Considering cancelling FTTH order via cooling off

RoYoBo

Further to my post here, I need to know if I should cancel my FTTH order within the cooling off period.  I cannot be sure that Eir will not tie me into an immediate and disadvantageous contract, even if it's not actually available in my area.  I am worried by reports here on Boards and elsewhere indicating that FTTH is being sold as live when that is not the case and connections cannot be made as arranged.

I have an email from Open Eir (last week) stating that FTTH will not be available in my area until the end of November 2017.  However, I agreed to order FTTH a few days later by an Eir rep at my door, who stated that it was already live and that I would be connected by the end of July.  

I want to remain with my current provider until Eir are in a position to deliver ALL of the bundle I ordered.  I do not want Eir to take over my landline or basic broadband only in advance of FTTH installation. If I cannot be assured of this IN WRITING, I will invoke the cooling off period and cancel now.  

eir: Adam

Hi RoYoBo,

I have responded to your other post in regards to this query. If you send me your account number in a PM I can take a look at this for you.

- Adam

RoYoBo

Thank you for your reply to my PMs.

As I've stated before, I want a written guarantee that Eir will not take over my line or begin charging me for any other service until all of my order for FTTH is fulfilled.  This is most likely to be November, by all accounts.  I want what I ordered, and nothing less than what I ordered, and I will pay only for that!  I placed the order with the Eir rep on the basis that FTTH would be installed on or shortly after the 19th July - I would not have ordered in advance otherwise.  

I am prepared to wait until November, or whenever connections can actually be made on the ground, if Eir give me the guarantee I require. Otherwise, I am invoking my 14 day cooling off period now and cancelling the order. Unfortunately, I feel this is the only way to be sure that I am not caught in the trap that others have found themselves in - paying Eir and playing a waiting game for months with endless estimations and failed installations.

eir: Adam

RoYoBo wrote: »

Thank you for your reply to my PMs.

As I've stated before, I want a written guarantee that Eir will not take over my line or begin charging me for any other service until all of my order for FTTH is fulfilled.  This is most likely to be November, by all accounts.  I want what I ordered, and nothing less than what I ordered, and I will pay only for that!  I placed the order with the Eir rep on the basis that FTTH would be installed on or shortly after the 19th July - I would not have ordered in advance otherwise.  

I am prepared to wait until November, or whenever connections can actually be made on the ground, if Eir give me the guarantee I require. Otherwise, I am invoking my 14 day cooling off period now and cancelling the order. Unfortunately, I feel this is the only way to be sure that I am not caught in the trap that others have found themselves in - paying Eir and playing a waiting game for months with endless estimations and failed installations.

I have responded to your latest PM in regards to this.

- Adam

RoYoBo

Thanks for your PMs and replies, Adam.  I would like to summarise my understanding of our communications for clarity:

1. Eir will not charge me for anything until I have an actual FTTH connection, contrary to Eir’s email to me, which states that my first bill ‘will arrive 4 weeks from your order date’. 

2. l will be billed from the date of FTTH connection, no matter how long this extends beyond the originally estimated date of same.

3. Eir will not move my phone or broadband from my current provider until a live FTTH connection has been made at my home.  This is what I specifically agreed with the Eir salesman at my door.

4. The cooling off period of 14 days begins on the day of installation of FTTH and not from the date of the order, as erroneously stated in Eir’s email to me, as in the following direct quote: “You have the right to cancel this contract within fourteen days without giving any reason. The cancellation period will expire 14 days from the date of this notice.”


If the above points match your understanding of our Boards exchange, then please confirm same, on behalf of Eir.  A ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ reply will suffice.  

eir: Anna

As advised through PM's with my colleague Adam, your cooling off period wills start from the day your FTTH has been installed and this is when your phone line will be taken over by eir.

This is due to be installed on the 19/07/17 as per your appointment date.

You will be billed from when your services go active.

When the technician goes out to you, all services are due to go active, however, if there was a delay in your FTTH home installation due to unforeseeable circumstance, you will be charged for any services that have gone active, eg. your phone line.

Thanks,
Anna 

RoYoBo

eir: Anna wrote: »

As advised through PM's with my colleague Adam, your cooling off period wills start from the day your FTTH has been installed and this is when your phone line will be taken over by eir.

This is due to be installed on the 19/07/17 as per your appointment date.

You will be billed from when your services go active.

When the technician goes out to you, all services are due to go active, however, if there was a delay in your FTTH home installation due to unforeseeable circumstance, you will be charged for any services that have gone active, eg. your phone line.

Thanks,
Anna 

Thank you - I wish to cancel my order now as I'm advised by Openeir that FTTH will not be installed until the end of  November, despite the date mooted by Eir of July 19th.  This means, as per your reply, that my phone service and DSL WILL be taken over by Eir on the 19th July and I will be months without FTTH, paying Eir a premium for what I've already got.  You would do well to read the reports on Boards from customers whose installations have failed over many months due to the lack of infrastructure to complete same.

I will follow the instructions for cancellation in my email from Eir but, as you already have my details, I'd like to ensure that this is done via all means possible.

Edit: my email request to cancel the Eir order has bounced back. How and where do I cancel this order officially? Since I am not an Eir customer, I do not have access to ringing 1901.

RoYoBo

I have today received a letter from Eir confirming my direct debit.  It advises me to contact 1901 within 7 days of the date of this letter if the details are incorrect.  Two problems here:

1. The letter is undated (7 days from no date would be never IMO, and totally invalidates it!)
2. I'm not an Eir customer and cannot use 1901 to call you.

I am seriously tired of all this now and want confirmation ASAP that my order with Eir for anything at all has been cancelled under the 14 day cooling off period, and that this direct debit will NOT be instigated. What is the point of a 14 day cancellation period if Eir insist on pushing through payments before it has even expired?

Even if/when FTTH becomes available to me, I am seriously considering whether Eir is the right provider for me. 

eir: Anna

In order for you to cancel this, you will be required to contact our cancellation department on 1800 303 600 to discuss this as we cannot place an order for a cancellation.

Once this has been cancelled, all personal information will be removed and no further contact will be made from eir.

I'm very sorry you feel this way, however, work has already begun by our eFibre build team to arrange your connection. As soon as this work is completed an appointment will be arranged to complete work in the premises. I'm afraid due to the nature of work requested not all installations are straightforward & a high level of work will be required. 

An agent will be in touch to arrange your appointment.

Thanks,
Anna

RoYoBo

eir: Anna wrote: »

In order for you to cancel this, you will be required to contact our cancellation department on 1800 303 600 to discuss this as we cannot place an order for a cancellation.

Once this has been cancelled, all personal information will be removed and no further contact will be made from eir.

I'm very sorry you feel this way, however, work has already begun by our eFibre build team to arrange your connection. As soon as this work is completed an appointment will be arranged to complete work in the premises. I'm afraid due to the nature of work requested not all installations are straightforward & a high level of work will be required. 

An agent will be in touch to arrange your appointment.

Thanks,
Anna

I don't need to discuss this with anyone - the 14 day cooling off period allows me to cancel without giving any reason, as per your own communication here on Boards and also via the order overview email sent to me on 30/6 - direct quote follows:

"You have the right to cancel this contract within fourteen days without giving any reason. The cancellation period will expire 14 days from the date of this notice. To exercise the right you must inform us of your wish to cancel this or by calling us on 1901. This is the only communication you need to send us if you wish to cancel within the cooling off period."


Are you now claiming that this Eir email is incorrect?  Notwithstanding the fact that part of this quote is already erroneous, since it claims that the 14 day cooling off period expires 14 days from the date of the notice, versus the legal requirement of 14 days following installation.  It is incumbent on you to provide details of HOW to invoke the cancellation and this should have been included in the order details.  As you can see above, the paragraph states 'inform us of your wish to cancel' OR 'by calling us on 1901'.  Since I cannot call on 1901 what is the 'OR' referred to above? 


 I do not want or need to ring anyone to discuss this or give reasons, nor do I have any desire to spend my time in a telephone queue.  I have today cancelled the direct debit mandate, so Eir will not be getting any money from me now.  If you have an email address I can use to copper-fasten my cancellation, please provide it here.  I have attempted to send emails to all the addresses I could find on your site.  I totally reject your contention that work has already begun on my efibre connection.  As early as the day after my order went through I flagged up my concerns and stated that if they could not be addressed that I would cancel.  That was the reality then and remains the reality now.


I sincerely hope that neither my line nor my broadband has been transferred from my current provider.  I will be obliged to report the matter to Comreg if this happens or has happened and there is enough of a paper trail to support any complaint I make.  It is in Eir's interest to ensure that they stick to the letter of the law here and cancel this order fully and completely as of now.

eir: Anna

That is correct, however, we cannot cancel an order through this channel and you will need to contact the cancellations department or customer care team or unfortunately, this order will stay active.

As previously advised, until a technician goes out on site no services will be active with eir.

I'm sorry I can't assist you further on this from here.

Thanks,
Anna