TalkTalk Breakage Fee

Sheepstar

Hello All

(I've done a search, but can't seem to find the answer, so I hope you can advise me a little.)

I have changed provider due to TalkTalk's increase in prices. BUT they are still trying to charge me a breakage fee. Five calls to customer services and about 8 emails and they still refuse to budge.

Here's my timeline:
1) 11 May - receive email notifying me of price increases. Research on MSE and find to my relief that I can reject the price increase and leave without charge as long as I do it within 10 days.
2) Check with Customer Services via "Contact Us" that I'm not in contract and get this response:
[FONT=&quot]You are on the TalkTalk Essentials plan. Your contract commenced on the 3rd April 2010 and has expired on the 2nd October 2011. After this date, you were placed on a month to month basis receiving the same benefits from TalkTalk.
3) Phone CustSer on 17 May and advise I am leaving. Advise operator of Ofcom's ruling.
4) Get four phone calls that week trying to change my mind. Advise each operator who tries to tell me there will be a cancellation fee of Ofcom's ruling.
5) Receive final bill with £46 breakage fee.
6) Four more emails to CustSer advising that I am NOT in contract (as their own advisor told me) and that I notified them within 10 days so don't have to pay.
7) TalkTalk now try to tell me the notification was in the April bill. I have just checked my April bill and there is nothing of the sort in there.

Can anyone advise of where to go next? This is just ridiculous. It's making me so frustrated. I thought I had followed the Ofcom advice to the letter, but they just won't budge.

Can anyone offer any tips please? THANK YOU
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TalkTalk

Hi Sheepstar,

We would need to check into the details of the contract term for you.


If you tweet us @TalkTalkCare or email facebooksupport@talktalkplc.com we can look into this in more depth.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

Sheepstar

Thank you for the offer, Mark.

In the end I wrote to the CEO's Complaints Dept. They accepted that I was right, cancelled the breakage fee and refunded my last month's bill as they accepted the delays in cancelling my account were their own fault. They will also recommend better training for their customer service staff via their "Knowledge" intranet.

Thank goodness, because I was almost at the point of despair.

In this case, common sense did prevail... eventually.

TalkTalk

Hi Sheepstar,

Im glad to see you have managed to resolve this issue.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

DVardysShadow

Sheepstar wrote: »

Thank you for the offer, Mark.

In the end I wrote to the CEO's Complaints Dept. They accepted that I was right, cancelled the breakage fee and refunded my last month's bill as they accepted the delays in cancelling my account were their own fault. They will also recommend better training for their customer service staff via their "Knowledge" intranet.

Thank goodness, because I was almost at the point of despair.

In this case, common sense did prevail... eventually.

Check your credit record in a few months time.

TalkTalk

hi DVardysShadow,

If the bill is in dispute when this is raised to the CEO's Office any credit file action and collection is put on hold. Following the closure of a complaint if the balance is cleared the credit file actions are reversed/stopped where applicable.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

DVardysShadow

TalkTalk_Company_Representative wrote: »

hi DVardysShadow,

If the bill is in dispute when this is raised to the CEO's Office any credit file action and collection is put on hold. Following the closure of a complaint if the balance is cleared the credit file actions are reversed/stopped where applicable.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

You would hope so. But given that this matter arose because your people would not accept a perfectly valid cancellation due to changes with significant detriment to the customer - and then went on to charge an entirely unwarranted early termination fee, I would still advise OP to check credit records in a few months time.

Sheepstar

DVardysShadow wrote: »

You would hope so. But given that this matter arose because your people would not accept a perfectly valid cancellation due to changes with significant detriment to the customer - and then went on to charge an entirely unwarranted early termination fee, I would still advise OP to check credit records in a few months time.

It's a fair point. I'm going to be wary of TT after this. I will indeed check my credit file.

Thanks very much for the suggestion

TalkTalk

Hi Sheepstar,

If you speak to the CEO Point of Contact issued to managed your case they will ensure this is done.

Cheers

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

razar

I have also been trying to resolve this issue with Talktalk.
I contacted them in April after receiving an email informing me of the price rise.
I followed the advice given on this site and cancelled my direct debit.
I received a bill with a contract breakage fee of £59.48 and a demand for £41.69 which was the balance remaining after taking their last payment on April 13.
I have since sent letters explaining my reason for breaking my contract and received letters detailing charges and the latest dated 10 July asking for further information regarding my account?
Today 14 July I have received a letter from Buchanan Clark & Wells a debt collection agency asking for £61.69 with a threat to take me to court if I fail to pay!
Should I now write to offcom or seek legal advice?

TalkTalk

Hi Razar,

If you contact us on Twitter @TalkTalkCare we can look into this in more depth for you.

Cheers

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department