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Vodafone complaint - now at deadlock. Refer to CISAS?

Jeremy67

Member
Hi

I'd appreciate views on my situation. I moved to a new property in August 2022 and contracted with Vodafone to have full fibre broadband installed. This was due to be activated on 11th August (I have written confirmation).

The service was eventually activated on 26/10/22 - 75 days after it should have been. Even then the landline (via VOIP) wasn't activated until 1/11/22.

The fundamental issue was that Openreach needed to install cabling from the pavement to my property, and missed not only the original date to do so but numerous others as well. This was Vodafone's problem to manage though, not mine.

I have spent the best part of 6 hours on the phone (much of it on hold of course) trying to resolve this and receiving appalling service throughout. I also had to spend £43 on additional data for my phone before Vodafone eventually provided me with a dongle to provide some kind of internet service while the installation was being sorted (this took me another hour in a Vodafone store to sort out), but the speed at times was as low as 7 Mbps as compared to the 100 Mgps (min 50) I'd signed up for.

Now that the service is finally active I am pursuing Vodafone for compensation, as follows:
75 days @ £5.25 per day (Ofcom rate) for each calendar day of delay, including the missed start date: £393.75
7 missed appointments to install the cabling @ £26.24 per appointment: £183.68
Cost of data I had to add to my mobile phone: £43
Compensation for significant delays and inconvenience, 6 hours on the phone to Vodafone and 1 hour in a Vodafone store: £100
Total: £720.43

After discussion with Vodafone complaints they have given a full and final offer of:
60 days at £5.25 per day for the delays: £315 (they say they are only obligated to pay 60 days of compensation)
2 missed appointments @ £26.24: £52.48
'Goodwill' credit of £143 (taking account of my data cost and my time)
Total: £510.48

So the major difference is with regard to 60 days delay compensation vs 75, and compensation for 2 missed appointments rather than 7.

I have said I am not accepting their offer so they have issued a deadlock letter in which they've said I still have 45 days to accept it, but also making it clear I have the option to take the case to CISAS.

I'd appreciate any views on the likelihood of a better outcome from CISAS. In particular:
  • Are Vodafone right in saying they only have to pay 60 days compensation for delay in activating the service?
  • I don't have documentary evidence of the additional missed appointments but have submitted an SAR to Vodafone as I was definitely told on the phone of more than two dates when an Openreach engineer would visit to install cabling. I am hoping that notes on my account/call recordings will confirm this.
I recognise £510 is not a bad compensation offer but I still feel it is lower than I should be entitled to, if my facts are correct.

Any views and advice welcome, particularly from anyone who has had dealings with CISAS.

Thanks
 
Hi

I'd appreciate views on my situation. I moved to a new property in August 2022 and contracted with Vodafone to have full fibre broadband installed. This was due to be activated on 11th August (I have written confirmation).

The service was eventually activated on 26/10/22 - 75 days after it should have been. Even then the landline (via VOIP) wasn't activated until 1/11/22.

The fundamental issue was that Openreach needed to install cabling from the pavement to my property, and missed not only the original date to do so but numerous others as well. This was Vodafone's problem to manage though, not mine.

I have spent the best part of 6 hours on the phone (much of it on hold of course) trying to resolve this and receiving appalling service throughout. I also had to spend £43 on additional data for my phone before Vodafone eventually provided me with a dongle to provide some kind of internet service while the installation was being sorted (this took me another hour in a Vodafone store to sort out), but the speed at times was as low as 7 Mbps as compared to the 100 Mgps (min 50) I'd signed up for.

Now that the service is finally active I am pursuing Vodafone for compensation, as follows:
75 days @ £5.25 per day (Ofcom rate) for each calendar day of delay, including the missed start date: £393.75
7 missed appointments to install the cabling @ £26.24 per appointment: £183.68
Cost of data I had to add to my mobile phone: £43
Compensation for significant delays and inconvenience, 6 hours on the phone to Vodafone and 1 hour in a Vodafone store: £100
Total: £720.43

After discussion with Vodafone complaints they have given a full and final offer of:
60 days at £5.25 per day for the delays: £315 (they say they are only obligated to pay 60 days of compensation)
2 missed appointments @ £26.24: £52.48
'Goodwill' credit of £143 (taking account of my data cost and my time)
Total: £510.48

So the major difference is with regard to 60 days delay compensation vs 75, and compensation for 2 missed appointments rather than 7.

I have said I am not accepting their offer so they have issued a deadlock letter in which they've said I still have 45 days to accept it, but also making it clear I have the option to take the case to CISAS.

I'd appreciate any views on the likelihood of a better outcome from CISAS. In particular:
  • Are Vodafone right in saying they only have to pay 60 days compensation for delay in activating the service?
  • I don't have documentary evidence of the additional missed appointments but have submitted an SAR to Vodafone as I was definitely told on the phone of more than two dates when an Openreach engineer would visit to install cabling. I am hoping that notes on my account/call recordings will confirm this.
I recognise £510 is not a bad compensation offer but I still feel it is lower than I should be entitled to, if my facts are correct.

Any views and advice welcome, particularly from anyone who has had dealings with CISAS.

Thanks
Probably more generous on the goodwill £143 as they don't have to pay any of that.

What's the 7 "missed" appointments?

They failed to show at arranged times?

Also need to consider what is actually fair here, as on face value all you've had to do is purchase some data packs and chase things up a bit (probably didn't need to).

So it's not actually cost you anything in comparison to £500+? CISAS will consider what is fair for both parties, not just in favour of the customer.

They could say you're not eligible for time compensation.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-tel...-and-billing/automatic-compensation-need-know

Providers can put a cap on the amount of compensation they pay out. After 30 days of an automatic compensation payment occurring, they can serve a cease notice to let you know that automatic compensation payments would stop after a further 30 days.

After this, your provider needs to take reasonable steps to provide a suitable alternative service. If they are not able to give you a suitable alternative, you will still be entitled to automatic compensation under the scheme.
 
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I would take the money and just get on with the rest of your life, it is not worth spending anymore time over and its a decent enough offer. I've had similar hassles with broadband and never got a penny.

Time spent on sorting things out when they go wrong is just part and parcel of life sometimes, accept the compensation and put it towards your heating bills and draw a line.
 
Agreed as per posts above.

Whilst I have some sympathy for the OP I can weigh in with my experiences getting an FoD installed a few years ago. Now if you want to hear about delays where you’ve paid several thousand quid up front and then….just wait, 12 months (or longer for some folks)

I’m currently waiting on an EAD install in rural Suffolk. Since July. Openreach decided last week that serving pole *didn’t* need to be replaced after all. That in itself was a (needless) 3 month delay.

Take the money.
 
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