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Problem getting service at new house

jheenan
Grafter
Posts: 119
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎03-07-2009

Problem getting service at new house

Hi guys,
I don't think this is strictly a plus.net related question, but I'm hoping someone can help me here.
My situation is that I'm moving house.
On 23rd March or thereabouts I booked a new line & FTTC simultaneous provide with plus.net, for 11th April.
I got the keys for the new house on 30th March. On checking the phone line it is already dead.
The orders have apparently been cancelled twice already (and who knows if it's going to get cancelled again...) as a result of the old provider (talktalk) failing to release the line.
The install date is now 23rd April. (Apparently this is either because it takes 14 days for a working line takeover, or because the old provider say they're ceasing service on the 23rd - neither of which makes sense given service has already been ceased!)
So I'm pretty upset; I'm not going to have phone or broadband service for some considerable time and will have to pay out for an alternative.
The question is, what can I do? I feel like I should complain to someone. I'm relatively sure plus.net is not at fault, so there's no seems to be no point complaining to them. But I also don't have anything in writing to say talktalk are at fault, so can I really complain to them? (Even ignoring the fact I have no contractual relationship with talktalk.)
Do I complaint to ofcom? It seems like they'll only look at a complaint after I've complainted to my ISP.
Any thoughts welcome!
Cheers,
Joseph
16 REPLIES 16
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Plusnet's provisioning team will know what they've arranged and should be able to check what's happening, but I imagine they won't be in until Tuesday now. You could check with the CSC on 0800 432 0200 or 0345 140 0200, available 24x7.
You could try ringing Sales on 0800 432 0080 (0900 - 2100 Saturday and Sunday), but not sure if they have the information needed to hand. Can always ask though.
David
David
jheenan
Grafter
Posts: 119
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎03-07-2009

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Thanks, yes - I will definitely be back onto them to check the latest also hasn't also been rejected/cancelled by BT.
I'm still trying to understand more about where it all went wrong though.
jheenan
Grafter
Posts: 119
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎03-07-2009

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Well, it seems talktalk objected again, causing my order to be cancelled for [I think] the 3rd time, but could be 4th.  Same reason - as far I understand it the reason is "we have an active customer on that line, stop trying to steal that line away from us". But the line is completely dead (no dialtone, checked with 2 different phones in every phone socket I could fine) so I have no idea what's going on.
I've now paid plus 50 quid for a "new" line to be installed as this seemed to be the only way forward.
I asked plus.net about who I should complain to and they said I should complain to them! So I've done so. Seems wrong to me, but there you go.
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
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Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Please don't Smiley
Whilst you can raise a complaint to us, I suspect that our advice/support would be extremely similar to that which you have received to date.  As it is TalkTalk that keep on rejecting the order (by placing a cancel other order) they are in breach of Ofcom General Condition 25 which states that that order should only be placed if their customer tells them to stop it.
I would personally speak to Ofcom.
Sorry it's been such a pain so far - moving house is always stressful and this just adds to it.
itsme
Grafter
Posts: 5,924
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Registered: ‎07-04-2007

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Ofcom don't directly deal with complaints, here is their advice http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/
Ronski
Rising Star
Posts: 262
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Registered: ‎22-02-2012

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Good luck with your new line, my brothers been without broadband since 29 February because bt nicked his line, then they put him on a Dacs, and we're none the wiser to when they're going to sort it.
jheenan
Grafter
Posts: 119
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎03-07-2009

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Quote from: Jameseh
Please don't Smiley
Whilst you can raise a complaint to us, I suspect that our advice/support would be extremely similar to that which you have received to date.  As it is TalkTalk that keep on rejecting the order (by placing a cancel other order) they are in breach of Ofcom General Condition 25 which states that that order should only be placed if their customer tells them to stop it.
I would personally speak to Ofcom.
Sorry it's been such a pain so far - moving house is always stressful and this just adds to it.

Thanks for the response James, and sorry as I already raised the complaint with plus before I wrote the above post (the house move team suggested I do so when I spoke to them).
The problem is I don't have anything in writing from plus that says that talktalk are the problem. If I did I'd consider going to talktalk, but I'm really reluctant to do so when I don't have any proof at all that talktalk are a problem. Is there something from an internal system that plus.net can provide to me that shows some details of what talktalk did, or a talktalk account number, or some BT order numbers? I don't even know for sure that the old provider was talktalk, that's just my belief.
It really doesn't help that I've twice been told by plus that the order has been accepted only to later find out it was rejected. Perhaps it's just a terminology thing, but I suspect there's some room for improvement there.
James
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Re: Problem getting service at new house

Quote from: itsme
Ofcom don't directly deal with complaints, here is their advice http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/

Sort of.
They don't "handle" the complaints directly, but can defer to the service provider.  They do however log all complaints.
James
Grafter
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Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Quote from: JosephH
Thanks for the response James, and sorry as I already raised the complaint with plus before I wrote the above post (the house move team suggested I do so when I spoke to them).

Hi Joseph,
That's fine - I'll ask one of my guys to take a look and see if we can get you some additional detail on why the orders were accepted and then rejected.  It does sound like the losing CP (TT) were cancelling them.
At that stage, if you wish, you will have additional information to raise with TalkTalk/Ofcom.
dick:green Quote tags fixed.
jheenan
Grafter
Posts: 119
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Registered: ‎03-07-2009

Re: Problem getting service at new house

That would be excellent, thanks James.
jheenan
Grafter
Posts: 119
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎03-07-2009

Re: Problem getting service at new house

I got a great reply from the plus.net complaints team (thanks James!).
The current theory seems to be that the working line showing in BT's database as being at my new address is actually at another address (which I presume means there's a good chance one of my neighbours is very puzzled as to why plus.net have tried to take over their line 3 times in a fortnight!). They've also offered a reasonable compromise for all the trouble.
It's not clear there's really a procedure for dealing with that kind of thing, so I'll maybe try and give ofcom some feedback after everything is done & dusted. I guess I'll have to try phoning them or snail mail, can't see an obvious way to provide such feedback via email or their website.
Phone line engineer (to install a "new" line) and FTTC install engineer are both booked for 20th, so hopefully this will all be sorted by the end of next week  Grin
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
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Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Problem getting service at new house

A bit obvious but is there a telephone number associated with the "working line" and if so has anyone tried ringing it?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
jheenan
Grafter
Posts: 119
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎03-07-2009

Re: Problem getting service at new house

Good question. I'm not even sure what the number is - I have two different phone numbers listed against the take over orders, and a third one against the 'new line' order. Either plus.net or the underlying part of BT really don't share much info with the end user.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Problem getting service at new house

I'd suggest try ringing both of those takeover numbers (at a sensible time).
If they get answered it's likely a property near you so just say you are moving in to whatever your new address is and you'd been given the number as being the existing number in the property - they might then tell you a tale about the problems they are having.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)