A SCOTS WIDOW has been left without television or internet for over eight weeks after Virgin Media removed her access to services she still pays for – due to them having her late husband’s email on file.
Gaynor Klapiscak from Monifieth, Angus claims that she has been left frustrated after the media giant ignored pleas to allow the widow’s services to be re-instated.
The initial issue arose after Gaynor’s husband Boris passed away in June 2022 as he was the account holder despite money leaving a joint-bank account.
The 68-year-old pensioner is now left to sit in her home without being able to watch any of her favourite daytime television or browse the internet at her leisure.
Gaynor claims that a Virgin Media engineer entered the property to move a hub and box, but instead knocked the services out, removing her access to television and internet.
The gran, who requested to be made the account holder after her late husband’s passing, has claimed she has since made many attempts to reinstate the service she is still paying for.
However, Virgin Media has allegedly refused aid or access to the account for over two months as the account appears to still be registered in Boris’ email address – which Gaynor is unable to access.
The company owned by Sir Richard Branson did send engineers to look at the issue but couldn’t fix the issue on the day leaving Gaynor with broken garden ornaments and her garden in a state of disrepair.
After several weeks of trying to sort the issue out, Gaynor’s frustrated daughter Joanne Lindsay took to social media yesterday to air the complaint on Gaynor’s behalf, writing: “To Whom it May Concern.
“I am writing to you today as your Customer Service team have left me no other choice but to go public with the atrocious service that my 68-year-old mother has, and is still receiving approximately eight weeks later, and the effects it is having on her has left me no choice but to take over the complaint.
“I am not going to go through every specific detail, as quite frankly you have taken up enough of our time, but I will give you the highlights and hope that you will look into the entirety of the ongoing issue yourself.
“Approximately eight weeks ago, after requesting and paying to have the Hub moved in her house, and a box removed, her TV and Internet stopped working.
“She went through your WhatsApp customer service channel and was advised that an engineer would come out to fix it, which he did attend, but did not fix.
“Whilst there, he advised my Mum to download the Virgin Media App, which she tried but was unable to do as the system didn’t accept the email provider domain, despite you having no problems sending her bills to that email address.
“When she contacted for support, she was told they had a different email address on the system.
“This address in question is my recently late father’s email address that was supposed to have been removed from the account last July.
“When my Mum emotionally explained that to your advisor, she was told “sorry, but can you just check it anyway?”
“She was told to access her late husband’s email. I can not even begin to accept this insensitive and disgusting treatment.
“Above everything else, this inappropriate request stands out and should be escalated to the highest power within your company.
“When mentioned to several other advisors, they all agreed it was shocking and insensitive and should never have been asked, but then proceeded to ask her to do it anyway.
“We are now nearly eight weeks in, still with lack of TV and Internet services, often with nothing for days and weeks.
“Seven engineers have been out and unable to fix the issue, they’ve dug up the garden, broken a plant pot and left it, along with a hole in the ground and mud everywhere for her to find.
“Still nothing is working properly, yet one of your advisors recently asked my Mum to fix it with a paperclip in the back of the Hub.
“I’m not sure what it takes to become an engineer with Virgin Media, is paper clip training included?
“She was told another engineer would be coming on Saturday the 6th May to install a new Hub, so was asked to wait in between 12-4pm (we have messages stating this), but of course, not shockingly, no one turned up.
“When she brought this up through your extremely frustrating and impractical WhatsApp service, she was told “you must be mistaken, the engineer is coming on the 9th.”
“She has written correspondence stating everything. She has been promised call back after call back that never comes.
“After she had waited in all afternoon on Saturday and received yet more disgusting correspondence from your WhatsApp team, I then got involved and arranged a phone call with one of your Floor Managers.
“He called at 4.53pm on Saturday, and I advised him to please put me on hold and read through the complaints.
“Now, I know this is a lengthy complaint but I’m thinking by now he’s surely finished, but here I am at 1.30pm on Monday still waiting.
“As previously mentioned, this is merely the highlights. I request that you respond to me (although I won’t hold my breath) privately through this portal so that I can provide you with my contact details as I no longer wish for you to directly contact my mum – not that anyone calls her back anyway.”
The post received dozens of likes and comments as many were shocked to see Gaynor’s alleged mistreatment.
Sarah Green commented: “Can’t believe this is still ongoing, Jo. Your mum was telling me about it a few weeks ago.
“So very insensitive. Hope they sort a resolution.”
Laura Arncott Carstairs said: “This doesn’t surprise me in the slightest, Jo. My stepmum has had atrocious service from them since my dad died, as the Virgin was in his name.
“Totally unacceptable. I hope you hear back and they rectify things for you.”
Gillian Strachan commented: “Shocking that this is still going on and she is having to deal with all of this. Hoping it is sorted ASAP.”
Speaking to Joanne today, she said: “What I’ve written in the post are the most important points for me as the treatment is disgusting.
“The lack of TV and Internet, whilst frustrating as she is paying for these services, isn’t actually at the top of my priorities.
“It’s the treatment through all of this that is unacceptable.
“My Dad died last June, which has obviously been incredibly difficult for her, and the stress this causes to her at home alone is so upsetting, which is why the comments about accessing Dad’s emails are so insensitive and shocking that anyone would think that is acceptable.
“Being at home alone without TV as a comfort noise can add to the loneliness.
“There have been quite a lot of people just from our friends that have been in touch to say they’ve received or someone they know have received similar treatment.”
A Virgin Media spokesperson said: “We’ve apologised to Mrs Klapiscak for the issues she’s experienced. We have now fixed the fault and offered a goodwill gesture for the inconvenience caused.”
