me that they won’t be able to do an installation because the cable isn’t run into the garden (sound familiar). I explain the situation and he says he is sorry he can’t do anything thing and tells me that he is a new manger and there are a few communication problems at the moment. Thank you Captain Obvious. What I don’t understand is why it takes more than one engineer and an area manager to plug a box into a wall.

I phone up customer services and first end up in the billing department; they couldn’t help me with the installation issue but gave me the correct number. While I was on the phone to them though, I did make sure they refunded me in full for the phone calls I have had to make.

After phoning the correct number, I got to speak to a very helpful woman who even offered to call me instead to save my phone bill. After explaining everything she applolgised and told me that she would offer me a refund on installation but it’s already free and a £10 credit is already on my account for the phone calls, so she cant offer me anything more, however, she did initiate an full investigation by means of a second formal complain on my account. Someone is going to call me in the next 24 hours and then see where it goes from there.

If it wasn’t for the fact we have no physical BT line, I would go else where, but Virgin is my only option for TV and broadband.

Here's to hoping the 5th times a charm

NoKnowledge · 21-01-2010, 11:03

You can get a free BT line until 31 Jan 2010 but it's a 18 month contract and there are a few catches.

newbie1001 · 21-01-2010, 11:19

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/dea...tallation#free

More info on the free BT line maybe you could use this to shake up Virgin a bit, doubt it though

Xn1 · 21-01-2010, 11:22

I can’t have a BT line at all. We used to be on them, but another provider charged our calls. We paid our bills every month to this other provider and one month BT sent there own bill (over priced I might add), we refused to pay it and explained we don’t pay them, and eventually they totally cut us off until its paid (which wont ever happen)

piggy · 27-01-2010, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xn1

I can’t have a BT line at all. We used to be on them, but another provider charged our calls. We paid our bills every month to this other provider and one month BT sent there own bill (over priced I might add), we refused to pay it and explained we don’t pay them, and eventually they totally cut us off until its paid (which wont ever happen)

i must say it looks like virgin had a lucky escape if you dont pay your bills why would anybody want to offer you a service!

newbie1001 · 28-01-2010, 14:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by piggy

i must say it looks like virgin had a lucky escape if you dont pay your bills why would anybody want to offer you a service!

Without the full facts you cannot really make a comment like that. They may have been a problem with the transfer resulting in BT still billing the OP even though they paid the other provider for the full service. It does happen when i went back to Virgin a couple of years ago they didn't cancel my line with BT and i got hit with a quarterly bill. I should have checked myself but i had faith in Virgin to do this as part of their service.

Xn1 · 01-02-2010, 15:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by piggy

i must say it looks like virgin had a lucky escape if you dont pay your bills why would anybody want to offer you a service!

I do pay my bills thank you very much. We were paying for our calls from another provider (for about 4 months), when BT decided to send us a bill for calls for the month out of the blue. Thats why we didn't pay it, becase it was clearly a mistake.

I'm not going to pay for something twice, and don't appreciate your tone.

webcrawler2050 · 01-02-2010, 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by piggy

i must say it looks like virgin had a lucky escape if you dont pay your bills why would anybody want to offer you a service!

I think, this is a little judgemental. It's very rude to judge someone that quikcly, when the OP has obvious reason for not paying it... From what I hear, why should the customer, pay for a bill, whilst it's in dispute.

Dukefever · 02-02-2010, 18:26

Ok so have you had your Virgin media services installed yet?

Duke

webcrawler2050 · 02-02-2010, 19:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dukefever

Ok so have you had your Virgin media services installed yet?

Duke

Who you talking to?

Dukefever · 02-02-2010, 19:37

The OP.

Duke

Xn1 · 03-02-2010, 11:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dukefever

Ok so have you had your Virgin media services installed yet?

Duke

Nope, still no instalation. I was told on the 20th, that the turn around for the second complaint is 48 hours. 2 weeks later, I have heard nothing at all from them. I'm getting tired of chasing them up for something so simple.