Complaint to Openreach for delayed install

[StuartHo]

We're having a fairly terrible experience trying to get internet installed. We've just moved to the property and had everything scheduled in for install 4 days after we moved in on 04/10. As I'm sure you can guess that day came and went without any communication and no install. I spoke to someone on 05/10 who confirmed that the reason the engineer did not attend was because "His van's tyre pressure was low". After a bit of back and forth the earliest they could re-schedule was 20/10. This was obviously not great but the Customer Service reps I spoke to did their best and have offered me Hubs, credit etc. Unfortunately we're in a bit of an EE dead spot but that's not their fault.

Anyway, 20/10 arrives and we have a really helpful engineer who comes to install which all goes well until he gets to the final tests. Unfortunately it appears our road is a recent Fiber install and whoever did it has done the SASHAs(?) the wrong way round. They had a recent install at another house with the same problem and it needs fixing. He said he hoped it'd be a few days but couldn't guarantee anything. 

I gave BT a few days and then called and was told there was an update due after 7 days from the initial fault (27/10). So yesterday comes and goes with no comms or change so I ring back to BT today. I have now been told that this kind of fault has a 20day SLA for Openreach. BT have no way of escalating (if they do it'll be rejected as within 20 days) and no way of passing on a complaint. It feels like I'm just in a generic queue for fix despite being on the receiving end of two Openreach errors. If I am still not connected after 20 days then I'll get a dedicated case handler and they can forward my complaint and escalate to Openreach.

Having been let down once by the original engineer and now scuppered by a faulty install I would have thought they have a method to escalate outside of the normal process. Being stuck with a standard SLA that ignores how much we've been let down so far is pretty poor. Has anyone had any experience in successfully raising a complaint that actually does anything?

Cheers

[Carlusha]

Terrible! However, have you tried the hub? I take it that it is a BT MiniHub. If so, it is very good at picking up 4g - I don't think it is EE dependent.

We had the use of one during our home move and, honestly, the TVs, iPhones, iPads, computers and printer all worked perfectly.

[RobbieMac]

Hi @StuartHo 

Thank you for your post and welcome to the BT Community.

I am sorry for the numerous delays with your order.  Your post doesn't make great reading so I can completely understand the frustration with this.  This sounds like a full fibre install and that there is a fault on the distribution side of the network.

We can pick up from here and help you until you're up and running.  I can't promise that we will be able to speed up the install however we will do everything we can to get you on as soon as possible; and make sure you're updated each step of the way.

I have sent you a private message with instructions on how you can send us over your details and we'll look into this for you. See: Private messages

Thanks,

Robbie

[StuartHo]

Hi Carlusha

Yeah the hub is better than I expected but it is limited to EE and never gets more than one bar. With both my wife and I still having limited access to our offices this is proving quite a challenge as predominant home workers. We've not quite worked out when/why but a few times a week we seem to get throttled/disconnected and have to leave it for 10 minutes before we can reconnect. This is fairly disruptive.

All in all, far from ideal.

[Carlusha]

@StuartHo 

Have you tried taking the mini hub upstairs and locating by a window pointing towards the nearest mast?

[pippincp]

@StuartHo  This "could" be deemed a quality of workmanship complant and could be addressed via the chat facility HERE. Let us know how you get on.

[StuartHo]

@Carlusha : Done all that I'm afraid.

In case anyone is interested in how it could possibly get worse - I spoke to Virgin Media and they confirmed that they can install in 3-5 days as the previous tenant was a customer. Not great, and I'm no fan of Virgin, but needs must.

I ring BT to confirm whether there is a cost involved in cancellation; We'd re-contracted with BT in March so still have 13 months left on the contract. As we're now 24 days into BT not being able to provide me a service I assume it's not as clear cut as having to pay off the whole contract. However the "values" team (the only team allowed to confirm costs for ending contracts) are unable to "get to the next screen" if there is an open order like an install. So I either:

1. Wait an unspecified amount of time to hopefully get the install completed
2. Cancel and incur a cost which they are unable to quantify is until I cancel

Oh and to top it off, when I asked to raise a complaint about not being allowed to know the cost of cancellation I was told "Sorry, we can't have two complaints open at once".

You couldn't make it up!

[gg30340]

Assuming you have contacted the moderators as request, and if you haven't you should, I would suggest that you wait until the moderators get in touch with you and they will be able to advise you of your options.

[StuartHo]

Cheers for tip @pippincp 

Thanks @gg30340 , I've done that and now raised a web complaint about the cancellation stuff so now I'll wait.

[Sensei]

@StuartHo Please just be aware that you are due automatic compensation (regardless of a complaint raised or not). Automatic compensation is due from the date that BT first told you that activation would occur (check emails) until the date that the activation really happened, or yet, the date that you cancelled the order (because they are in effect in breach of contract, so you can cancelled without financial penalty). Automatic compensation is £ 5.04 per day until the previous date services are activated or date of cancellation of your order.