Very Disappointed

[#1]

I wanted to take the Plusnet broadband and phone services but, due to Plusnet's amateurish ways, I can't, and I'm having to stay with my existing supplier. What happened was this...

There is no phone line to my house, so one needed to be installed. An installer turned up out of the blue; i.e. I wasn't informed that he would be coming. That would have been ok except for one thing - he was not allowed to help me to move a heavy and very wide TV, which was necessary for him to install the line. So it didn't get installed.

That was a couple of weeks ago, and I now have an actual appointment. But there's a problem. For almost a week now, I've been pretty much forced to self-isolate to avoid the coronavirus. I'm over 70, and I already have COPD (reduced lung function), so I'm self-isolating, and I can't allow the installer into my home - probably for months. Consequently, I've had to cancel the order completely.

The reason why I'm so disappointed is because there would not have been a problem if Plusnet had informed me that the installer was coming AND that, if anything needs moving, I'll have to arrange it myself because the intsaller isn't allowed to. It's just plain common sense to inform customers of those things. I could have had the service up and running a couple of weeks ago if Plusnet had had any common sense in their dealings. As it is, I've just had to start a further 12 months contract with my current supplier - something that I really did not want to do.

And whilst I'm writing this, I have another complaint concerning the amateurish way that Plusnet does some things. When sending an email that shoiuldn't be replied to because nobody ready emails to that email address, SAY SO IN THE EMAIL! It takes time to write a good reply to an email, and that's just wasted because Plusnet hasn't got the common sense or the courtesy to tell people. Other firms include that information in the emails so that people don't waste their time writing replies.

Great Scott! It's common sense, and common courtesy, to tell people things that they need to know - such as when an engineer will arrive, and not to waste time replying to certain emails.

[#2]

Hi @Phil_C,

I am sorry to hear of your experience and I can see that this has been raised with our Provisioning Team. It should be noted that whilst you can't reply directly to the emails we send out you can respond to open tickets on your account through your account Member Centre.

I'm afraid that our suppliers' engineers aren't able to move heavy equipment around within the property for a number of reason, regarding health and safety and if anything were to go wrong, either yourself or the engineer may be liable for this.

[#3]

I appreciate why they're not allowed to help move stuff. That's not the problem. The problem is that people need to know in advance that they're not allowed to move stuff so that they can take the necessary steps beforehand. Sending me notification that the installer would arrive on a particular day, instead of just turning up out of the blue, would have helped, but only if the notification had included the fact that he isn't to help move stuff.

I know that I can add to open tickets, but I didn't open a ticket. I wasted about 20 mintues replying to the email. Those tickets get opened without the customer's knowledge.

I've posted here hoping that Plusnet can learn, and improve their methods. It's my intention to come again when my new unwanted year's contract is up with my current supplier. The whole thing has been annoying, but it's also been very unfortunate that the coronavirus came along as well. If Plusnet had done the job properly, I would have been receiving the services now. If, in a year's time, I find that nothing has been learned, then I'll probably go elsewhere.

[#4]

Were you planning to move from virgin media?

You do not say why your new service could not use the existing line into your property.

If you are on virgin media, it would be odd that there is no legacy BT line to the property.

Was behind the TV the only viable entry point for the phone line?

[#5]

For some reason, the line to my house was removed. I don't remember it going, but it isn't there now, and a new one was needed.

It's irrelevant where viable entry points were. I wanted it in a specific place. If I'd been told that an installer was coming and that I'd need to move anything that needed moving, there wouldn't have been a problem. The failure to inform me caused what I had to do today.

[#6]

Something I didn't mention is the utter shambles of Plusnet's dealings with this.  No appointment was made, as I mentioned earlier, but an engineer arrived anyway. He had to go away and Plusnet said I would have to pay a "re-appointment fee". I told them there was no appointment, so a re-appointment was impossible. They accepted that and I wouldn't have to pay that fee.

Instead they replaced it with a £60 "cancelled appointment fee" that I'd have to pay. I told them I wasn't going to pay that either, for the same reason - there never was an appointment, so it couldn't have been cancelled. They accepted that too. But what an absolutely idiotic and utter shambles.

If that's doing me proud I don't want to find out what things are like when they let me down. So, on reflection, I won't be coming back when the coronavirus is done with and my unwanted year's contract with my current supplier is up. I'll go elsewhere.

Goodbye Plusnet.

[#7]

Worth asking a few questions here.

Did you mention when ordering that you had no phone socket? If you've had one before it's extremely uncommon for the line to be fully removed, and with how this has gone down I'd suspect it may be that this wasn't done by openreach themselves. Possibly by whoever your existing provider is (I'd assume Virgin). This being the case however I'd suggest that openreach had no idea at the time of the order that the line needed a new install.

Openreach maintain a record of all the lines and their status. If there was an assumption that a line was there then an appointment wouldn't have been requested as the work would have all been external. Seems to me that the engineer who actually went out realised the problem whilst doing the work, and therefore came to do the work. Plusnet would have had no idea that this was needed until the engineer turned up at your house if you didn't tell them and so couldn't advise you of this in advance.

This would also lead into them not mentioning about you needing to move furniture as there would be no need. I'd also add to this that very few 3rd party engineers, or workers of any sort will get involved with your own stuff, both for H+S and insurance in case they break it-if you want the socket installing in a particular place and it's behind something of yours then I'm afraid ghat were that me, I'd expect I'd need to arrange access before the visit.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Pnet are completely blameless here-then messing about with fees seems a bit farcical, but as a potential customer of any ISP you need to be aware that the people you're speaking to have never seen your house and so will rely on the records as to plans unless you tell them otherwise. Similarly, if you are going to have difficulties due to health issues with moving furniture you need to advise this, though being honest I'd take a guess that you'd still need to either arrange help to move the furniture, or simply pick another location.

Just bear this in mind when you come to look at another ISP, pnet or otherwise as likelihood is if the job hasn't been completed nothing in the openreach system will have changed, so the next ISP is likely to use the same system and not realise you'll need a new install.

[#8]

Thank you for putting the time in to write such a comprehensive post, Kdog.

No, I didn't mention it when ordering. I hadn't even realised it myself. But Plusnet knew almost straight away. They used an Openreach database - the type where you supply the postcode , they type it in, and then ask you the house number. For the first time ever, my house number wasn't listed. The data included all houses up to next door, but not my house. From that, it was known at the outset that there was no existing phone line to my house, and that one needed to be installed.

As to why it is no longer there, I've no idea. It was there before Yorkshire Cable installed cable. Yorkshire Cable was swallowed up by ...., which was swallowed up by ...., ...., which was swallowed up by Virgin Media. I really would like to know who removed it. If it was a cable company removing another company's equipment, then there may be some legal recourse, but if it was BT, it's their equipment, although I don't know why they would remove it. I would have thought they'd leave it, hoping that I'd come back.

Anyway, Plusnet knew before I even placed the order that a new line would be needed, and so I should have been informed when the installer would come. More than that, an appointment should been agreed between Plusnet and myself. Because they didn't do that, they've cost me approximately £50, caused me to be stuck with my supplier for another year, and caused me to shelve my plan concerning an email server for a year. I am not a fan.

[#9]

Hello @Phil_C,

I am sorry for the inconvenience this experience has caused and for any misunderstanding that may have occurred.

Looking at the notes from the visit it seems the engineer provided 4 locations in which the socket could be fitted and you chose the one highlighted in your post.

As my colleague outlined an engineer will not move heavy equipment around within the property for a number of reason, regarding health and safety and if anything were to go wrong, either yourself or the engineer may be liable for this.

As we were not aware of the location prior to the visit and what obstructions may be in place, then I am afraid we cannot advise on any action to remove these obstructions beforehand specifically.

I do however appreciate that my colleagues could have made a general statement and will ensure this has been pass along to the relevant team as feedback to improve upon this.

I can see that you have been in touch with us and please can you update the ticket here with how you would like to proceed with your account and I will personally get this arranged for you.  

[#10]

Hi @SammyM 

Thank you for your comments. In fact, the engineer offered 2 suggestions as to the location of the socket, not 4. If he wrote 4 on the report, he wasn't being honest. Neither was suitable, and he would have been happy to locate it where I prefered it to be - which was not highlighted in my post The TV needed moving so that I could get under the floor to feed the cable to the other side of the room where I wanted the socket.

Yes, of course Plusnet could not have suggested moving the items prior to the visit. What should be absolutely normal though, when sending notification of the installation, is the inclusion of a statement that the engineer is not allowed to move, or help to move, furniture, so, if any will need to be moved, please arrange for it in advance. Of course, for that to be included, sending a notification needs to be normal. Or preferably, sending the confirmation of an appointment that has been agreed with the customer needs to be normal. I'm sorry, SammyM but it's so obviously common sense that it seems to me to be business 101.

Thank you for offering to get things arranged for me, SammyM, but there's nothing more to do. I had to cancel the order because I cannot allow the engineer back into my home while the coronavirus problem exists. I mentioned that early in the thread. I'm one of the 1.5 million 'at risk' people who the government contacted yesterday and today to tell us to stay at home. I was already doing that, of course. Unfortunately, the coronavirus has set me back a year because I received no information/notification a few weeks ago.

I should say that the people on the phone, when discussing if the Plusnet service would be suitable for me, were very good and helpful. I'll also say that the people on the phone who I spoke to concerning the 2 'fees' stupidities were also very good and helpful. The people who were not good were those who decided that I'd have to a 'fee' - twice. Both subsequently overruled. And the system that sent an engineer without informing me, or agreeing the date and time with me, was particularly bad.

Now I'll go and see if there's anything I can update the ticket with.

[#11]

Hello @Phil_C,

Thank you for getting back to me, I really appreciate it.

Unfortunately I cannot change the experience you have had and do appreciate the feedback you have gave. As I said I will pass this to the relevant team so that we can improve upon this in the future.

I am sorry to hear of your circumstance and for any add undue stress this has caused.

If are unable to allow installation of your line for reasons we absolutely understand, then we advise to update the ticket with a request of cancellation due to the work required being internal.

Alternatively we can leave the account in place and replace the orders when there is a time that the work could be completed.

Once again I am sorry for any inconvenience caused.

[#12]

Hi again @SammyM 

I assumed that Sammy was short for Samuel until I went to update the ticket

I'm not sure how things were left when I cancelled the order. The order was certainly cancelled, as is shown in the ticket, but I don't know if leaving the account open was agreed or not. I don't mind either way - as long as I'm not paying for it lol.

I've updated the ticket, as requested, and included my suggestions so that this type of thing doesn't occur again.

Incidentally, none of it caused me any stress. Annoyances and disappointment, yes. I'm 'at risk' because I have mild COPD - reduced lung function through smoking for decades. Stress isn't part of it. Getting out of breath more quickly than normal is. But I play table tennis ok, and sometimes tennis, so I'm not at death's door, or anything like that. And that's how I'd like it stay - hence the cancellation

[#13]

I can fully understand that @Phil_C and commend you for playing table tennis, I am absolutely dismal at that game.

I have updated you ticket further 😊

[#14]

Hi again @SammyM 

I've replied to the updated ticket. With all this 'chatting' I feel as though we're becoming friends. As a result, I do expect to be on your Christmas card list y'know