Internetvps.com: My Experience

[nfodevil]

Hi all,

I have been in dispute with internetvps.com for over three months, following lack of service and support between 30th May - 14th June 2009, which I believe to be deliberate.

I could not get any response for over two weeks. Emails ignored, while tickets were maliciously deleted on a daily basis to my frustration. A similar, but shorter, experience happened only a few weeks earlier which I had to lodge a dispute through paypal. On this occasion he restored the service and I felt obliged to close the dispute.

Considering the prior incident which no response was received for three days, I decided to move to a different provider 1st June 2009 notifying internetvps.com by email the same day. Since then, I have sent numerous communications asking internetvps.com to explain why I had no service nor contact from the company for two weeks and requested a full refund. To date, I have not received any explanation or refund.

I have become so hacked-off with the situation I acquired all the internetvps.* web names and posted some screen shots so other people didn't fall into the same trap.

I have had a recent email conversation with internetvps.com and have been told the same repetitive excuse that any request for an explanation is considered "non-sense" and I am now being offered a meagre $20 refund in contrast to the $120.00 paid on account.

Initially I was refused any kind of refund, instead internetvps.com had the audacity to offer me a service credit, constituting nothing more than an extension of the same treatment. However, I explained that I had left for another provider and I would have to consider reselling the service credit and existing payment on account to other individuals.

With this in mind, I asked what liability internetvps.com would have if Jason Nguyen decided to go A.W.O.L for another two weeks leaving me with screaming clients. Again, I was told my question was "non-sense".

I would not be complaining if I was left without service for two weeks while being informed on a daily basis about the reason and time expected to fix the error. I understand sometimes "**** happens" and a small business can find it hard to cope. However, we are talking about a one man company that proactively ignores emails and deletes tickets on a daily basis. Coincidentally, all these problems occurred after making a "good will gesture" payment on account.

Despite the unpleasant experience with internetvps, the outcome resulted in finding a better provider.

I hope other people find this info helpful.

 

[innostorm]

the guys website is scary to begin with....I can see why you quit

 

[purple]

Cute spoof site. Not sure how well thats going to get you a refund, but its amusing in the meantime.

 

[handsonhosting]

Who did you end up going with?

 

[nfodevil]

Myprohost.

They offer a level of service I don't think I would find with with a big corporate player.

 

[handsonhosting]

Great to hear. Be sure to pop back and give us a review of their services after the 3 or 6 month mark and let us know how they're doing. Always nice to hear what a web host is doing right!

 

[SenseiSteve]

From their TOS

We have provided the below for your ease - the complete Terms of Service/Usage Policy and Privacy Policy must be agreed to prior to purchase:

•InternetVPS Hosting reserves the right to terminate your account at any time without a refund. Reasons for termination include (but are not limited to)

From their Terms of Service, they're not obligated to refund anything. In my mind though, the negative publicity way exceeds any refund loss.

 

[nfodevil]

I thoroughly read his terms and conditions when I first signed-up. There was nothing even remotely resembling that clause, only the "Cancellation" clause which benefited me:

"InternetVPS reserves the right to cancel service(s) at any time. All fees paid in advance of cancellation will be pro-rated and refunded by InternetVPS to customer if InternetVPS initiates its right of cancellation and customer is NOT in violation of these Terms and Conditions."

He, unfortunately, uses this clause :

"InternetVPS reserves the right to amend its policies at any time."

As you literally argue with him on points for him to provide a refund, he will update his T.O.S. and say these are the new clauses you now have to comply with. This is a similar case to mine during which he took down all his T.O.S. while he was tinkering with this person's service:

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/archive/index.php/t-751779.html

Even if we were to presume the non-refund clause was present when I first joined the company and neglected to read it, it still contradicts itself. If you are offering clients 99.99% uptime, 24/7, 365 days a week customer support, on a non-refundable basis - the contract ceases to exist when you fail to offer the service for an extensive period and do not contact the client.

This was at a stage there was a new amendment to the T.O.S. to a clause that stated similar to:

"internetvps.com reserves the right to cancel accounts without notification or reason"

No client would wait around for two weeks twiddling their thumbs while emails go ignored and tickets are deleted - wishing, hoping their provider will restore service at some point.

I, also, paid via paypal which does guarantee a refund to customers. As I foolishly closed the dispute (finalised on closure) in the previous month after he restored the service, this left him to tinker with the service at his pleasure.

Furthermore, the money I paid him was partly refundable. I paid $80.00 in good faith to always make sure the account was up to date in case of any unforeseen circumstances. I was not obliged to do this. It's this payment he accepted and is now withholding from me. To accept good will payments from customers, invoking a non-refundable policy when you fail to provide the service, in the process keeping the good will payment - is one of the lowest experiences I have ever witnessed.

Just to mention. Any frustration or sarcasm in my replies is purely intended for internetvps.com. I appreciate any questions / queries as it bumps the topic and allows everyone else an opportunity to read the experience. So, thank you.


If you want to have a giggle? Visit http://internetvps.org. It's a parody site I quickly put together out of frustration.
:devil: