A Totnes mother caring for her disabled daughter was left without internet for almost five months after repeated failures by Virgin Media to carry out essential installation work.

Cathy Meredith and her adult daughter, Sarah — who suffers from multiple conditions including Cystic Fibrosis, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), and is recovering from a liver transplant — lost internet access in mid-January. Despite over 50 attempts by Ms Meredith to resolve the issue, the family remained disconnected until late June.

After being promised an installation date of 4 February, Ms Meredith was repeatedly let down, with the company scheduling incorrect engineers and failing to complete the required external works. These works were eventually carried out on 20 June and internet was installed on 27 June — more than 19 weeks after their initial installation date.

Although the technical issue was finally resolved, Ms Meredith told the South Hams Gazette she felt “not taken seriously” by the company, particularly after they initially offered just over £30 in compensation — an amount she described as "offensive".

At this point, the Gazette intervened. Following our involvement, Virgin Media reassessed the case and increased the compensation to a total of £898.68, in line with Ofcom’s Automatic Compensation Scheme. This includes £792.48 in automatic compensation, an additional £75 goodwill payment, and reimbursement for multiple missed engineer appointments.

Throughout the months without service, Ms Meredith was forced to rely on costly Pay As You Go data to carry out vital daily tasks — including handling emails, managing medical records, and staying connected with healthcare providers.

For Sarah, internet access is an important tool for connection, independence, and enjoyment. Whether keeping up with friends, watching her favourite films or exploring her interests online, a reliable digital connection is essential to her everyday quality of life — and its absence was surely felt.

Virgin Media has since acknowledged the error. A spokesperson told the Gazette: “We’ve spoken with Ms Meredith directly to apologise for the time it took to install her services. The initial delay was caused by the property requiring additional pre-enablement works which were unfortunately repeatedly rescheduled due to a system error.

“In line with the auto-compensation scheme, Ms Meredith has received a credit of £792.48, and an additional £75 as a gesture of goodwill. We are happy to provide this in the form of a cheque if Ms Meredith would prefer, and we’re waiting to speak again at a time that’s convenient for her.”

Virgin Media originally argued that responsibility for the delays lay with a third-party contractor and offered compensation only for the single week it took to carry out the final installation — a stance that has since been reversed. Ms Meredith is still in talks with Virgin Media to finalise an agreed upon settlement.

Internet connectivity is now widely recognised as a basic utility — and for individuals who are often housebound, it is nothing short of essential. The South Hams Gazette hopes this outcome brings Ms Meredith some well-earned reassurance — and we will continue to stand alongside her, and anyone in our community, to ensure voices are heard and services are held to account when they fall short.