Advice as to how I get myself out of this!: Talktalk

jenniewb

I'm with Talktalk. I've been with them for over 5 years now and what started off as a decent service is now so unreliable it's beyond a joke.

The problems began a few years ago and each time they said it was fixed, it went wrong a few weeks or months later. BT OpenReach (Talktalk's repair people) have told me on repeated occasions what the problem is: the cabelling in the ground is old and decaying and needs to be replaced. They say its not their job to replace it, Talktalk have been told (because OpenReach tell me they have been told) but don't admit to being told and say "it's all fixed" so the problem just keeps getting patched up and repeating itself.

This weekend was too much. I don't have a TV or a mobile so when my phoneline went dead and my broadband stopped I was trapped without a phoneline at a moment when lets just say I needed it to work pretty badly. I had to spent close to £30 in a payphone trying to get the problem resolved as this was the only phoneline I could get to (neighbours are really not an option where I live, I was burgled by several of them a few months ago, the rest are too scared to open their doors).

I want to leave. I've been told I'd be leaving early and woud incur a £10 cancellation fee. I am not happy about the fee and do not feel I am getting a decent service and the fee should not be taken. Is there anything I can do to avoid paying that fee and to get the £30 I had to pay in the payphone to alert Talktalk of the error refunded?

macman

If you are out of minimum term contract, then no ETC will be payable. However if you simply cease your broadband then a £25 OR cease charge is normally incurred and passed on by your ISP-no getitng round this.
But if you migrate your broadband using a MAC the the cease charge will not apply.
However, if the issue is the local cabling, then switching ISP's will make no difference-you'll still be on the same cable. It's OR's job to maintain the line-not TT's. But you cannot complain direct to OR-you have to go via your line rental provider.

jenniewb

I was thinking of moving to Virgin who have different cables to bypass the cable issue.
I was quoted £10 as a fee rather then £25 as I'd be ending out of contract but the thing is, I never signed up to a new contract, as far as I was aware it was a rolling contract and now I've been told the contract ends in March which is odd as I specificly remember a call about a month ago asking me if I'd like to sign up again as my contract had ended and I said that I was happy to leave it as a rolling contract.

macman

It's not a rolling contract, you are on 30 days notice. If you are out of minimum term then no ETC applies-but a cease charge will.
Yes, using VM cable service (not Virgin National ADSL service) will bypass the BT cabling issue.

quanto2009

Only Openreach can replace the faulty cable involved, and will continue to repair rather than replace as this is the much cheaper option for them as it may not just be your cable that is affected.I would write to openreach and talk talk listing the dates and the issues and what repairs were done.

jenniewb

Thanks.

I called Talktalk to discuss this with someone else.

I explained the constant failures which have been going on for years and they have also documentation of this. I explained the cablelling (as I always do each and every time I call) and I was told they'd waver the fee and let me go. My contract and billing ends when I am hooked up.

I have to say -as long as they do keep their word (and apparently they record every phone call...etc) then it should be all OK. I can totally understand if I had wanted to switch because I had found a better offer (which I have not- Virgin is more expensive) or if I'd not wanted to give them time to fix the issue, these same issues have been going on for years and I just can't live with it. I have no other way to contact anyone. I don't have a mobile, I don't even have a TV and I struggle with insomnia and have mental health issues. If I need help in the middle of the night in way of a mental health team or the Samaritans (as I do at times need) that has to be an option for me. I really cannot accept an unreliable service and I have given them ample time and many visits across years to fix the issue. I seem to know more about the issue then they do and yet depsite explaining it and then it being confirmed by technical people running checks, they refuse to fix the issue.

It is a bit of a shame as it means not just Talktalk but also BT, AOL and just about every other provider isn't an option for me. I have been told Virgin will run via a different cable but reading above now I may just double check that! I wasn't able to get Virgin as a service until last year so I am hoping this means they put in cables rather then latching on to BTs cables!

penrhyn

quanto2009 wrote: »

Only Openreach can replace the faulty cable involved, and will continue to repair rather than replace as this is the much cheaper option for them as it may not just be your cable that is affected.I would write to openreach and talk talk listing the dates and the issues and what repairs were done.

Openreach do not deal with the public, if you have exhausted Talk Talks complaints procedure you'll need to go to Ofcom

jenniewb

penrhyn wrote: »

Openreach do not deal with the public, if you have exhausted Talk Talks complaints procedure you'll need to go to Ofcom

Apologies for the delayed reaction there!

I did go through more customer service reps then I could count at Talktalk, even got through to a CEO who seemed very helpful and tried to follow up what was happening, calling me back several times to let me know what was happening and when he/we had thought the problem was resolved. Well it was....for about 6 months.

Fact is, I'm fed up with doing all this letter writing, phone calling, being on hold for hours on end and having to wade through people with such heavy accents speaking so fast you feel like telling them not to bother with the extra effort of trying to put it into English because you still do not understand a word they are saying. I have had enough of the stress and the worry that I wont have any internet access or a phone line. I don't have a TV, I don't live with anyone and my neighbours are either scary druggies/dealers or too afraid to leave their doors. I also have insomnia and need my phone line and internet access more then I can adequatly say.

I can see the point of reporting them to Ofcom but to be honest, I'm just fed up with this, it has been years and I just don't want anything else to do with it anymore so I am chosing to leave because Talktalk cannot be trusted. I don't doubt they'd do something if I did involve Ofcom just as they did when the CEO became involved. Twice. But I don't for a second imagine that they'd keep the effort up and any failures and faults that had happened would no doubt happen again and to the same effect.

Virgin were set to hook me up a few weeks back, realised they didn't have a line and have since apparently set a line up (no digging or anything...?!) the installation is supposed to happen later next week, I have a decent deal which works out cheaper then Talktalk for the first 18 months at least. I know Virgin are far from perfect but the fact is they use a different line which is why they were my only other option.