Help PLS... Talkworld gone BUST??? merged

trixienolix

I've been doing some research today. here's what I've found out:

1) These are the details on companies house website about various talkworld companies



TALKWORLD MOBILE PHONES LIMITED
11 QUEENS ROAD
BRENTWOOD
ESSEX
CM14 4HE
Company No. 05433299
* STILL ACTIVE *

TALKWORLD ONLINE LTD
153 HIGH STREET
BRENTWOOD
ESSEX
CM14 4SD
Company No. 04716766
* STILL ACTIVE *

TALKWORLD WEBSITE LIMITED
153 HIGH STREET
BRENTWOOD
ESSEX
CM14 4SD
Company No. 05049334
* DISSOLVED * 31/01/06

I'm not sure which of these we have our contracts with

2)I spoke to Orange (company I have my phone with) - they have Talkworlds dealer code and details and gave me this number for them: 01277233800. Of course there was no answer! Orange also said that as I was past 6 months of contract, I would be able to have my tarriff reduced and go on another plan (good for me as I didn't want this high talkworld plan without the cashback!)

3) looked on the http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ website and phoned them up. They were very helpful and gave me lots of contact details:
The insolvency service: 0113 2006000 - told me to call them and find out the name of the official receivers and get put on their list.
ortello (?) who are telecoms disputes and arbitrators: 0845 0501614

4) Phoned the insolvency service and they have no matching cases, so looks like there are no official receviers from whom we can claim any money
they suggested the following people:
Companies House: 0870 3333636
Official receivers in London (nearest office to brentwood): 0207 6371110
Central enquiries for pre-bankruptcy and insolvency: 0207 291 6895

5) Phoned companies house, who told me what i had already found out above.. BUT they told me what "dissolved" means. Basically Talkworld had not sent any accounts or annual reports to Companies House adn so they were not compliant to the Companies Act. This left Companies House with no choice but to "dissolve" them. This means they no longer exist, but they haven't gone bankrupt so I'm not sure, legally, where that leaves us..

6) Phoned ortello (?) who said that recently Three went through its list of suppliers (that's not the right word!) and struck alot of them off their lists as they were not reliable (again, not his terminology). They suggested that I get back in touch with Orange and see if they will come to some middle ground and meet some of the cashback costs. Orange aren't registered with the obbudsman service so the way for me to "escalate the problem" with orange is through CISAS (http://www.arbitrators.org/cisas/index.asp) . Their number is: 0207 421 7444. They also suggested I get in touch with trading standards and gave me the number of my local office (https://www.lotsa.org.uk). I asked whether we could claim any of our money back through one of talkworlds other companies that were still trading - he said I'd have to talk to a solicitor about it.

So there you go! A busy day.

Still left to do then:
call pre-bankruptcy central enquiries in case they know anything, call official receiver if they know anything, call cisas.

I also wrote to the guardian consumer advice:
consumer@guardian.co.uk
and nearly wrote to Watchdog too.. but haven't yet.

hope that helps! Let me now if you find anything else out.

fruitcake_2

Thanks...was wondering why I hadn't received my £330 in Jan, and £236 back in October...I really can't afford to be this skint right now....think I'll write to Watchdog too....thanks for all the effort you went to!

hannanshah

trixienolix keep up the good work and let us know of any developments as there is a long queue of people waiting to get their money back. If we could claim through one of Talkworld's other companies then that would be brilliant. I wonder how dambrogio's claim against 3 is going?

trixienolix

Hello,

I've found out LOADS more stuff today but want to try and get some further advice before I post things up.. TBC...

In the meantime, if anyone wants to get advice too, might be good to compare what we're told? I'm calling the CAB tomorrow and also consumerdirect again.. having re-read the posts and read my contract, Talkworld online are definitely still in business and they're the ones that owe us the money so we need to act fast!

hannanshah

trixienolix wrote:

Hello,

I've found out LOADS more stuff today but want to try and get some further advice before I post things up.. TBC...

In the meantime, if anyone wants to get advice too, might be good to compare what we're told? I'm calling the CAB tomorrow and also consumerdirect again.. having re-read the posts and read my contract, Talkworld online are definitely still in business and they're the ones that owe us the money so we need to act fast!

Are you definitely sure that Talkworld hasn't officially called it quits yet? If this is the case do you think it's worth me going ahead with trying to claim the money back through getting a CCJ issued against them? It would be pointless if they're ABOUT to go into liquidation.

On Rpoints there is a poster who went through Moneyclaim Online and Talkworld failed to respond. The CCJ has been issued against them and he has the option to send the baliffs round though he's not sure whether to go ahead as it could be just wasted money. Their head office in Brentwood is shut.

tim_n

I received a letter this morning regarding the liquidation of the company from Vantis Redhead French - insolvency & business recovery agency.

It's annoying but not the end of the world. I've paid the fair price for the contract but feel gutted that I'm loosing so much cash over it. I shan't be renewing my contract ;- )

hannanshah

tim_n wrote:

I received a letter this morning regarding the liquidation of the company from Vantis Redhead French - insolvency & business recovery agency.

It's annoying but not the end of the world. I've paid the fair price for the contract but feel gutted that I'm loosing so much cash over it. I shan't be renewing my contract ;- )

I just got the same letter. A lot of jargon in there. Can anyone simply explain what's going to happen next (if you've received the letter)? I will have a look at the website mentioned in the letter later today.

AKC_2

I too have received a letter from Vantis Redhead French. Funnily enough I had sepnt some time ringing round trying to find information today.

the website is at https://www.vantisplc.com/Vantis/Client/talkworld.htm

Login details are given in the letter - I guess everyone entitled to Cashback will get a letter - if you have moved or whatever you may need to contact them.

I suggest that everyone reads the information on the website carefully. My understanding of the next steps is like this;

There will be a meeting to appoint the liquidator - most likely to be Vantis. You have the chance to vote - either go along in person, or appoint a proxy (who can be the Chair of the meeting). It's partly to agree if 'we' should pay the Liquidator £10000 + other fees to dish out the money and wind the company up.

You also need to register your claim for the money they owe you (your cashback) using the form on the website. They, I guess all claims will go into the pot. The money available will be shared out among us. creditors will include not only cashback claimaints but others such as the taxman, the utilitiy companies, whoever they paid rent to and so on.

We may, eventually, see a proportion (or all?) of the money. Looking on the bright side it's not as if someone has taken you money and ran off! It's a shame since I've had some good deals from Talkworld in the past - a pity they have gone bust.....

heraldic

Said it was 'unlikely' or 'very unlikely' (can't remember which) that we would receive a dividend (ie payout).

Do they usually say this to everyone, or are we stuffed?

AKC_2

A problem for Cashback claimants is that we fall well done the pecking order when any assetts are distributed - some creditors will have preferential claims - this includes the employees who are owed wages. I gather that's the law (which I mnimises benefit payments to them etc.).

A lot of the money will be 'burnt up' in administrators fees.

I for one am annoyed that the Cashback monies were not held in a seperate fund and therefore ringfenced? Also, the date of the debt (my claim was due in December) should, I feel, be taken into account. But there we are. We will have to wait and see..... I won't get my hopes up.