25 working days for installation (and counting) with my order currently half-complete

[#1]

My installation was originally set up to go live on 2nd March 2018 with my phone line being completed on the 1st March 2018. However, I've been left with just my phone line activated and the engineer (who I got confirmation was coming into my property to complete installation TWO hours before the quoted time) never showed up. I was then told the next day that my new broadband activation date would be 16th March 2018 with a request to try and push it forward to 12th March. All this while I will be charged for my line in my monthly bill although the only reason I have the line is for broadband (I'm not planning on even using a landline phone during my service).

And now I have just got confirmation the new date for my broadband activation is 20th March with engineer coming in on the 19th to complete the installation for broadband. I feel like I've been thrown around here without a care in the world for a new customer, especially since I'm a new resident in my flat and simply was looking for a new long term provider to stick with. Additional to this, I am having to request time off work for the 2nd time now to be there for the engineer. I have also been left with minimal internet and have been occasionally paying out for access to my nearby BT WiFi hotspot just to get my general day to day tasks done. I am in luck I do not work from home as that would be problematic.

Surely this is not the way Plusnet wants to treat their customers and I don't really know what to do anymore. I just want a working broadband service. I also don't understand how my order is half complete and yet I don't seem to have priority to be next in line to get my broadband activated. I am aware repairs had to be made due to the recent snow but surely this would not cause a 2 week delay.

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): Duplicate post released from Spam Filter and removed.

[#2]

Hi there. Welcome to the community forums.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience so far and the lack of pro-active communication with regards to the change of appointment date to install your phone line.

Unfortunately due to the weather conditions at the time and subsequently engineer availability, the work for the broadband couldn't take place and our suppliers have advised us that it's due to happen on the 19th.

I'll be happy to oversee your order for you from this point on, taking ownership.

Once you're up and running I'll also be happy to discuss a gesture of goodwill.

[#3]

Hi Gandalf,

It's the 19th now and the engineer is scheduled between 8am-1pm so hopefully his gets sorted today. Are you able to confirm that the engineer is still making an appearance?

As the offer of the gesture of goodwill, I will happily accept it. Thank you.

Kind regards
Kim

[#4]

If you have a working phone line you do not need an engineer visit to your property, all broadband provisions are self install, you just connect the modem/router to your phone line. So I wouldn't wait around for an engineer to turn up.

[#5]

Hi RealAleMadrid

I thought that was the case but I was advised by plusnet that the engineer will need access to my property today. So far I've only received confirmation that my phone line is up and running but that my broadband was not actually activated. That information came from plusnet themselves where I even double confirmed it on the phone. But I agree with you that common sense would lead to think I should have broadband now. 😂

[#6]

5 minutes left for the time window and still no sign of the engineer. I took a day off work for this and am really not impressed. Is the engineer still booked in for today?

[#7]

So turns out now there was a system error in the automated booking system that lead to no engineer actually being apointed. Once again multiple days with no broadband and once again another delay. Provision team advised it will take up to 24hours to put another request through and possibly looking at Thursday now as the proposed installation time.

This refund better be a fair offer compared to taking 3 days off work in total accounting to £270 worth of pay. Multiple purchases of BT wifi to complete day to day tasks accounting to £15 and considering customers get charged £60 for missing an appointment that is of their fault - that should be taken into account when considering my refund as this new delay was caused by plusnet's own systems and this time weather cannot be an excuse for missing this appointment.

[#8]

Hi there.

From what I can see your broadband order is still due to complete today.

An engineer doesn't need access to your property, I'm sorry that this wasn't made clear on the ticket.

The system issue that you were advised of was that the order hadn't moved through our supplier systems as we'd expect. Our suppliers have raised this to a specialist team to manually progress it. We'd expect it to complete tomorrow.

Unfortunately we can't cover your loss of earnings I'm afraid but I do sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and the communication could've been better.

[#9]

@kimsomers

You may find https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/delivery-rights useful!

[#10]

It's now been confirmed the engineer is scheduled to complete my order Friday 23rd March. Although I was told Monday 19th March by the provisioning team that the latest expected date would be Thursday 22nd March - I've started taking everything that Plusnet tells me with a pinch of salt as Plusnet's integrity and transparency as an ISP to their customers is non-existent.

I paid that initial £31.99 for the 1st month of service - the provisioning team member confirmed this does not go into effect until the start of my service. However, my Plusnet account still says my next payment is due 2nd April so what is that about? I've been offered 2 months free as a gesture of goodwill. I want at least 3 months and not to be charged for my phone line that went in 2nd March. It is not acceptable to only do half an order by installing the phone line and then only just activating the broadband almost a month later and still charging the customer. 

I will be giving Ofcom a call later to seek advice and potentially even legal advice - I am aware Plusnet aren't yet confirmed to be included in the compensation scheme but hopefully Plusnet can take this situation into consideration that maybe they are not ready after all to take on that responsibility.

EDIT: I want to note that if the order is completed this Friday then that will be a total of 29 working days (39 incl. weekends) to complete my order. And 19 working days (25 incl. weekends) to complete a half-order. Considering Plusnet in their FAQ state between 10-12 working days which was also stated by the sales team via the phone upon purchase - this makes me laugh!

[#11]

Thanks for your reply @kimsomers

Firstly, I do apologise for the extensive delays there have been in activating your services. I can see following on from a conversation we have had with our suppliers the order has been reappointed for 23/03/2018. We will be continuing to monitor this and will keep you updated accordingly.

With regards to the billing, as your phone line has activated, it has unfortunately started the billing process which is why the next billing date is 02/04/2018. I apologise if this was not made clear to you and has led you to believe the billing would not start till both services were active. Once the broadband order completes we will process a downtime refund to your bank account to ensure you have not paid for a service you have not had.

Once you are up and running we will be happy to look into a gesture of goodwill for you that is both fair and proportionate to the issues you have encountered.

Once again I am very sorry for the poor experience there has been.

[#12]

Not heard anything else yet regarding my broadband. Is it still scheduled for today PM slot?

[#13]

I have still not heard anything else regarding my broadband being activated last Friday. It seems as though Plusnet once again didnt meet their appointment. What is going on?! Have I got a new date or what?

[#14]

Hi @kimsomers

I have updated the open support ticket on your account with details of the order. You can view this here.

Apologies for the delays you have encountered.

Thanks

[#15]

This is what I have been told next:

"I am very sorry your broadband order has not completed as of yet as originally advised. Unfortunately when the appointment was booked for 23/03/2018 an exception was created on our supplier side which meant it dd not go through. As the order is not progressing as it should be they have had to raise a bridge case (manual intervention) to push this order through. We have been advised to review back on 03/04/2018 for further updates."

Once again another failed attempt to complete my order and this time the same fault twice in a row! I don't know what else to say or think anymore. I'm starting to think it would be quicker to get a working broadband if I were to cancel my plusnet order and go to someone else.. 3rd April as the new date? I bet that appointment will be missed too!