Plusnet stole my broadband

[#1]

Had a terrible couple days trying to sort out broadband issues with plus.net even though I left them a month back. Wanted to get on here and vent/share my problems and I'm sure there must be a few in a similar situation.

About 3-4 weeks I moved broadband and telephone to BT - all went smoothly.  Nothing wrong with plus net but been with them 5 years and fancied a change.

Then a week or 2 later got letters to say I was leaving BT, so I called them up.  Apparently plus.net had sent a transfer request to BT grabbing back my services.  We cancelled this and then I went on holiday.

When I got back I got some more letters to say I was leaving BT but I looked at the dates and they were about the same time I got BT to cancel so ignored them.

Yesterday my broadband got turned off - phoned BT who said that plus.net had sent a second transfer request whilst I was on holiday and the transfer had gone through!!!  Note my phone line is still with BT.

Phoned plus net who eventually fessed up and said that I got inadvertently migrated in a IT upgrade project! I don't care just fix it. Well no they can't actually, BT have to initiate a new transfer request. But to keep my broadband running they reopened my account.  I tell them specifically not to bill me for this and they put a note on my account.  Phoned BT back to sort out the new transfer but I have to phone tomorrow because they can't raise the order whilst the transfer is in flight! Fantastic.

Today I called BT and got the transfer initiated.  This in itself was not trivial as they have to cancel my account and start a new install process. They zeroed out the installation charge but they don't know if I will be charged for another router delivery.  Also it all needs to be done via a manual form because it needs a special team due to it being a royal mess up.  It could take up to 2 weeks to complete. Not happy but gotta get it straightened ASAP.

When I get home my broadband isn't working!!!  I am losing it rapidly now. Plus net have billed me and I have a £2 debt and my direct debit is no longer active so they have restricted my service.  Call Plus net back up and the guy is a absolute joke. Tries to convince me that I should keep my broadband with plus net!!!!!!! WHAT THE !^&*!!?  Anyway after a bit of consideration I say no and he wipes out the debt and my service is back on.  He kept saying "the good news is..." and I eventually corrected him to say none of this good news!!  He said that the good news is that I should be moved back to BT before the next bill is generated so I won't have this problem again. 

Suffice to say I've been offered no compensation barely an apology and frankly I've wasted 2 days messing about. Not good plus net. I've raised complaints every time I call but I there seems to be no resolution to any of my complaints - what even happens to them, how do they get resolved?? 

Also note that when you call BT it takes around 5 minutes to get through, plusnet takes about 15-20 minutes. Worth considering when you are choosing providers, particularly if you have to phone them a lot which I have had to do.

[#2]

Well this makes for terrible reading on a Thursday afternoon.

I'm really sorry that we've migrated the service back, you've described things pretty meticulously but I'll add a few bits for some understanding on how it happened.

Phoned plus net who eventually fessed up and said that I got inadvertently migrated in a IT upgrade project!

I've checked, and we were due to migrate you over to our new network, which involves a cessation, and a reprovision order. It seems that our systems only need a working broadband asset, and a [clerically] active Plusnet account for the provision side of the order to be placed.

The order was placed on 14/08/2016 which was two days before your account was closed.

Now I've got to the bottom of it, I've spoke with our networks team, and hopefully there should be further parameters added to ensure this doesn't happen on our next dev release.

You're the only example of this we're aware of, and it's not likely that there will be many others. I'm just glad that we're able to reactivate your account and ensure you have some form of service.

I've taken your account under my wing for now, though it will be BT's obligation to place the order. I'm not really sure why a specialised team is needed at their end as a simple migration order needs placing, their systems must be different.

Call Plus net back up and the guy is a absolute joke. Tries to convince me that I should keep my broadband with plus net!!!!!!!

Jeez, I'll get that fed back. Apologies for the overzealous retentions agent.

Apologies again, though let me assure you that it was errors on automation rather than malice.

Hope this clarifies things a bit.

Matty

[#3]

Thank you for your reply MattyC - note that the original transfer to plusnet was cancelled but then another transfer was initiated afterwards.  Not sure why the double attempt.

BT need to do this because the services on my account are now messed up.  I no longer have BB as it was disconnected by you, along with the billing entity, and so I'm left with telephony only. They can't reactivate the BB, get my original contract package back with end dates and keep me on what I originally agreed to pay.  I'm sure that they'll send me another router and charge me delivery,  and that some automated BT system will eventually charge me a cancellation fee, not to mention messing up my cashback.

So please appreciate the time and money I am spending to fix this problem, and the problems that I can forsee in the near future, that was inadvertently caused by your company.  If I had inadvertently crashed into someone's car, I would expect to be paying for it.

[#4]

Understood.

In this instance it's probably best to wait until you're up and running before we discuss recompense. Ticket 132705291 is in my ownership now, so any comments to be added can go there if needs be.

Matty

[#5]

Thank you Matt. I am not quite so stressed today as I've not had to actually call anyone about this, although BT were supposed to call me yesterday evening but didn't.  I'm under no illusion that one company would have handled it better than another.  No wonder people don't want to change their utilities because when things go wrong it's a pig to sort anything out.

[#6]

I assure you that this is an anomaly. If you could keep me posted on when BT have placed the order, I'll check from there.

Matty

[#7]

Yes I realise it was an error, just causes no end of problems for me.  Now gotta chase up BT to see why that transfer order hasn't been placed.  Deep joy.