Problems with Virgin media - advice please

Kayteehee

About a month ago I decided to finally get wireless internet in my flat after fighting with mobile broadband for too long.

I went through Quidco (which incidentally has not tracked!) and got a Virgin Media connection for both cable broadband and phone. It was arranged to be delivered 6th January (my day off). I got a text that morning saying that UPS were having trouble delivering cause of snow, and when I rechecked my email, in the original email which I seem to have overlooked, they said delivery on 7th, I rang Virgin media who said they had no idea when it would be delivered and said they would send me a tracking number.
No tracking number ever arrived.

My 'quick start installation' box arrived TEN DAYS after they said it would, and I had to go and pick it up from the depot. Fair enough there was bad weather, but I never recieved a tracking number. It would be a good point to note that I suffer anxiety problems and find it hard to speak to strangers on the phone, so didn't re-ring Virgin at this point.

We installed the internet no problem, but the phone was not working at all. We left it a few days hoping it would come on, but it didn't. I also got a message saying my latest bill was £40 :eek: Considering I was supposed to get two months free broadband, so it should have been £11 for phone line, plus £1.50 for international calling, plus £15 for delivery - £27.50.

Re-read through the instructions and nothing was mentioned about phone - decided to call Virgin via mobile phone.

The man on the other end of the phone was the rudest person I have ever spoken to, there was no apology for the bad service we'd recieved, he was generally rude, arrogant. He asked me to 'phone back once I knew my telephone number', I explained I didn't know my telephone number because it had never worked, he kept repeating himself. I asked him to break down the costs for me as to why the bill was £40 and he spoke to me like I was stupid and then still didn't explain it properly, I still have no idea if I will be charged £40. He told me I had been double charged but had no idea why. He then gave me another number to call re the quick start. Came off the phone feeling thoroughly shaken and remembering why I never call people except family.

My flatmate rang the other number and got a woman who was apparently extremely apologetic and said an engineer would be around on Tuesday to have a look.

My problems:

1) Delivery was ten days late, did not recieve number, had no idea what was going on, was not happy with paying £15 for this service. Would like to have a part or full refund for this.

2) I have paid a total of at least £12.50 this month for a phone line I can't even get a dial tone from. I don't want to pay for this month's phone line which I haven't used.

3) My bill is confusing, the customer service was horrendous.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to which way I can go with this? Has anyone ever written a letter to VM or an email complaint and got anywhere? I don't want to ring them ever again.

Hopefully the engineer will come on Tuesday and fix the phone line, but apart from that I'm very put off by what has happened and want some money back.

If anyone could offer some advice that would be great - sorry if this post is rambling im just quite :mad: !!

Cheers

jem16

Kayteehee wrote: »

Does anyone have any suggestions as to which way I can go with this? Has anyone ever written a letter to VM or an email complaint and got anywhere? I don't want to ring them ever again.

Unfortunately this can be typical Virgin customer service.

I have written a complaint on three occasions to Virgin through their contact us by email service on their website. Each time I have been contacted by phone by someone in their complaints department who took time and care to get my complaint resolved to my satisfaction. It took a few days for the email to be answered but when it was it was handled efficiently and politely.

hermum

I complained via their website at around noon today & had a phone message at 3-30, apologising & offering a solution. As I didn't answer I was also e-mailed.
My complaint was about not offering long-term loyal customers the same deals as new customers.
Their solution was that the wireless router I wanted to buy I could have at the very discounted price offered to new customers.
I have been with Virgin for around 4 years & have always found them extremely good to deal with.
I would definitely suggest emailing from their site, good luck