ntl complaints procedures.

[wes_the_archer]

Originally Posted by wes_the_archer

Hello!...

Just an update on my recent post. After sending a letter of complaint to the director of customer services at NTL, I got a phone call apologising profusely regarding my complaint (mainly being call a tw*t). I have been credited with £60 to my bill as well as 6-months half price broadband. The team leader for the calls department is personally going to visit the call centre responsible and issue a b*ll*cking to the customer services representative as well as personally investigating my complaint.

I call that somewhat of a result, even though it should never have come to this in the first place! The lady who called me (I won't divulge her name) was very helpful and if only all the NTL call centre staff could be like her, then half of their problems would go away! TAKE HEED ALL CUSTOMER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVES!!!

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by popper

hmm, is there a problem with the database as i know there are posts (today),after my #149 '13-11-2006, 14:50' but im not seeing them in the browser?.
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...4&goto=newpost shows upto #149, nothing else #150 now!,so i can see my post,weres the others then.

2 posts by cableinfo made at 3.00 and 3.10 am for instance

and why doesnt =22954* match with the url above =34158566*, something wrong somewere....

Nothing wrong at all, cableinfo has deleted his posts. BTW, 22954 is the thread number, 34158566 is the post number.

[popper]

thanks paul.

good to hear wes.

[ballard666]

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on the best form of action to take. Here is my story...
I signed up for NTL BB & talk weekend service at the beginning of October - The field sales man took my 1st monthly installment up front. I was told they would ring me the next day to arrange an installation date - which would for certain be before the end of October. I also mentioned at the time that I wanted the BB in my back bedroom - to which the field sales man said 'that's fine we can put it anywhere you want' - fine. The promised phone call never came. I waited 3 days and then rang the salesmans mobile number he didn't answer - I left a msg - he never replied . 3 more days passed - I rang again - this time someone else answered and told me 'he's away from his desk, he'll be back in five mins I will get him to call you staight back' he never did . A week later I phoned again - no answer so I left another msg . 2 days later I received a text from him saying he'd got me an installation date of Nov.25. I texted straight back saying this wasn't acceptable. Within minutes he replied with a new date of Nov.9 - fine.

The men came and said on arrival 'So its TV & BB' - no phone & BB
They then said 'we can't put the phone line or the BB where I wanted them and should never have been told that I could , meaning I was going to have to buy a wireless router for my BB £40!

A day later after my BB password and username didn't work and a 40 minute phonecall on my mobile I finally got BB working . My phone line was still dead. I decided to ring my number and see what happened. A random woman answered. I rang NTL and asked what was happening (mobile again) they said they could see the fault and would send someone out the next day. To be fair he came bright and early and said 'so you've got a problem with your BB!' no my phone He cant fix the phone and the people that could don't work on Sundays! A full 6 days later my phone line finally got fixed and I was up and running (the 16th Nov) I then get a bank statement and NTL took their first payment on the 2nd Nov.

Please advise me if its worth complaing to them cos I am fuming and think that they, as a company, are absolutely horrendous and will certainly be getting anything other than recomendations from me!

[Colin Ballard]

Hi there namesake! I'm sorry to hear of this experience but it seems so common. I was one of these Sales Advisors until they made all of the SouthEast redundant! I always left my mobile number and even now I'm getting calls from customers who have not had their equipment installed correctly. Unfortunately, they told us how the installation procedure should work but I never got that much joy out of them, even when I got engineers names plus their bosses. I even had to cancel my parents installation due to incompetence all round. NTL are going to have to undergo major change now that Richard Branson has got the major share, that is why he has made door-knockers redundant. I do hope that you follow up the complaints procedure and put pen to paper. Without that they think that everything is rosy, which it isn't. Good luck to you all. I'm sticking with Sky (whom I hate, but there is no alternative yet), BT (they are a pain but you can get a deal out of them) and Tiscali (Broadband, no problems for 3 years).

Colin Ballard
Ex-NTL & British Gas Employee

[Deadboy]

Been a customer for years (Diamond Cable days) and mostly OK service with only a few gripes that were generally sorted out with a bit of patience.

However, in the last few weeks since the Digital TV channel revamp, I've had nothing but trouble with the service. Images blocking out & freezing, audio/video out of synch, every day at exactly 2pm the screen goes blank and can only be cured by changing channels and then changing back again, if I'm at home. (any preset recordings after this time result in a silent black screen), TV guide takes an age to update, VOD not updating, constant reboot of STB in order to try to rectify my problems, box updates just hanging the whole system.

I initially reported the problems some weeks ago and was told that an engineer would be out between 9 - 12 on a Saturday, waited in - no engineer, went to work Saturday PM only to find a card saying that I would be charged £10 because I wasn't in when he called, rescheduled eng visit having been told that the problems were probably due to my old PACE box & that a Samsung would cure these problems. Engineer duly arrived for the rescheduled visit (very polite gentleman) but swapped my original PACE box for another PACE box saying that he had no Samsung boxes with him. He checked all signals - OK, and over the next half hour or so all my channels arrived and were viewable - Hurrah! all my problems solved.

UNTIL

Next day at 2PM the screen went blank, audio/video out of synch etc. etc.

Again contacted CS, told that the earliest appointment that was suitable for me would be in ten days time (this Friday 24/11), booked the engineer, booked the time off work (loss of earnings) and was told that I would be compensated for the loss of service (I'd rather have a working telly though).

Yesterday (20/11) I had a message on my answermachine saying that my problems had been solved, and that I needed to take no further action (??) As I was listening to this message, I switched on the TV only to find a blank screen, and same again tonight. My system told me that there was an update for my STB which I applied, and as before the system hung. During this hang I once again contacted CS who advised me that this update should only take a few seconds to complete, so another STB reboot was required. During this reboot I confirmed with the CS that I would still be having an engineer visit this Friday, but was told that the appointment had been cancelled by NTL as my problems had been fixed.

As I am still exeriencing all of the problems I originally reported, I was told that I would have to wait another week before an appointment could be arranged that is suitable to me.

As this whole debacle has so far cost me three lots of time off work (all unpaid) I asked for a contact name so I could complain directly to someone in person rather than just to the Complaints Department in Manchester (previous correspondance to this general department has not even resulted in the courtesy of a reply) but was told that it was not possible to provide me with a specific name. I've tried using the complaints procedure on the website but eventually that just sends me back to the page with the CS 0845 number.

How do I get to speak directly to someone within NTL who will not only listen to my complaints, but also has the authority to initiate remedial action that will result in my receiving the service that I pay for ? (approx £80 pm for TV, BB & phone)

Sorry to bang on for so long about my problems, but short of kicking the cat up the a**e, I'm at a loss to know what to do next.

UPDATE 22/11

I again contacted NTL faults dept this morning (08:40), the advisor told me that he couldn't help me but , at my request, a manager would contact me within the hour - guarenteed. It is now 15:52........(fill in the blanks for yourselves!!)

[tcastro]

I have ntl broadband and phone line. Phone has not worked since Dec 4th - incoming calls ring once then disappear: outgoing is just static/no dial tone. Called customer "service" number every day last week but never got through to person. Sent emails to the online customer "service", with only unhelpful automated responses to date. Have written cancelling phone account, but fully expect either no rerply or protracted nonsense. Has anyone had similar phone prob recently but got a result? Am in south east london area.

[lostandconfused]

unfortunatly if you want it fixed you would have to report it to the faults department.

[tcastro]

If you mean by phone then I['ve tried that. I have reported it by email and by letter, but no proper response. 10 days now and still no phone. Ntl have my mobile number and my email - they could and should contact me by now. Unless of course they really couldn't give a monkeys...!

Hope ntl shareholders are satisfied by their profits - its coming out of me having no phone.

[Bruce Hewitt]

Dose any one know the address of Richard Smith (Chairman) of NTL TELEWEST. If so please PM me.
Having just switched from BT to NTL what a mess, Sales giving misleading information.Customer Service (what's that!!) all hiding behind silly rules. Manages failing to return calls (That's no surprise) I could go on by I guess if you want to draw the bosses attention then Start at the Top and let it work down.

Someone said money had been taken from there account and not refunded.
Take out a County Court Action on line www.courtservice.gov.uk/mcol. Its simple its fast and gets results. I know I had the same problem with Talk Talk
(carphone warehouse) I issued the summons against the chairman and his chief accountant, the case didn't go to court, didn't want the publicity)
Paid in full with interest and court cost's

---------- Post added at 09:22 ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 ----------

Issue county court proceedings on line www.courtservice.gov.uk/mcol
for the return of any money taken from your account and breach of contract
(failing to provide a service that you have paid for) don't forget to add your cost's (time & money spent in contacting NTL) Keep records dates & times of your complaints and attach to the summons. Good luck it dose get results.

[roadraver]

Originally Posted by Chris W

hmm... 4 websites, 5 different phone numbers, 4 email contact forms...

http://www.ntlworld.com/helpsupport/...us/bromley.php

oh plus broadband medic for online chat...

http://www.ntlworld.com/helpsupport/...edic/index.php




I headed straight from the big "help and support" tab at the top of the website and found everything that i needed.

And yep that online chat.... they have that already, and have had for over a year....

its sunday morning and after having the 1st ntl box put in i had 2 more since that nasty day i have had nothing but trouble 1 out of 3 boxes works the man came after several calls and told me the engerneer was at fault for not registering the cards so he spoke to his manager who told us it will be donr by 5pm well that was thursday i came to bed at 11pm to find i have no services in either bedroom and there is not anyway to contact any help as its out of hours and the email says not available and the online help is worse so
wheres the help for people who dont sleep who dont want to sit on hold all day to be cut of or given the run around..?
so far its been natioal problem (with all boxes that could make sense)
its a custmer servies fault (says faults) its faults (says custmer service) what happened to people who do what they say and phone you back as so far three have ment to..
im sure if i didnt pay my bill they would phone me up quick enough so how much should i pay for lack of services???

---------- Post added at 02:03 ---------- Previous post was at 01:58 ----------

Originally Posted by Bruce Hewitt

Dose any one know the address of Richard Smith (Chairman) of NTL TELEWEST. If so please PM me.
Having just switched from BT to NTL what a mess, Sales giving misleading information.Customer Service (what's that!!) all hiding behind silly rules. Manages failing to return calls (That's no surprise) I could go on by I guess if you want to draw the bosses attention then Start at the Top and let it work down.

Someone said money had been taken from there account and not refunded.
Take out a County Court Action on line www.courtservice.gov.uk/mcol. Its simple its fast and gets results. I know I had the same problem with Talk Talk
(carphone warehouse) I issued the summons against the chairman and his chief accountant, the case didn't go to court, didn't want the publicity)
Paid in full with interest and court cost's

I think i might just try that too if my services are not sorted by monday and i think i will also tell my mom to do the same as she recomended ntl to me and since then she has had no internet and a terrible picture.....
---------- Post added at 09:22 ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 ----------

Issue county court proceedings on line www.courtservice.gov.uk/mcol
for the return of any money taken from your account and breach of contract
(failing to provide a service that you have paid for) don't forget to add your cost's (time & money spent in contacting NTL) Keep records dates & times of your complaints and attach to the summons. Good luck it dose get results.

[archon]

Arrgh.

I wanted a direct debit date changing to the beginning of the month when I had the money in the relevent account to pay the bill (I'm not exactly well paid here)

A simple change that they were only too happy to make.

Except this is the 14th month running they have been unable to make that change. Every time I've asked, I been given a response something like:

"No sir, I don't know why that didn't work last month, but I've definitely made the change and it is effective now."

And nothing changed. NTL have made many, many agreements to take my money at the start of the month, (y'know when the cash is actually in that account) and have broken their word and tried bouncing my account many more times.

I've spent many hours on the phone and since the account goes overdrawn, and they are quick off the mark to actually disconnect despite the history, many days of no service. (Five full days to reconnect is the record so far) And have made many complaints.

In November, I found a customer service fellow who actually seemed to know the system and cancelled my exisiting Direct Debit agreement and set up a new one. He went a long way towards making up the goodwill lost.

Then last month, inconcievably, NTL ignored the active Direct Debit mandate and apparently tried to draw against the old one which *they* cancelled.

"Terribly sorry sir, but we've fixed it now."

This month, I was not surprised to find that they hadn't. I tried to sort this out again on Friday (Having just come back to the area after the holidays to find the bill) to find that 'the computers were down.' The next working day, the computers were apparently up for long enough to suspend me, (I was busy 'till late) and today, when I try to sort this out. Again, the computers are down.

This is the fourteen month and I'm fed up of having verbal complaints ignored and agreements dishonoured. I have no idea how something so simple can be dropped by the system repeatedly, and cause such horrendous problems. I'm stuck with NTL and only want this to work. I am absolutely at my wits end and have no recourse other than going the formal complaints route.

(Shrugs) I don't have much hope of them listening to a written complaint either. Wish me luck, folks.

-------(Update)-------------------------------

After phone call to attempt to get reconnection - No the systems aren't up yet.

And apparently it is my fault for not making payment. I tried to explain that with a direct diebit it is up to them to initiate the collection (and they aren't, as they seem to be using the DD agreement they cancelled.) but apparently that wasn't helpful and I could either listen to the customer service person tell me it's my fault or be hung up on.

Help.

[archon]

Update:

After finding the Customer Retention number via a link from here, I found a (hopefully) switchced-on member of the Retention Team who could actually see that this was about to force me to leave NTL. It took her half an hour to find someone to help, but she did actually phone back as promised, and I was passed over to a clued-up sounding member of the credit control department.

Apparently, after last time there wern't any direct debit agreements on my account, cancelleted or otherwise. Say what?

Regardless, a Direct Debit mandate was set up (again) and the payment date is now roughtly when it was required. I'm promised written confirmation also.

The proof of this pudding will be on the 6th of February (To break the metaphor) and I have been promised all of this before, but I'm hoping the higher level of staff are able to make their changes stick.

Wish me luck, folks!

[Madpuppy]

Hi!

We have been overcharged over the past few months by NTL. My boyfriend holds a Broadband only subscription for which the monthly fee is set at £24.99.

Over the past 9 months, he has been overcharged on various occasions for various amonts, and he's now owed £131.40.

When this came to our attention, we called NTL Customer Service and asked for a refund. The Customer Service representative, responded that he would credit my BF's NTL account with the amount wrongly charged. We said we did not want him to credit Jay's NTL account but his Bank account. After all why should the money remain on NTL's account, when we're up to date with the payments? It's not exactly like the dollars are rolling in the household and we can afford to pay 5 months in advance...

The following day, we called again and found out (after 20 minutes waiting on hold) that Jay's NTL account had been credited with £105. Jay asked a manager to refund the money to his bank account but was told me that he'd need to go to his bank to get an authorisation form. He's got a very demanding 6 days a week job, and he cannot take time to 'pop' to the bank. And after all, shouldn't NTL be the ones running around to rectify their mistake?!

Additionally, I am not sure how the refund of £105 has been calculated, as the correct refund should have been £131.40, go figure!

We have been given no reason as to why these various amounts of money were debited from Jay's bank account in the first place and the only compensation Jay has been offered is a £20 credit note... to his NTL account!! The NTL customer representatives did not try to offer any alternative to refund the money, not even via a simple cheque. To top it all, I have just learnt that TV subscribers can get refunds from NTL directly on their bank accounts, but not internet subscribers, how absurd is this?!

In addition to this problem, when Jay signed up with NTL, he specifically asked if he could cancel at any time (knowing that he may not reside in the same place for a long time). The customer representative assured him that he could indeed cancel his contract whenever he wanted, without penalty. When a few months later, he asked to cancel his subscription, he was then told that he was tied up to a year contract. Sure enough, the conversation recordings are only used for training pruposes and never available when you really need them to prove your point. We didn't expect such methods from a company considered reputable.

And to top it all, we've had no internet connection for the past two days. I believe this is only fluke, but under the circumstances, it really is the cherry on the cake!!

It is so unfair to have to spend so much time and effort to get something back which was always yours in the first place and not being able to speak to someone who can understand our frustration and do something about it...

[Madpuppy]

Latest news... Jay managed to speak to his bank, they've assured him that NTL needs no form to transfer some money back directly in his bank account. Who to believe?