destroyed account, backdated notications, stalled domain transfer - merry xmas plusnet...

[#1]

Quite unbelievable screwage of my account, and therefore domain, email and many many very important business and personal matter by PlusNet on Christmas Eve that is still ongoing...

We have Fibre to the Premises installed by BT Xmas Eve. Suspicious as ever, I test all my PlusNet services at 4pm, they all seem unaffected - as they should be - and I go back to wrapping presents.

17:09 on Christmas Eve, I get an email from PlusNet saying 'we're sorry to hear you're leaving us' (I wasn't) and that if that's not right I need to contact them  before 4pm on 22^nd December 2019 - yes, 2 days earlier!

I spot this on 27 Dec, when I notice no email is coming through, and that my website is down. I contact Customer Sevice who say  my account has been 'destroyed' and I 'cannot' have it back because they no longer provide broadband only. Cannot here supposedly meaning 'the software won't let me' - a pretty ridiculous way to run a business that frankly I don't believe and essentialy means PNet have a policy of breaking contracts without notification and without remedy.

The only option, it appears, to get to my domain and its email, the sole contract point for me for many people (so invoices, clients, orders, medical matters, you name it...) is to transfer it out to another host. So I request this process, supply the needed IPSTAG and am told itakes up to 72 hours for the NetOps  team to do it and proved the required authorization code.

5 days later, there's nothing. I've been in contact once to be told that that task hasn't been picked up. my 'question' gets put on hold a further week as it is 'actioned'. Nobody seems to realize the seriousness of this or to give a damn. My life and my business are essentially on hold because PlusNet fraudulantly went through the motions of giving me notice, and then have been incredibly inflexible, slow and unconcerned about sorting out the issue they have created.
PLEASE can one of the staff here get on the case! I could no doubt complain to the ombudsman or whoever, but that won't help me get on with my affairs *now* which is what I need to do.
Question #197428237
Question #197427801
Question #197427012

[#2]

Hi @skingston, thanks for getting in touch.

I am really sorry for the issue encountered here. I'm not too sure what happened with the leaving notification email to be honest, as this should have generated on the date the we received the request not the date it was being taken over.

Having checked the task I can see this was picked up on the 30th advising that the transfer had been processed so I'm really sorry that no-one has advised you of this. If you are still experiencing any issues with this can you please get back to us and I'll chase this up for you when the team are back in the office tomorrow.

[#3]

If 'the transfer had been processed' can I please have the EPP/Authorization code that my new host requires (and which I have already asked for a number of times...)

Thanks

[#4]

Thanks for getting back to us @skingston

Our domain team have advised the domain is now with your new host and as such they're unable to generate this.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused

[#5]

If it's a. uk domain, which it sounds like it is since it has an IPSTAG, then an EPP code doesn't apply

[#6]

It would be helpful to understand the total journey here.

FTTP does not follow the same industry transfer processes as ADSL or FTTC service transfer. There is nothing similar to the gaining provider lead migration which (AFAIK) results in the 14 day anti-slamming communication.

@JonoH - is there some new facet in the business process where the phone component is taken over ... leading to a (unilateral ?) termination of other provided services? Does there need to be a review? Is “not proving broadband only” changes to T&Cs retrospective or just applicable to new contracts? Surely existing accounts retain their original T&Cs allowing the migration away of the phone service whilst retaining broadband?

[#7]

My transfer out is now complete, though I'm still very unhappy about the whole process of retrospective notification of unwanted account termination and the inability to rectify this (with the equivalent broadband-only product), with the ensuing consequences of a week's lost emails and website outage while a transfer out is organised.

Even apart from the initial horror story, PN response has been patchy, with handwaving 'nothing we can do' responses and sometimes non-communication of measures that had actually been taken. Elevating matters to this forum got some attention and action, but that it took this is a sign of failure.

I had been a customer of PlusNet's for very many years (20?) and it was pretty shocking (not to mention wildlt inconvenient and time consuming) to be booted out this way.

You really do need to take a long hard look at your processes and systems.

[#8]

Hello @skingston,

Thanks for getting back to us over here.

I'm really sorry that you've had this experience with our service and I can only apologise for the frustration and inconvenience this caused you. I'm glad the issue did get resolved, and can certainly appreciate your comments regarding the length of time it took to get resolved.

We wish you all the best with your new provider.

Thanks.