Formal Complaint Dismissed

[#1]

My broadband and landline was disconnected by “mistake” and I am on the vulnerable adults list. I explain the loss of services hugely impacted me and was dismissed, told to go to another provider and informed my landline was lost forever and couldn’t be reconnected. Broadband gone for at least 10 working days. The staff were rude and uninterested and the senior complaints handler was even worse, had me in tears. I complained about him and he replied ignoring my complaint, telling me to go to EASS. Any thoughts of how to get through to a reasonable person at Plusnet?

[#2]

@BarryO 

This is very unfortunate, Unfortunately the landline phone service is no longer available from any supplier due to the current process of moving this service over to the Internet. There is no way that your original service can be restored.

Compounding this is that Plusnet is not offering this Internet based phone service (called VoIP or Digital Phone), so to stay with Plusnet you would have to arrange this with a third party VoIP provider. However you should be able to move to a different ISP that does provide both a broadband and phone service, using your same number. Your easiest and probably safest choice is to ring the Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 and ask to be transferred to BT or even better, arrange this through your complaint handler..

Be aware that your phone number will currently be in quarantine, if it's not recovered within a month of it being disconnected it will be lost forever.

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Broadband to Plusnet Feedback

[#3]

Unfortunately I have already spoken to Customer Services and escalated the issue. My broadband was also disconnected and Plusnet quoted 3-5 working days, then 4-5 working days and then 10 working days to restore it. As a vulnerable adult it is illegal to have my services disconnected as yet Plusnet did so. There is also OfCom guidance on dealing with vulnerable adults, such as be compost and empathic etc. After the first call with Plusnet I had to have a lie down to calm my nerves. They were so aggressive, deflected responsibility suggesting I get a new provider and frankly rude. When I spoke to Mark (senior complaints co-ordinator), he contradicted the earlier position of Plusnet, asked intrusive medical questions, talked over me and told he was the final level of complaint handling at Plusnet so whatever he said was it. I was left in tears by this call and had to end it. If you think I will be calling them again then there is more chance of a customer being treated fairly and politely by Plusnet (I.e. pigs will fly before Plusnet get there act together).

[#4]

@BarryO 

I understand your grievance, I'm afraid that I can't help there, I am a customer just like you.

The main point I am trying to make is concerning your telephone number. This is normally very important to vulnerable persons.

This is currently being held in quarantine, regardless of your grievance with Plusnet, this will only be guaranteed to be recoverable by you for, as I said earlier, one month from when it was disconnected. Regardless of the rights or wrongs, Plusnet do not have the facilities to recover and reconnect it for you.

Unless you engage with another party to recover this it will probably be lost to you forever, the clock is ticking, hard to accept as it may be.

[#5]

I’ve done a SU escalation for this.