topic Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if? in Plusnet Feedback

Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 08:43:37 GMT

I have now lost count of the number of times plusnet have pointed out to me over the last six months that should an engineer visit my premises and be unable to gain access then a charge of £50 would apply. My question is, should they fail to attend am I within my rights to then charge them £50, or is there time more valuable than mine? The same applies if the fault is caused by their equipment, external wiring or as a result of 'damage' to BT equipment.

The threat of such charges normally goes over my head but after nearly six months of the same fault and the same formal notice it's become rather irritating to say the least.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

rongtw — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:14:26 GMT

I may be wrong , but i remember seeing somewhere if BT engineer fail a appointment PN gets paid compensation from BT

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

chenks76 — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:23:46 GMT

@Minivanman wrote:

should they fail to attend am I within my rights to then charge them £50,

quite simply, not you aren't within your rights i'm afraid.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:43:24 GMT

"Quite simply, not you aren't within your rights i'm afraid"

Why not chenks76, surely if I give them notice of intent then what applies to me should apply to plusnet - or any other organisation that provides such a service come to that.

Am I missing some 'hidden' small print here?

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

chenks76 — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:55:18 GMT

simply giving notice of intent has no legal bearing at all.
i can give you notice of intent that i'm sending you an invoice for an arbitrary fee, doesn't make it enforceable.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 10:02:00 GMT

Well you may be right, but I'm so so sure to be honest for why should one party be able to impose such a condition but not the other?

Is there a legal eagle in the house?

PS. The other scenario of course is that I could give notice of refusal to pay...... just saying.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

chenks76 — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 10:21:53 GMT

and openreach can refuse to repair... just saying.
the "charge" is almost certainly written into the agreement that you have for the provision of service.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 10:44:30 GMT

Fair enough, although I did advise plusnet when they asked for one of their (by now) many appointments that should the engineer fail to attend then I would charge them £50. They still attended so....... the proof is in the pudding I guess.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

chenks76 — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 11:01:51 GMT

as i said, you can say whatever you like to them about charging them, it doesn't mean that you can actually do it.
well, you can do it, however the invoice would simply be filed in the bin.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

198kHz — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 11:41:03 GMT

@rongtw wrote:

I may be wrong , but i remember seeing somewhere if BT engineer fail a appointment PN gets paid compensation from BT

I believe that is the case - that Openreach will compensate the ISP for the extra admin and potential claims from end users.

Any claim from you would have to be lodged with Plusnet, and would have to be based on provable actual losses rather than just inconvenience.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 11:42:12 GMT

Small claims court?

Here's and interesting example.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20068927

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 11:46:52 GMT

"Any claim from you would have to be lodged with Plusnet, and would have to be based on provable actual losses rather than just inconvenience"

Forgive me for saying so, but that does not always seem to be the case. This guy got paid £195 for his time plus the cost of electricity.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20068927

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

chenks76 — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 11:56:47 GMT

one crucial part of that case "But now one man has successfully claimed back the cost of his time from a firm which called him when he had specifically asked them not to."

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

ITWorks — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:05:57 GMT

@Minivanman this information may help : http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/delivery-rights

I have used it a few times to get a satisfactory outcome when BT OR have failed to attend.

First thing to do is open a complaint with PN : https://www.plus.net/help/legal/complaints-code-of-practice/

Regards
Mike

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:15:46 GMT

Indeed, but as said in my post earlier chenks76, I did advise plusnet when they asked for an appointments that should the engineer fail to attend then I would charge them £50 - which in my mind at least carries the same weight as "had specifically asked them not to"

I'm beginning to wonder whose side you are on friend, the consumer or the provider.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:16:52 GMT

Thanks ITWorks, have made a note of both of those links.

Much appreciated.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

chenks76 — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:20:49 GMT

@Minivanman wrote:

Indeed, but as said in my post earlier chenks76, I did advise plusnet when they asked for an appointments that should the engineer fail to attend then I would charge them £50 - which in my mind at least carries the same weight as "had specifically asked them not to"

I'm beginning to wonder whose side you are on friend, the consumer or the provider.

but what is in "your mind" doesn't equate to actuality.
i'm on no-ones side. i'm merely debating your stance that you think you have a right to invoice someone, when infact you don't.

can i invoice you for you wasting my time on this thread?
i am now stating that if you continue to do so then i will charge you £50 for each message directed at me

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:41:07 GMT

Of course you can invoice me, that is your right and which is the whole point of this discussion. Not sure if it would succeed in the small claims court when I refuse to pay it though given that it was your choice to respond to these posts.

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

198kHz — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 13:11:01 GMT

@Minivanman wrote:

"Any claim from you would have to be lodged with Plusnet, and would have to be based on provable actual losses rather than just inconvenience"

Forgive me for saying so, but that does not always seem to be the case. This guy got paid £195 for his time plus the cost of electricity.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20068927

He is to be applauded for fighting back against repeated harassment, but I don't really think it's a comparable case.

I'm sure I'd be mad as hell if BTOR didn't show up to fix my fault, but I don't think PN would feel obliged to compensate me for my frustration. It might well be a different matter if I could show that I was financially out of pocket as a result of a missed appointment.

It's a rotten system, and I'd like to see Ofcom decree that customers are compensated for no shows by the ISP, who would have to then claim from BTOR - might focus a few minds.

Can't see it happening any time soon...

Re: Engineer fails to attended, what if?

Minivanman — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 13:39:54 GMT

Ah yes, but in that particular case he was not financially out of pocket was he, apart from his electricity. I do recall somewhere a little time back that a value had been placed on a person's time even where they had not taken time off work and were retired for example. None of this is about something for nothing, it's about being fair...... and liable. I've been getting the run around from plusnet/BT for the last six months and for that alone we should be able to hold somebody to account surely?

We'll see anyway, I've sharpened my pencil and I'm licking the end of it as we speak!