Plusnet new customer nightmare!

Miss_J

We're having loads of problems with Plusnet before we're even getting any service off them. About 8 years ago we swapped our telephone, broadband and tv to Tiscali (pre Talk Talk days). We didn't have the TV for long as the line speed didn't support it. We ended up stuck with Talk Talk paying over the odds as we were stuck on a phone contract with them and my husband never got round to changing it to another supplier once the contract had ended. Finally after years of nagging my husband has swapped over to Plusnet.

Our phone line and broadband was supposed to swap over on 27th June which came and went without any sign of service. Non speaking to Plusnet they said there wasn't any problems and to just keep checking the line. After another 3 days they finally admitted there was a problem with the line which was down to Talk Talk but was something that BT needed to sort as they owned the line. After days of waiting and numerous calls being told another 48 hours were still no further forward. Today they said the problem is solved yet we still have no service. We called again to be told we have to wait another 48 hours and see what happened. It's so frustrating that they seem less than bothered about sorting the problem. Can anyone suggest how we resolve this issue.

Apologies for any typos, having to post from my mobile which is small and fiddly.

Thanks in advance.

kwikbreaks

Sounds like yet another Openreach screwup to me. It's probable that you can't do anything to fix it yourself but you do need to lodge a formal complaint with Plusnet.

Bigphil1474

I've been with PlusNet for a few years now, and they've been good with me, generally. Occasional mess up by them, but nothing major. We had a problem with our phone line a couple of years ago, and had similar issues chasing it up with PlusNet, but basically it is Openreach who fix the lines, not plusnet. Have you got an online account set up with plusnet. If you go into the member centre it will show the status of any works, plus records of any 'questions' they have dealt with or are on-going. Their web chat service is worth a try as well if you can get on it. Advisors are usually pretty good, and they log your contact should it need escalating further.
The latest issue we had was when we switched to fibre, and they sent us 2 new routers, instead of 1 router and a tv box. Rang them up and they sent a prepaid return bag out, and the tv box is due today.

Miss_J

Today my husband contacted them again. Plusnet couldn't work out why we didn't have service and said we needed to wait another 2 days to see hat happens. My husband decided to ring BT to see if we could just switch to them and they said they could do it straight away seeing as we have an old BT line in. When they tried to take over the line they couldn't and when the adviser investigated further she said it looks like the line has actually been removed and they can't provide a broadband service until a new line has been installed. It's now becoming an even bigger nightmare.

Roselli

Not much consolation I'm afraid but it gets even worse when you leave PlusNet. I changed to a new supplier on 1/7/16. PlusNet issued a new bill for August charge. I called them and explained I had left - they didn't believe me and said I was still with them - despite my new service working from 1/7/16. When I tried to explain they hung up - actually hung up on me! I used their help service on twitter and was told as long as I cancel my direct debit I would get a refund! I could not believe their reasoning - if the payment fails then their cancellation team will notice(!) and then refund me. So it seems if I had not noticed all this they would keep on charging and taking my money until I did notice. Is this why they receive awards!!!

brewerdave

Roselli wrote: »

Not much consolation I'm afraid but it gets even worse when you leave PlusNet. I changed to a new supplier on 1/7/16. PlusNet issued a new bill for August charge. I called them and explained I had left - they didn't believe me and said I was still with them - despite my new service working from 1/7/16. When I tried to explain they hung up - actually hung up on me! I used their help service on twitter and was told as long as I cancel my direct debit I would get a refund! I could not believe their reasoning - if the payment fails then their cancellation team will notice(!) and then refund me. So it seems if I had not noticed all this they would keep on charging and taking my money until I did notice. Is this why they receive awards!!!

Did PN actually send you a "sorry you are leaving us" communication? If not, then it sounds like the new supplier has failed to tell them that they are taking over the line.
Happened to me the other way around when I switched to PN from HORRANGE, who denied that I had left them and wanted an extra month of charges.

parttimeskint

This isn't aimed at the OP but people would think the process is rocket science after reading the forums here.

Open reach do make mistakes and miss appointments but generally the problem lies with how the service was ordered and the persons expectations.

Here is a little guide for people.

Moving to a new provider at the same address.

If keeping your number then your old service will cancel automatically. It is that simple. Your new provider, the gaining provider, will deal with everything. (Excluding virgin media). If you cancel with your old provider first it will not go correctly and best case scenario is you get your service active with the new provider on the right day but with a new number. Worst case scenario is the mis-information you give to the providers while you chase your tail ensures you are without services for an extended period and you lose your phone number.

If you aren't bothered about keeping the number then place the order with your new provider first and then cancel your old provider. If one of the providers are LLU there will be no automatic cancellation. So moving from a talk talk LLU line to a Sky LLU line could leave you paying for 2 services. Sky won't know there is a connected line there as it will show on their checker, which is in effect BTs checker, as not connected (as it isn't connected to BTs service) so Sky will order you a new line. All the ISPs use the same checker effectively which don't show LLU lines. If you cancel your line first and then go to your new provider, they may not be able to place an order, or the order they place will be rejected, if your cancellation was picked up by BT. So, in 2 weeks your old service cancels and the new one doesn't start. You phone complain and then get told it will take 10 days or 2 weeks as they have to place another order all together.

Moving house.

When moving home you can't keep the previous occupants number so you have to place an order for a new line. You place your order, with your chosen provider, and that's it. If you know there is a working line there it is ok to say that. Most online forms ask if you own the line or are moving anyway and ask for a moving in date. The order can generate a cease on the present occupiers services which will prompt him to call his ISP, if he hasn't already, and make his arrangements. You move in and the services will go active then. Whether the previous occupier did/didn't cancel their services or whatever won't matter To you or the move.

Always keep a check on your order, most ISPs allow you to track your order online and it will tell you if, when, and sometimes why the order fails.

brewerdave

Just to add to the above post:- I believe that the communication between ISPs goes via BT Wholesale (it certainly used to) - this link might be the cause of the failure.

Roselli

Yes received all that. New supplier confirmed details had been recorded and Plusnet informed in the required way.
Following the advice and cancelling my direct debit with Plusnet I get an email from them telling me to set it up again. Contact help(!) and told me its ok as tha's an automated email - when they don't get the payment 'someone will notice and sort it out'!
You couldn't make it up really