Problems leaving TalkTalk

Neesieb01

Hi,

Can anyone help? I called TalkTalk to try to cancel my account with them (I'm outside the initial contract period, so no charges apply). But the guy I spoke to insisted that if I cancelled my account this would also cancel the BT line and so the people who move into my flat after I leave will have to pay to have a line installed again (I paid £125 to BT 4 years ago when I first moved into my new build flat). Is this true? Are Talk Talk lying to me?? I thought that once the line was installed by BT it couldn't be uninstalled and that anyone moving in after me would just have to pay a reconnection charge to the provider they choose.

I'm moving in with my boyfriend and renting my flat to tenants, so I don't want them to have the hassle and expense of paying to have a new line installed. I also don't want to take the TalkTalk account with me to my boyfriend's flat as he already has a phone/broadband package in place that is better value.

Thanks in advance for any help/comments/guidance.

scheming_gypsy

Pretty sure they're confused or explained it wrong.

You pay the £125 to have a line installed, which is the cabling to the house and the box but when that's there it can be re-activated easy enough (used to be free but not sure if it still is).
When you take out a Talktalk line rental agreement, they take over the line from BT so BT will just need to port it back over. Give BT a bell just to confirm, but as far as i'm aware any phone line that isn't cable, is still effectively a BT line.

macman

If the service is disconnected, i.e. no dial tone on it, when you cease service with TT, then any incoming tenant will have to pay for a reconnection, (regardless of the new supplier) which as far as OR are concerned is charged at the same price as a new line provision.
If the line has been LLU'd by TT, (you didn't say) then the line will need to be taken back to BT on a return to donor. This is free but requires a 12m line rental contract. It's near impossible to migrate direct from one LLU provider to another.

Neesieb01

macman wrote: »

If the service is disconnected, i.e. no dial tone on it, when you cease service with TT, then any incoming tenant will have to pay for a reconnection, (regardless of the new supplier) which as far as OR are concerned is charged at the same price as a new line provision.
If the line has been LLU'd by TT, (you didn't say) then the line will need to be taken back to BT on a return to donor. This is free but requires a 12m line rental contract. It's near impossible to migrate direct from one LLU provider to another.

Thanks for the replies scheming_gypsy and macman.

Macman - sorry, but not sure exactly what you mean by 'LLU'd by TT?' I orginally paid BT to install the line (as it was a brand new property and no previous line existed). But once I was outside the initial BT 12mth contract they made me sign up to, then I switched over to TT who I now pay line rental to.

macman

Is the line now LLU'd by TalkTalk (Local Loop Unbundled)? Paying line rental to TT doesn't automatically mean that the line is now LLU.
If you simply wish to change the account into the new tenants' name, this may help:
http://help.talktalk.co.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/1512/p/1736/r_id/113152
If you terminate the service, a reconnection charge will be made.

spike7451

Neesieb01 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies scheming_gypsy and macman.

Macman - sorry, but not sure exactly what you mean by 'LLU'd by TT?' I orginally paid BT to install the line (as it was a brand new property and no previous line existed). But once I was outside the initial BT 12mth contract they made me sign up to, then I switched over to TT who I now pay line rental to.

Local Loop Unbundling by Talt Talk, Hard to explain so have a look at the link below.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/oftel/publications/broadband/dsl_facts/LLUbackground.htm

Neesieb01

Macman and Spike7471 - thanks both for your replies. I'll check out the links you've supplied.

TalkTalk

Hi nessieb,

It looks as if there are a couple of options available to you.

If the Line is LLU then cancelling the line with TT will leave no service on the line at all. In order to obtain new service the line will need to be reconnected which there would usually be a fee applicable (which varies from provider to provider).

Some providers can only take over an active line so again this may cause a limitation to the new tenants as not all providers are able to reconnect a line in this state.

An Alternative would be to allow the new tenants to take over the existing TalkTalk service via a change of ownership. This would take over the existing contract so if you are out of the minimum contract terms the new tenants would be able to choose if they wish to stay with TT or transfer to another supplied. The change of ownership can take upto 28 days and upto the completion of this you would remain responsible for the payment of bills (line rental and package charges).

The third option is to completely cancel the line and leave responsibility of reconnection to the new tenants (i.e in the event there is a gap between you vacating the property and tenants moving in to prevent you paying for a service your not using) with the supplier of their choice.

We can arrange a change of ownership via the TalkTalk Members forum should you wish, once registered where we can give more account specific advise or information.

Regards

andiworf

Having read the above posts I'm a bit concerned having given TalkTalk my 30 days notice that I want to leave. they have told me that I will be terminated on 22.12.11 (less that 30 days actually) M
My new provider has advised that they will start my service from 22.12.11. However, if TalkTalk terminate me early on 22.12.11 and the line is dead will my new supplier have trouble connecting me and would I liable for a connection charge?

Sorry if this seems like a daft question but Idon't have nay ideas about these things.

macman

Not if you have used a MAC for the transfer. You should have no more than an hour or two of downtime.

TalkTalk

Hi Andi,

As Macman correctly advised if you are migrating with a mac code this will only be a small downtime. The new supplier should confirm with you how the transfer is due to complete.

Regards

Mark