Denied access to PEO for Multiple Appointments

[avinash85]

Hi

I had an appointment with Glasgow PEO yesterday afternoon for my Tier 1 general extension. I booked this appointment through a solicitor on 3rd April. Yesterday, I had the shock of my life.

After reaching Glasgow PEO, the staff told me that there were/are multiple appointments booked against my name and hence, I am barred from using the PEO service.

I haven't booked any other appointments on my own and my solicitor also confirmed that he didn't ask for multiple appointments. The PEO staff was very unfriendly and asked me to leave the PEO. I didn't even go through the security scanning and I was turned away at the reception desk.

Immediately, I have phoned the UKBA contact centre and the lady over the phone has confirmed that there are many appointments booked against my name all booked by my Solicitor. She mentioned that I was barred from attending Glasgow PEO because of multiple bookings against my name.

She also told me that some appointments were cancelled but still there are few more open appointments in their system.

I asked her to name me a few dates for which the appointments are booked on. She told me that there were/are appointments against my name on 6th December at Liverpool, 10th December at Sheffield, 16th January at Glasgow, 14 February at Solihull, 28th February at Solihull, 26th March at Sheffield.

This is a bit strange because I contacted my solicitor for an appointment only in the last week of March, however, on UKBA systems there was an appointment booked for me by my solicitor on 28th February. I only came to know about my solicitor in the last week of March and prior to that date, I was not even looking for a same day appointment. Moreover, I never had an idea to attend PEO at any location other than Glasgow.

I told this story to my solicitor and he was not sure what was happening at UKBA. Anyhow, he booked one more appointment for me at Glasgow on 24th April. Now I am not sure if I will again be barred from using the service.

I am in a full time salaried employment with one of the reputed companies and my visa extension is very straightforward. But I am under stress because of this unexpected issue. I am wondering if someone had heard anything similar to my story. Please could someone advise me. Thanks.

Avinash

[samira_uk]

To be honest, this problem happened only in Glasgow. I dont know why the staffs in Glasgow behave like this. I suggest you to go to another city. In addition, currently there is a £100 deposit for appointment you should pay.

[mulderpf]

This type of thing doesn't just happen in Glasgow. I cannot find the post now, but about two months ago this was reported at Croydon too - I know this for a fact, because at the same time I heard of others who were also turned away at Croydon for having multiple appointments.

It is a bit annoying though that your solicitor had done this and that you have to suffer the consequences of his actions.

[samira_uk]

Actually it is the problem by UKBA system that they cannot check if anyone has more than one appointment and then ban him/her from booking new one.

I read in the news that HO proposed IT shake up and I hope these problems are to be solved.

[avinash85]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I believe there is something wrong with the UKBA IT system. I first met my solicitor only on 28th March 2013 and requested for an appointment.

However, the UKBA staff are saying that my solicitor made bookings for me in the December 2012, January 2013, February 2013 and March 2013.

I didn’t know solicitor before 28th march 2013 and he didn't know me. I am struggling to understand how come there were past appointments for me in the UKBA system.

I phone UKBA contact entre and spoke with at least 4 different people. All were saying that I had multiple appointments all booked by my solicitor firm. I asked them to furnish the UKBA account details used to book the appointment and the ip address of the computers used.

They asked me to email their online support team. I have to see how it goes.
Moreover my solicitor booked a new appointment for me on 24th April. He told me that he used a different UKBA account this time and I received an email from straight from UKBA. For my previous appointment, my solicitor received the email from UKBA and he forwarded it to me. Just phoned UKBA to make the payment of £100, the lady over the phone confirmed my new appointment.


Avinash