Broadband provider can't provide a proper service: advice on switching

GreatBritain

Ok everybody I mean no offence, but with all due respect, I'm not going to reply to any posts saying the ISP is not at fault or asking me to do troubleshooting steps.

This is a consumer advice forum, and while I appreciate the help, I came here so that in the event that all troubleshooting steps have been exhausted, and the ISP refuses to do anything to help, is my plan which I will repeat, appropriate:

1. Give the company multiple opportunities to solve the issue including doing all the troubleshooting steps.
2. Inform the company that if they fail to resolve the issue I will be terminating the contract because they've broken the terms by providing an inadequate service, and that they can't charge me a cancellation fee by law.
3. If they try to charge me I will get the credit card company to do a chargeback.

If along the way, the problem is fixed, or it turns out there is an issue out of the control of the ISP then great, I don't have to go down the cancellation route.

But again, I didn't come here for troubleshooting steps, that's the job of the ISP to provide.

Please understand that I didn't come here without trying some troubleshooting and phoning the ISP first. This course of action will only be taken if everything else fails. So obviously I wouldn't do this without trying an ethernet cable etc.

mije1983

GreatBritain wrote: »

is this plan good?

Impossible to say because you haven't given any detail on speeds, just that you find it unacceptable. That is subjective.

What is the wired speed you are receiving, and how does that compare to what you were told when you signed up? That is the way to prove that they aren't providing an acceptable service. For example, if they told you that your line could only sustain a 1Mb service and that is what they are providing, then they are indeed providing the service you agreed to. However, if they said you'd get 10Mb then that is a different story.

If the latter then your plan is awful as the chargeback will get rejected.

If the speed and lag you are getting is due to your distance to the exchange (assuming a Openreach based provider), then there is nothing the ISP - or any other ISP bar Virgin - can do for you.


If you insist on going ahead with the plan, you need to open up a complaint with the ISP and follow their complaints process first. You can't just decide to end the contract. If the complaint isn't resolved with 8 weeks (or if the ISP issue a deadlock letter) you can escalate to the relevant ombudsman.

GreatBritain

Also, doing a chargeback is not difficult. In fact some people even abuse it by buying things off the internet and then doing a chargeback, so essentially fraud. The reason I'm asking if I should do a chargeback is not because I'm worried if it will be possible or not, it's because I will only consider a chargeback when all other options are failed. My intention is not to commit fraud or abuse the ability to do a chargeback.

And again, I'm really not trying to cause offence, I think that there's been a misunderstanding with what my intentions are, and it appeared as though I wanted to act too quickly.

Thank you.

GreatBritain

mije1983 wrote: »

Impossible to say because you haven't given any detail on speeds, just that you find it unacceptable. That is subjective.

What is the wired speed you are receiving, and how does that compare to what you were told when you signed up? That is the way to prove that they aren't providing an acceptable service. For example, if they told you that your line could only sustain a 1Mb service and that is what they are providing, then they are indeed providing the service you agreed to. However, if they said you'd get 10Mb then that is a different story.

If the latter then your plan is awful as the chargeback will get rejected.

If the speed and lag you are getting is due to your distance to the exchange (assuming a Openreach based provider), then there is nothing the ISP - or any other ISP bar Virgin - can do for you.

Look the speed is not the issue here. I am not an expert on how broadband works, so I don't know what's wrong, but when I play online games, there is a lot of input lag. There is sometimes difficulty connecting to the broadband when using a wireless connection. There is trouble uploading stuff to the cloud, because it says my internet is not strong enough.

I have no idea what the issue is, but there seems to be some sort of issue with the strength of the internet. Now obviously if I cancel straight away and do a chargeback, that would be inappropriate. That's what number 1 and 2 in the plan is for. Do any and every step the ISP says. Ask them multiple times for further help. Then, warn them that if the issue is not looked into, I will have no choice but to switch, and I expect not to be charged. Only then, if they charge me, do I consider doing a chargeback.

GreatBritain

And please understand that this issue started a couple months ago. If my broadband was always like this then the ISP could argue that this is the level of service I signed up for. However these issues started a few months ago and thus the service has got worse.

mije1983

Ok, it seems you have already decided your next steps so I'll wish you luck. Keep us updated.

DCFC79

You tried complaining, by letter.

DCFC79

GreatBritain wrote: »

Ok everybody I mean no offence, but with all due respect, I'm not going to reply to any posts saying the ISP is not at fault or asking me to do troubleshooting steps.

This is a consumer advice forum, and while I appreciate the help, I came here so that in the event that all troubleshooting steps have been exhausted, and the ISP refuses to do anything to help, is my plan which I will repeat, appropriate:

Well not being pedantic you posted on the Broadband & internet access forum, if its consumer rights you were after then post over on the relevant forum where you should receive consumer rights advice.

[Deleted User]

GreatBritain wrote: »

This is a consumer advice forum, and while I appreciate the help, I came here so that in the event that all troubleshooting steps have been exhausted, and the ISP refuses to do anything to help, is my plan which I will repeat, appropriate:

Have they all been exhausted though?

Out of interest would you be willing to plug the PC into the router (not WiFi) and run a speed test at https://www.speedtest.net and let us know the ping, download & upload speeds. This should usually be done at multiple times to rule out any overloading at peak times but just the once would do for this I think. You could perhaps also try in on WiFi.


If not then that's fine but I would agree with all of the above posts that doing a charge back and breaking the contract is a terrible idea. Have you put a written complaint in?

pmduk

A word of warning before going down the chargeback route: If a company can prove that you have received the good you have charged back, the bank will reverse the chargeback, probably close your account and register a CIFAS marker. If you are in any doubt of the impact that will have, then make enquiries on the Budgeting and Bank accounts Board, because it's very serious indeed.

I've seen it happen to a customer when he did it with a £20 top-up at a mobile network I was working for.

Make sure you have exhausted all formal complaints options before doing anything drastic.