Cement mystery is all cleared up
WE don’t say this often, but some firms deserve praise and Virgin Media deserve some credit.
The story started in the Millfield area of Sunderland on the last day of May. A team of workers were busy on the pavement close to David Hills’ house.
When they finished, David was horrified to find that what looked like cement powder splashed over his doorstep and up the door.
David isn’t a Virgin Media customer but complained to to them. VM didn’t seem to know what he was talking about.
David isn’t the type to be fobbed off easily. He copied his complaint to the chief executive officer of Virgin media and even to Virgin founder Richard Branson.
He got an acknowledgement from CEO’s office, but not much more.
Undaunted, David also contacted the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Trading Standards and attempted to speak to the Communications Ombudsman.
Despite all this effort, he got precisely nowhere. So he wrote to the real power in the land, Raw Deal.
We got in touch with Virgin Media, and the reason for the firm’s reluctance to act became clear. They could find no record of work that would require cement in the area around David’s home on the day in question. They were baffled. They did, however, send a team out to inspect the area.
The team had a look at David’s doorway and there was unquestionably an ugly stain on the door and front step.
Virgin Media still deny having caused the problem, but fixed it anyway. A couple of workmen washed off the splashes.
Virgin Media described this as “a good will gesture”, but such things are usually done for customers. It is rare to do a job for a non-customer.
David told us: “Thank you Raw Deal. Let’s face it, without you I’d still be in a predicament.”