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Auto Compensation
We’ll automatically give you compensation in line with the OFCOM Voluntary Code of Practice for an Automatic Compensation scheme (the industry agreed compensation code for broadband and talk) if:
| Problem | A landline or broadband customer would be entitled to compensation if… | Amount of compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Delayed repair following loss of service. | Their service has stopped working and it is not fully fixed after two full working days. | £10.34 for each calendar day that the service is not repaired |
| Missed appointments | An engineer does not turn up for a scheduled appointment, or it is cancelled with less than 24 hours` notice. | £32.31 per missed appointment |
| Delay with the start of a new service | Their provider promises to start a new service on a particular date, but fails to do so. | £6.46 for each calendar day of delay, including the missed start date. |
In the unfortunate event that a compensatory payment is required, this will be applied to your seethelight account automatically. Any Automatic Compensation payment due will be received within 30 days, following a missed appointment, delayed service date, or total loss of service.
A total loss of service is an unplanned outage to either your Broadband or Talk service.
For a talk/phone service a total loss of service occurs if you’re unable to make or receive any calls.
For a broadband service, a total loss of service occurs if you can’t access the internet at all on any of your devices (this doesn’t include any issues because your router isn’t working properly).
If a total loss of service is confirmed with you and isn’t fixed by 11:59pm on the second full working day after you reported it, we’ll pay you automatic compensation as set out within this code.
For example, if you report a fault at any time on Monday, we’ll offer you compensation if the fault isn’t fixed by 11.59pm on Wednesday.
After the second working day, we will pay you £10.34 for each day that the service is not fixed.
If both your broadband and talk services are experiencing a fault, we will pay you £10.34 per day covering both services. If only one of the services experiences a fault, you will receive the same £10.34 per day value.
The following applies where an engineer visit is required to fix your total loss of service
We’ll only pay you compensation up to the first engineer appointment we offer you (if required). If the repair is delayed because your engineer missed the appointment, we will try and rebook the appointment with you.
If we can’t reach you, we’ll pay you compensation up to the first available re-appointment date. Please make sure you contact us to rebook an appointment otherwise your reported fault will be closed down after 2 days of not hearing from you.
If the repair is delayed because you missed the engineer appointment, we’ll stop the compensation payment and only start it again if the repair isn’t completed during the next engineer visit.
We’ll pay you £32.31 compensation for each broadband &/or talk missed appointment where the engineer doesn’t attend on the date or within the timeslot that is agreed with you beforehand (i.e. the engineer arrives after the agreed timeslot).
Automatic compensation is not due in the following scenarios:
- If we change the date or time of your appointment or cancel the appointment with more than 24 hours’ notice.
- If you requested to change your appointment slot on the day.
- If the engineer attends earlier than the confirmed timeslot (and you are able to provide access in this earlier slot).
If your broadband or phone service isn’t activated by 11:59pm on the date confirmed by us in writing, we’ll pay you £6.46 automatic compensation for each day we are late in delivering your service, including your missed activation date.
For example, if your service is meant to be activated on Wednesday but is delayed until Thursday, then we’ll give you £6.46 (£6.46 for the missed activation day). If it goes live on Friday, then we’ll give you £12.92 (£6.46 for the missed activation day and £6.46 for the one day that you had to wait for activation).
If the activation is delayed because your engineer missed the appointment, we’ll try to rebook the appointment with you.If we can’t reach you, we’ll pay you compensation up to the first available appointment. Please make sure you contact us to rebook, otherwise your order will cancel after 14 calendar days of not hearing from you.
If the activation is delayed because you missed an appointment, the compensation will stop and only start again if the activation isn’t complete during the next engineer visit.
If your Broadband/Talk order fails to complete successfully and a new order is required, Auto Compensation is due for the delay on the original order up until the date this order fails. Any new order you place will only receive further Auto Compensation if the new order also experiences a subsequent delay.
If both your broadband and talk services experience a delay in provision, we will pay you £6.46 a day covering both services. If only one of the services is delayed, you will receive the same £6.46 per day value.
If the service has been connected but you have no phone or internet connection, then you should read the section titled What is a Total loss of Service?
There are circumstances when despite having a total loss of service, delayed provision or missed engineer appointment, automatic compensation will not be paid to you:
- If you’re at fault for the service failure or you prevent the service issue from being fixed. For example, we might not pay you compensation if you don’t take the earliest engineer reappointment we offer you, or if we don’t hear from you.
- If there’s a Civil Emergency (for example an act of Terrorism) we might not pay you compensation.
- If the fault reported is not in relation to the service. For example, if we find the fault is caused by activity or equipment in your home (including a problem with your router), then we won’t pay you compensation.
- If you change your appointment or activation date after we’ve confirmed a date in writing, then we won’t pay you compensation against the original confirmed appointment date.
- If you miss an engineer appointment, or don’t take the earliest appointment date we offer you or if we don’t hear from you we will not pay you compensation.
Automatic compensation is only given per order and not per service. So if both your broadband and talk services stop working or are delayed in activation, there will be one payment given.
