nix toucan

katiemae

Please can someone advise me: I am at war with Toucan. March 11, applied for broadband. Mid - late March realized they`d got my phone number wrong. Told I`d have to re-apply. I was concerned because my other supplier finished on April 8. Was told that I`d be up and running way before then - possibly in 5 days but they had to say 10. Finally got "go live date". Aprill 11. - 3 days after my old contract expired. was not pleased but by nature am quite patient. April 11 picked up e-mail "Congratulations: you are live!" But still had no equipment to connect. They told me it had been dispatched - but I was fed up and told them I`d had enough and wanted to cancel. Was told I couldn`t as my 7 day cooling off period was expired! Then I got mad (which is rare!)...Have spent hours on hold and being juggled between departments passing the buck. They still insist I owe them for a year`s broadband. (when their modem finally did arrive, I promptly sent it back unopened!)... I have not put their CD into my pc, have not accessed an account with them, have not used any of their kit. (various other frustrating incompetencies have arisen with this company - but no room here to elaborate)...Is there anything I can do to get out of this "contract"...why should I have to honour my agreement when they haven`t honoured theirs?
Thanks for any input! katiemae

wonderfullife_2

Hi
Terms & Conditions taken off Toucan website

A3. Your right to cancel
A3.1 If you are purchasing the ToucanTalk Service as a consumer, you may cancel your order for the ToucanTalk Service under this Agreement within 13 working days from the date of Acceptance in accordance with clause A3.2 below (“Cooling Off Period”).

A3.2 You may cancel your order during the Cooling Off Period by informing our customer services department by phone, fax, email or post (please see the ToucanTalk User Guide for details or visit our Website).

A3.3 If you have used the ToucanTalk Service during the Cooling Off Period you may still cancel the ToucanTalk Service but you must pay for any Charges you have incurred up to the effective date of cancellation.

Sounds like a pretty bad experience, especially as you were never connected and hadn't used their service at all, it sounds like they are being totally unreasonable to me, but if I were you I would get in touch with my local trading standards officer and see what they have to say about it.
You can also complain to Ofcom (the governing body for communications), have a look here.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/

I believe Toucan are a reseller of Tiscali, so not much consolation, but you might be better off getting out of the contract and finding another isp.

Hope this helps