TalkTalk - getting a refund for lack of email access?

thriftymanc

TalkTalk's webmail is hideous. It's been problematic for as long as I can remember but lately it's getting to the stage where I can't log in at all for entire days. I've complained and TalkTalk just say they're aware of the problem and trying to fix it (they've been saying that for years!), or say there's no problem at all. I'm paying for this service in my package and just not getting it. I want to write a proper letter to TalkTalk asking for a discount on my package until they can guarantee that I will be able to access my email 24/7 as I should already be able to, or for a refund to compensate for all the time I've not been able to access a service I've paid for... any ideas on exactly how this should be worded and how I should work out how much discount/refund to ask for?

esuhl

A company should provide the contracted services otherwise... well... they're in breach of contract (although the contract may say that they "aim" to provide a continuous service but "cannot guarantee it"... in which case you probably have very limited rights unless the contract is deemed to be "unfair").

You can try to ask for compensation, but I suspect they will refuse. You might have a better chance of asking for the contract to be terminated so you can move to another provider.

In the meantime, why not buy a domain name (whateveryoulike.co.uk)? They cost a few quid a year (e.g. 99p for the first year then £2.99 ex VAT with 1and1.co.uk). Then get a free email account with whoever you like (I find GMX.co.uk to be pretty good) and set up your domain so that any emails sent to it get forwarded to your GMX account.

If anything happens to the GMX account (as happened with TalkTalk), you can open an account with another provider and just re-direct the messages there.

That way, you can keep your email address working even if a particular email provider's service fails. And if you ever want to change provider for any other reason, you won't need to notify all your acquaintances of your new email address (you just redirect messages sent to your domain).

NeverEnough

I gave up with them in the end and moved when I could - the email issues have been endless, going back more than a year. Main reason I moved - also the customer service was a complete shower, never found anything so ridiculous ever. Life is too short - just move away when you can, sometimes you need to pay a little more for a decent service.

As the previous poster said, if you buy your own domain on a cheap package deal from one of the many providers out there, you can have numerous email addresses, access to web mail anywhere, and never be dependent on your ISP ever again - that's the best way to go as you don't need to change email addresses when you move ISP. Having a gmail address is also quite useful as you can access it anywhere and redirect all your email to various gmail folders and even send email as if it is going from the domain address, but using the gmail servers.

Talk Talk is a total nightmare, bottom of the pile again for customer service and satisfaction, you will be well rid of them.

TalkTalk

Hi Thrifymanc,

If you Join the TalkTalk Members Forum or tweet us @TalkTalkCare we can look into your request.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department