(apols for repeating this in the Pipex forum, but felt this may be better off in here)
My son lives with his mum and I agreed to get them a broadband service. From my research, Pipex, a comapny I used nigh on 10 years ago happily, appeared to offer a good product.
The service went into operation in May 2005 and didn't work. After many calls to Pipex technical and four months later, it became apparent they didn't have any ideas left to solve the problem.
We felt we had been more than fair with them and given them ample oppurtunity to solve the problem. Of course, during all this time they have been happy to take their monthly fee.
Last week I cancelled the service though this became a bit of a trial and tribulation. I requested all monies be paid back to me on the basis that they had never provided any service. When the lady told me they could not repay the money I went a tad red. This provided the responce that under the terms of THEIR contract (con-trick more like), there was no promise of a service to be provided.
LOL.
Okay, thats not what I said at the time but dutifully I asked if they she were to go into a shop and put money on the counter in exchange for goods, one would expect to walk out with goods in hand at least. 'But we are not a shop' was the reply.
Head and wall in mind, I asked for a manager. The manager was far more helpful and understood the problem. She gave me the procedure to cancel which I followed. Note, in the cancellation procedure, it specifically asks for comments as to why one is cancelling. I filled in this with the bits on never having received service.
I was told by the lady that once this was filed, Pipex Customer Service would be in touch regarding a refund.
Bliss, or so it seemed.
After a few days, I rang back to ask about the customer service call, as I hadn't heard anything and also requested as to when I might here back by. A lot of stalling but eventually I was told 7th October. Okay, I'll live with it.
Then today, I see my account had been debited £58.75, Cancellation Fee. In my mind this was not agreeable. I was not cancelling because I was just leaving their contract, I was cancelling because they had not provided a saleable service int he first place. I phoned to complain and again was fobbed off by a guy who told me he was a very experienced customer service employye who had worked their for two years. He assured me it had to be paid and there was nothing I could do. I informed him that customer service were supposed to be looking into the whole mess. 5 minutes on hold and he boldly told me there was an 'internal investigation' going on. Men in white suits, lawyers and reems of paperwork appeared in my vision and I laughed.
It took a while, but after 15 minutes or more, I finally got through to a supervisor. I asked him how the 'internal investigation' was going. He denied they were having one but did say they were looking at the case. I asked him to pay back immmeadiatley the 58'75 they had removed from account as I had only cancelled because of their failure. He told me this was impossible. I told him he was a theif. He didn't like my tone. I didn't like him, period.
After a bit of petty squabbling during which time it was obvious he had his book of rules, I gave up the chase. I did get out of him that on the 7th October they wil make a decision and he has promised I will be contacted then on the outcome of the decision. He did say that the technical dept. may still be able to rectify the problem. I asked if they had not been able to do it in four months, did he honestly think more time would make a difference. He didn't give an answer.
My feeling about Pipex is now completely destroyed. Having read about other peoples experiences with them, I am sad to say that this once good firm appears to have gone to the dogs. There treatment of taking money without proper cause or service is no better than theft.
I'll drop a line on the final outcome.
My son lives with his mum and I agreed to get them a broadband service. From my research, Pipex, a comapny I used nigh on 10 years ago happily, appeared to offer a good product.
The service went into operation in May 2005 and didn't work. After many calls to Pipex technical and four months later, it became apparent they didn't have any ideas left to solve the problem.
We felt we had been more than fair with them and given them ample oppurtunity to solve the problem. Of course, during all this time they have been happy to take their monthly fee.
Last week I cancelled the service though this became a bit of a trial and tribulation. I requested all monies be paid back to me on the basis that they had never provided any service. When the lady told me they could not repay the money I went a tad red. This provided the responce that under the terms of THEIR contract (con-trick more like), there was no promise of a service to be provided.
LOL.
Okay, thats not what I said at the time but dutifully I asked if they she were to go into a shop and put money on the counter in exchange for goods, one would expect to walk out with goods in hand at least. 'But we are not a shop' was the reply.
Head and wall in mind, I asked for a manager. The manager was far more helpful and understood the problem. She gave me the procedure to cancel which I followed. Note, in the cancellation procedure, it specifically asks for comments as to why one is cancelling. I filled in this with the bits on never having received service.
I was told by the lady that once this was filed, Pipex Customer Service would be in touch regarding a refund.
Bliss, or so it seemed.
After a few days, I rang back to ask about the customer service call, as I hadn't heard anything and also requested as to when I might here back by. A lot of stalling but eventually I was told 7th October. Okay, I'll live with it.
Then today, I see my account had been debited £58.75, Cancellation Fee. In my mind this was not agreeable. I was not cancelling because I was just leaving their contract, I was cancelling because they had not provided a saleable service int he first place. I phoned to complain and again was fobbed off by a guy who told me he was a very experienced customer service employye who had worked their for two years. He assured me it had to be paid and there was nothing I could do. I informed him that customer service were supposed to be looking into the whole mess. 5 minutes on hold and he boldly told me there was an 'internal investigation' going on. Men in white suits, lawyers and reems of paperwork appeared in my vision and I laughed.
It took a while, but after 15 minutes or more, I finally got through to a supervisor. I asked him how the 'internal investigation' was going. He denied they were having one but did say they were looking at the case. I asked him to pay back immmeadiatley the 58'75 they had removed from account as I had only cancelled because of their failure. He told me this was impossible. I told him he was a theif. He didn't like my tone. I didn't like him, period.
After a bit of petty squabbling during which time it was obvious he had his book of rules, I gave up the chase. I did get out of him that on the 7th October they wil make a decision and he has promised I will be contacted then on the outcome of the decision. He did say that the technical dept. may still be able to rectify the problem. I asked if they had not been able to do it in four months, did he honestly think more time would make a difference. He didn't give an answer.
My feeling about Pipex is now completely destroyed. Having read about other peoples experiences with them, I am sad to say that this once good firm appears to have gone to the dogs. There treatment of taking money without proper cause or service is no better than theft.
I'll drop a line on the final outcome.























