TALKTALK massive cancellation fee

DanJacobs

Hello,

I've been with TALKTALK for around a decade. I was with Tiscali, and TALKTALK bought them out a few years ago.

My problem is that I'm moving into a flat soon where the internet cost is included in the rent, however, TALKTALK want over £180 to cancel.

What has happened is that every time I've moved, they've made me sign a new contract. I know for a fact that I was told I'd have to sign a new 12 month contract when I moved last August (2012), and low and behold an 18 month contract arrived in the post for me to sign.

I thought I'd be at my current address for that long, so didn't think too much about it. However, I cannot live where I do anymore, mainly due to the neighbours partying until the small hours, and I have to go to work at 4:30 am, so I had to look for something else.

There's no way I can afford this fee, and can't really afford to move the internet to the new place where the rent is more, and keep paying monthly for internet I don't need.

Surely, as I've been with them for so long they'd have a heart. I'm seriously struggling to make ends meet, and have been for years. It seems that large companies that make hundreds of millions per years can simply manipulate their customers to up profits regardless of service.

What do you think?

adandem

Going on my recent dealings with O2, I'm afraid I think you are bound by the contract unless you can appeal to their better nature.
Even though you've been with them for years your most recent contract renewal will be the one they'll stick to.

macman

Every time you move, it costs TT to reinstate that service at the new address. The trade off for absorbing that cost is a new 12m contract, which seem reasonable to me. It's still your choice to move, not TT's, and you cannot expect them to waive the ETC on that basis, because you accepted a new 12m/18m contract.
The ETC represents the balance owing on your contract. if you dispute the extra 6m, then that is another issue.

Buzby

Afraid the fact you feel compelled to move is not TTs problem. You can certainly ask them, but I think I know what the response will be.

Think of it as part of your costs of moving (which it is) and be thankful this is the only obligation that is costing you.