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Plusnet Advice on Complaint

Hello,

I hope to get some advice on how to go about complaining and setting things straight.

Minor Problem
Previously this summer, we had no broadband over a week due to some maintenance procedure logging us out of the router. First we submitted a fault ticket for slow broadband (plusnet had limited my profile for no reason), then they did a maintenance procedure which logged us out of the router without our knowledge, then they proceeded to call an engineer and make us wait a week, when luckily the 10th time I phoned up somebody more knowledgeable told us to re-log into the router.

Major Current Problem
No broadband or line since the 29th August.
We had to enquirer to get an update, and it's an underground fault requiring digging work.
We were meant to have a manhole BT team on the 14th. Nothing happened. We had to enquirer to get an update. Then on the 20th and still no updates. We had to enquirer to get an update.
Now they will get the traffic management team to setup on the 3rd October (not even next week). But then there has to be a digging team. And then another engineering team to deal with the line. I have no idea when my line will be fixed.

They can not offer me a temporary line, or custom compensation such as 4G data while the problem is resolved. What compensation should I chase? How can I make a formal complaint, and to who? Plusnet, BT OpenReach? Both?
 
You have to go to PN, then if it isnt resolved, go to arbitration.

Although BTOR do the physical repair work, they wont communicate ANYTHING with a retail customer.

My personal experience with PN suggest their front line staff either have little knowledge, or are not given access to tools that can help sort out line issues in the way better managed tech support seem to operate, and publicly complaining is the only way to get them to move.
 
Make a formal complaint to Plusnet and get a complaint reference number. If you don't get adequate compensation for the loss of your BB then you can go to the Ombudsman Service Communications (but in my experience they are totally useless and don't follow their own rules as stated on their website). You should also send a copy of your complaint to Ofcom so that they are aware of the problems that you are having (if enough people send complaints to Ofcom then eventually they will have to take some action against PN)

I've been through this whole process and I currently have a complaint about Ofcom with the Parlimentary & Health Service Ombudsman. If you need any further help or advice please PM me.

Pete
 
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The biggest problem here, which is not physically the ISP's fault, is that Openreach's infrastructure has a physical fault that requires civil works in order to resolve and this takes time + money to sort out. It wouldn't matter if you went with any of the other ISPs on Openreach's network, the fault would still exist and Openreach would still be just as slow to resolve it. There's also no such thing as a "temporary" copper line and the fault is likely to affect any second line too.

Likewise if you pay a pittance to get service from one of the lowest priced ISPs then you can't expect that provider to offer you the best service during faults or compensation, such as via way of paying for a temporary Mobile Broadband service etc.

So essentially you're stuck with the only option being to keep prodding Plusnet in the hope that they will in turn keep prodding Openreach, but at the end of the day Openreach can still faff around and screw up or delay as they like.. much to both your and the ISP's equal annoyance.

As others have said you can / should make a formal complaint to Plusnet and request compensation for the fact that no service has been delivered. Strictly speaking Plusnet don't have to give you anything, but a lot of providers will if you press hard enough. However if, after 8 weeks from the start of this issue, the problem hasn't been resolved then you can take it to an ombudsman (CISAS for Plusnet) who will investigate the case on your behalf and rule on it.. most likely forcing Plusnet to compensate.
 
Although Mark is correct, certain ISPs seem MUCH better at chivvying BTOR into action; and they tend to be the smaller ones.

Coping Strategies

I got left with no internet for 6 weeks a few years aback, I managed to stay online using a mix of mobile tethering and a WiFi dongle high enough to reach a public wifi hotspot.
Speeds werent great, and I kept usage to email and web browsing, but it saw me through until Aquiss got me a new line and fibre connection, and I could tell my old ISP to "Go Forth and Multiply".
 
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