URGENT ESCALATION – Sole Global Admin locked out by MFA – Case [CASE NUMBER], no response after 8 days

Dear @Leor Holtzman ,

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

First of all, I would like to clarify one point: as a forum moderator, I do not have the authority or the tools to unlock MFA on your behalf. However, I can assist in checking status of this ticket. I will respond to you within the next 24 hours. Please be patient, as I am not a member of that team myself, so the process may take some time.

I will discuss with you in private message.

Subject: FORMAL COMPLAINT AND COMPENSATION CLAIM – Handling of TrackingID#2610220010001063 and Case #2610310040000657 – leorholtzman.co.uk

Dear Manoj,

I am writing to make a formal complaint about how Microsoft handled my support cases, and to claim compensation for the losses my business suffered as a result.

I can confirm that access to my account was restored on Friday 6 November 2026. However, this does not resolve my complaint. It took 17 days, two support cases, 16 emails and over 10 hours of my time to resolve an issue that should have been dealt with as a business-critical priority.

ACCOUNT DETAILS

• Tenant domain: leorholtzman.onmicrosoft.com
• Custom domain: leorholtzman.co.uk
• Admin account: ******@leorholtzman.co.uk
• Original case: TrackingID#2610220010001063, opened Wednesday 21 October 2026
• Second case: Case ID #2610310040000657
• Access restored: Friday 6 November 2026

THE ISSUE

I am the sole Global Administrator for this tenant. I was locked out from 21 October 2026 because Microsoft Authenticator was my only sign-in method and the phone it was on had been traded in and wiped. I needed a tenant admin MFA reset from the Data Protection team. I provided everything requested to verify my identity at the start, yet my business was unable to operate for 17 days.

HOW MY CASE WAS HANDLED

• I was dealt with by three different people on my original case, none of whom resolved the issue.
• I had serious difficulty communicating with the operators I spoke to, and often could not understand what was being said or what would happen next.
• I was repeatedly told that Microsoft had tried to call me. No call was ever received on my number, and my phone records confirm this. The same claim was made again on my second case.
• On Saturday 24 October, a call handler named Rithika told me the issue would be fixed by Monday 26 October. It was not.
• Rithika then called me on Monday 26 October and asked for the same information I had already provided. She told me it would take another 24 hours, and then promised to call me back within the hour. She did not call back.
• I sent 16 emails to Microsoft, including repeated requests to raise a formal complaint. These were ignored, and I was given no information on how to take the next steps.
• I sent formal complaints on 27 October, 28 October and 4 November 2026. None has been acknowledged, and I have still not been given a complaint reference number.
• I had to open a second case because my original case was not progressing, and was then told that case would be archived if I did not respond within 24 hours.
• I spent over 10 hours trying to reach someone who could help.

Throughout this case I was repeatedly given information that was untrue and deadlines that were not met.

IMPACT

My business was unable to operate for 17 days, from 21 October to 6 November 2026. I lost 17 days of revenue, and the time spent chasing Microsoft took me away from running my business.

COMPENSATION CLAIMED

• Lost revenue: 17 days (21 October to 6 November 2026) at approximately £93 per day, totalling £1,579.
• Time spent trying to get this resolved: over 10 hours across phone calls, 16 emails and repeated attempts to reach a representative, at £65 per hour, totalling £650.
• Subscription fees: a refund of my Microsoft 365 subscription fees for the 17 days I was unable to use the service.

Total claimed: £2,229, plus the subscription refund.

I can provide evidence of my usual revenue, my call records and my email correspondence on request.

I AM ASKING MICROSOFT TO:

1. Log this as a formal complaint and give me a complaint reference number within 2 working days.
2. Provide a full written response within 14 days, explaining:
   • why an admin MFA reset took 17 days
   • why the deadlines I was given were not met
   • why calls were recorded as attempted when none reached my number
   • why my complaints of 27 October, 28 October and 4 November were not acknowledged
3. Respond to my compensation claim in writing within the same 14 days.
4. Tell me what Microsoft will change so this does not happen to other business customers.

If I do not receive a satisfactory response within 14 days, I will consider taking the matter further, including through the small claims court.

Please confirm receipt of this complaint by reply.

Yours sincerely,

Leor Holtzman

leorholtzman.co.uk

7 November 2026