Nov 20, 2006 08:12 PM
2533 Views
Tiscali is an internet provider that advertises on British TV. I see from checking the web they also deal in other countries too, I cannot comment on other countries only on the service or LACK of it in the UK. This company promises a free modem and no instalation fee, they ask for your bank details to set up a direct debit for the monthly payment of £12.99. OK so far.
The modem arrives but doesn't work, they are telephoned many many times to ask when the service will be connected, they tell you in 2 or 3 days. You wait 2 or 3 days and phone again, they tell you that it is your phone company that is holding up the instalation, you call the phone company and they say that Tiscali hasn't even been in touch with them about the Broadband on your phone line. back on the phone to Tiscali, the staff on the end of the telephone are extremly rude.
but eventually they tell you they will sort it out and get back to you ASAP, they don't, you call again, once again very obnoxious staff, no customer care, no polite conversation, almost as if they resent you calling just to annoy them!!! After ONE MONTH and no sign of any instalation, you call again and tell them that you will cancel the contract, they say you can't unless you pay 12 months subscriptions or they will sue you for breach of contract... never mind that they have not fulfilled their part of the contract.
on speaking to a lawyer it seems that once you sign the direct debit that is a binding contract and as they did not put in writing WHEN they would install, only verbally, spoken on telephone, there is not much you can do. I was advised to give them a deadline, so they promised they would sort the problem and call me Friday, at 2pm, if not Friday then Tuesday at 2pm. I waited in all day Friday and no call, so now I will see if they call and install Tuesday, If not then I will cancel the contract and cancel the direct debit. PLEASE CONSUMERS DO NOT USE THESE PEOPLE. If this is their customer service BEFORE installation, what is it going to be like after if and when something goes wrong. I dread to think.
