Are TalkTalk lying to me re: Virgin line?

davesnapeuk

For the last few months I have been arguing with TalkTalk about my broadband service. We moved to TT from BT because it looked cheaper but quickly realised that because our exchange had not been unbundled that we were actually paying a £15/month surcharge for them to pass onto BT to 'rent' their equipment.
Eventually TT agreed to refund that cost every month as our exchange was about to be unbundled. That has now happened and TalkTalk have now stopped crediting me that £15/month so my internet has gone up by £15/month.
Having queried this with them their latest excuse (of which we've heard many) is that because a few years ago we had an NTL (now Virgin) package that we are not eligable for any of their packages and must now continue to pay this ridiculous 'rental charge'.
After leaving NTL we had a contract with BT for 2 years during which we paid no other costs other than what BT had advertised.

Why therefore does this suddenly matter to TalkTalk who have now decided that because in the past we had an NTL (cable) service that they cannot provide the service that they agreed to unless we change our number.

No-where in the terms and conditions of service is this mentioned. Are TalkTalk just corrupt or are they scraping the bottom of the barrel for excuses to charge me extra money every month?

macman

This makes no sense. While your exchange was non-LLU you should indeed have been paying £15 extra. Once it was unbundled, that charge should stop.
An ex-NTL contract has, as you say, no bearing whatsoever-it was on a cable line which TT wouldn't even have known about.

bod1467

TT are talking utter !!!!!!!!.

Put your phone number/postcode into the broadband checker at https://www.samknows.com ... this will let you know which ISPs are available at your exchange. Sounds to me like you should ditch TT.

Are you still in contract?

davesnapeuk

Thanks peeps.
I am sadly still in contract but only because they called and advised us of a cheaper package and didn't tell us that by changing to it we would be starting a new 12 months contract. I let it go because we were thinking of moving in March and they were giving us the £15/month back anyway.
However, last October they changed our broadband package (the first we knew was via email). We thought that this was due to the unbundling and called up to ask what the change was and confirmed that our contract expiry hadn't changed as a result.

Guess what - yesterday we also found out that our contract now doesn't expire until October 2012! Looks like when they did something to change our broadband last October they actually did reset the contract date!

I'm now preparing myself for a barrage of abuse to TalkTalk followed by a letter of complaint and reporting them to OfCom.

They quite obviously are not only telling lies now about not benig eligable for their packages as an ex-NTL customer but have been lying for the last 12 months. They are completely, in my experience, incompetent and seem to think that they can operate below the law. If I could be bothered to give them anymore of my time I'd take them to court on as many counts as I could get evidence for.

deklan99

TalkTalk won't port a number to their LLU service if it's ever been on virgin/ntl cable. The only option would be new line/number as advised.

davesnapeuk

deklan99 wrote: »

TalkTalk won't port a number to their LLU service if it's ever been on virgin/ntl cable. The only option would be new line/number as advised.

Why not?
When we signed up for 2 years they never made us aware of that?
Their T's and C's don't cover that they may change their mind during contract if they suddenly find you used to be on Virgin/NTL? (in our case almost 18 months later)
Before moving to TT we were on BT who had no problem with this and never charged a surcharge of their Broadband. The only reason we left was that TT offered good deals on calls that BT have subsequently matched.

As far as I can see, TT are in breach of contract by signing us up for 24 months but not advising at the time that they may not be able to provide the service they advertised.

macman

Why do you think they would call you up to offer a cheaper deal if it did not involve a new minimum term contract?
As an ex NTL/VM customer, you'll know that any change to your package or tariff normally starts a minimum term again.

deklan99

AFAIK TalkTalk have never been willing to port ex ntl/virgin cable numbers to LLU. This old post from 2009 backs that up - http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28561&highlight=virgin+number

davesnapeuk

deklan99 wrote: »

AFAIK TalkTalk have never been willing to port ex ntl/virgin cable numbers to LLU. This old post from 2009 backs that up - http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28561&highlight=virgin+number

Very useful link - what a shame TT didn't tell us this almost 2 years ago! If they had then we wouldn't have signed up with them.

Either way, we've cancelled the contract and are moving back to BT as another disgruntled TT customer.

adz303

I Hope that you didnt get charged a Cess fee to leave.....if you did then i would be speaking ot them about this, HAving used to work for them and from what i have read you should not have to pay to leave them if you were in contract, You need to ideally speak to the Options (cancellations) Team in either Northampton or Preston and get either one of the members of staff their to review the case or if you do get someone who is a bit unhelpful then ask for their manager to review the account and they should see it in your favour and not cahrge you a Cess fee.

Hope thgis helps and if you have any other questions about TT please let me know and ill do everything i can to help

Thanks

Adam

davesnapeuk

adz303 wrote: »

I Hope that you didnt get charged a Cess fee to leave.....if you did then i would be speaking ot them about this, HAving used to work for them and from what i have read you should not have to pay to leave them if you were in contract, You need to ideally speak to the Options (cancellations) Team in either Northampton or Preston and get either one of the members of staff their to review the case or if you do get someone who is a bit unhelpful then ask for their manager to review the account and they should see it in your favour and not cahrge you a Cess fee.

Hope thgis helps and if you have any other questions about TT please let me know and ill do everything i can to help

Thanks

Adam

They have asked for 5 days to calculate the cancellation fee. Managers seen always to be unavailable - I guess the call transfer from India to the UK management team is a bit blakey. Either way, they will be getting a letter of complaint shortly followed by a letter to OfCom - possibly even the small claims court if I can be bothered to waste any more of my life dealing with TalkTalk.

If only there was a website where I could dissuade ANONE from using talk talk..... They provide a rubbish service, make promises that they can't keep and change your contract without talking to yuo. Basically they're operating illegally but like any big corporation they get away with it.