Anyone tried the company bulldog?

My business partner uses it and thinks they are excellent

Bulldog and Tiscali are the two most complained about internet providers in the UK. The majority of complaints are based on the lack of customer service.

Also, because of the way that Bulldog provides your broadband (they use their own equipment in BT exchanges). If you ever want to change to a new supplier, you can't just migrate to a new service. You will have to cancel with Bulldog (if they let you) then be without broadband untill you are set up with a new supplier.

EVERYBODY should take heed of the warning from gasha. He is most definately not alone in having a terrible experience with this company.

I would agree 100% with Gasha - avoid Bulldog at all costs. Bulll*&^t more like. My phone wasn't even working this weekend (you have to change your line from BT to Bulldog) so I could not phone my parents in South Africa and their crappy 8mb internet keeps disconnecting or timing out. They also promised a free modem which never arrived. Try and get through on the phone (when/if it works!) to complain is almost impossible. I wish I had stayed with Freedom2 surf - only ever had 1 problem with them in 3 years and they sorted it out fairly quickly. Can't wait to get rid of the dog and go back to F2S or maybe Zen Braodband who I also hear are good..

gasha wrote:

Apparently many people had excellent results cancelling the service using this same letter, if I manage to track the letter down I will post it everywhere and anywhere (including here) I think could be helpful for others to use in future.

Was this the letter?

From:
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=bulldog&Number=1422928&page=0&view=expanded&sb=5&o=0&fpart=




Director of Operations (Martin Jowett)
Bulldog Broadband
Ground Floor
40 Portman Square
LONDON
W1H 6LT
United Kingdom

Fax 0870 286 2286


Date: ????

Formal complaint and letter before action: request for refund and contract termination, BDOL nnnnnn


To: Director of Operations (Martin Jowett)

Please acknowledge immediately and forward internally as required. This document is addressed to you by default, as your company's website does not currently appear to include the legally required Code of Practice including Complaints Procedure.

I have been a Bulldog customer since <date1> and since that date have paid all monies due to you. Since <date2> the service I have been receiving from you has been of an unreasonable and unacceptable quality (see details attached).

I have taken advice on this matter and I hereby notify you that I regard you as in breach of contract owing to your failure to deliver a service with reasonable skill and care, as required by the Sale of Goods and Services Act 1982, as amended. Consequently you will be receiving no further payments from me.

In consequence of the breach of contract, and under the provisions of the Unfair Terms In Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, I require from you a full and prompt refund of monies I have paid to you for the period from <date2> during which time your service has been unusable (the sum of £<??>) plus an additional £<??> to cover telephone calls to yourselves in unsuccessfully attempting to resolve service problems during this period. The refund should be paid to <credit card/bank> no later than <2 weeks from today>.

[for LLU and Datastream] As provided for by legislation above, I also require you to remove your ADSL service from my telephone line as soon as possible, and no later than <2 weeks from today>.

[for IPstream] As provided for by legislation above and by the Ofcom Migration Code of Practice I also require you to authorise the issuing of a MAC code as soon as possible, and no later than working days from today>.

Please give this your prompt attention to minimise risk of future costs and inconvenience to yourselves; time is of the essence.

You may contact me by <phone/fax/email> in order to progress this as quickly as possible but please note that the substance of the matter is as permitted by UK consumer law and is therefore not negotiable. If this matter is not resolved amicably by <2 weeks from today> I will pursue it further to the full extent permitted by law.

Thank your for your prompt attention,
Regards
<your signature goes here>

I have also sent that letter to them (recorded delivery) as no matter what time of day you call the support line tells you that they have very high call levels and to call back later before cutting you off. Emails go unanswered.

You may also want to send a copy via email to admin at ispa.org.uk

[ISPA is the Internet Services Providers' Association - the UK's Trade Association for providers of Internet services of which Bulldog is a member]
http://www.ispa.org.uk/html/contact_ispa/index.html

Bulldog may ignore their customers but maybe they will listen to their trade body? I sent an email to ispa and got a quick response saying they would look into it and take up the matter with Bulldog - will let you know what happens.

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