Post office broadband - is this reasonable?

alexcs

Hi,

I hope this is an acceptable/sensible place for this post! I have been experiencing issues with my Post Office Broadband connection sporadically dropping out. We've tried everything and I've already lost many hours on the phone to them, but they've now decided to send an engineer.

Problem is they have asked me to provide two half-day slots (weekday 8-1 or 1-6) where I would have to wait in for the engineer. I have some flexibility with work but would potentially lose up to a day's leave which is a huge pain this close to Christmas. I would have no issue if it were possible to fix an appointment at a certain time but they insist that giving up two half days is the only solution.

My question is: Do I have any entitlement to compensation for the lost hours or would this possibly be grounds for cancellation? There is an Ofcom Code of Practice, but this situation is not covered and Post Office aren't signed up anyway... Meanwhile I am really not willing to be messed around this much when it's their fault or BT's that my connection isn't working and I am already paying for a faulty service...

Grateful for any thoughts. Only approach I can think of is a(nother) strongly worded complaint but they take months to reply... I've already tried...

Thank you!

JJ_Egan

Is this problem over ethernet or wifi ??
Sporadic any particular times ??



Yes OR slots are as described due to the nature of the work .

BT OR will charge £135- £175 if problem is user not OR .



They dont compensate for lost hours only days and no its not a getout .
Any leaving contract penalty free is at the discretion of the ISP after fault finding process .

alexcs

The connection issues persist whether I am plugged in or over wifi. Some days it will be fine, others the connection so intermittent that I can't stream things over Netflix without being interrupted several times.

The T&Cs refer to making reasonable accommodations for technical support, but I don't see this as reasonable. How many working people can give up two half days to sit around waiting for an engineer to come around? :mad:

[Deleted User]

alexcs wrote: »

The connection issues persist whether I am plugged in or over wifi. Some days it will be fine, others the connection so intermittent that I can't stream things over Netflix without being interrupted several times.

The T&Cs refer to making reasonable accommodations for technical support, but I don't see this as reasonable. How many working people can give up two half days to sit around waiting for an engineer to come around? :mad:

You're not giving up 2 half days, you're being asked to give up 1 and yes it is reasonable.

You can always ask someone to house sit for you or take a part holiday (presuming you have any left). You also don't know that it is their 'fault' (the PO or OR, not BT) as that is what the engineer visit is for.

alexcs

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

You're not giving up 2 half days, you're being asked to give up 1 and yes it is reasonable.

You can always ask someone to house sit for you or take a part holiday (presuming you have any left). You also don't know that it is their 'fault' (the PO or OR, not BT) as that is what the engineer visit is for.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other! For leave purposes, 2 half days = 1 full day regardless of how I schedule it. We'll have to beg to differ on our definitions of reasonable but to give up a day's leave due to a broadband issue out of my control is a bitter pill to swallow! I can't think of anybody who could housesit, most people I know also working full time.

Who is at fault if it's not PO? I pay them money for a working broadband connection and don't receive the service... Technical issues happen, I just think they could show a little more understanding. Not everybody is easily able to give up an entire weekday!

I hoped I would find some form of recourse but it seems I am at PO's mercy! I've found a single afternoon I can give up for them, hopefully they're willing to compromise... other than that the next day I can offer them is Xmas eve...

user225688

That is very similar to the issue I had had with post office!

Ever since I went with them in June with the cheap MSE deal they would drop out once or twice a day at peak times for just a few seconds then be fine again; but still it is annoying for it to drop when you are in the middle of things.

They called out an engineer and he said 'there is nothing wrong with your connection' yet still it persisted.

onomatopoeia99

alexcs wrote: »

My question is: Do I have any entitlement to compensation for the lost hours or would this possibly be grounds for cancellation? T

You have grounds for compensation or cancellation as laid down in the contract agreed between you and the service provider when you took out the service. What does it say?

As for complaints, if you make a formal complaint using the process that they must document, rather than a "whinging at support" support type of complaint, then they are on a clock to respond with a deadline of eight weeks IIRC.

Pedro1877

I have noticed a lot of bad reviews for the PO Broadband but am pleased to report that my switch via MSE and Broadband Genie went faultlessly - speed faster than TT and more consistent - AND I have just received my £50 Amazon voucher exactly three months to the day after switching - lots of complaints about BG on another thread.

JJ_Egan

Odd that as PO bb is TT broadband .