TalkTalk - complaint and billing issues

Jazziboo

Hi

Bit of a long story & need some help as im in a dispute with talktalk.

End of August i signed up for their Simply Broadband package (Broadband + line rental).

Start of September Openreach installed & activated my phone line. I then connected the router then attempted to go online. However no matter what website i tried to go on I was met with a screen with the talktalk logo saying a restriction had been placed on my account due to an outstanding balance (i also tried getting online via my mobile wifi and got the same screen). To which i was confused as i had literally just gone live so there was no balance.

I phoned their call centre queued for 5 - 10 mins but didnt have the landline number to hand, the person i spoke to was rude and said he couldnt help even when i offered my postal details. So had to go online via my mobile data to locate the landline number on the online account.

Phoned back again queued another 5mins and go put through to a UK operative, who advised he couldnt see an outstanding balance and no fault at their end, so it may take 24hrs to activate at their end, so to call back the next day if the issue still remained.

Next day (Saturday) same issue. I called back again and got their oversees call centre this time was on the phone for no less than 20mins going through a load of trouble shooting steps, no of which worked but the operative was apologetic and promised that i would be credited for the days i couldnt get online. So advised it would be passed to their technical team and should be resolved within 24hrs.

24hrs passed and still not working. Called back again, and was told they couldnt help but would escalate the fault. Basically i called them everyday for 5 days and was told they they couldnt identify the fault and were sending it back to the technicians.

Finally i had enough and called to terminate my non existent services. The call agent i spoke to was unsympathetic and unapologetic and even tried to blame the fault on Openreach, to which i advised that the fault was with talktalk as the phone line was receiving a signal and if there was no signal how could i be getting the talktalk screen when i attempted to get online - if the was a fault with the phone line i'd be getting the no connection screen when i attempted to get online. Anyway the call agent said i would have to pay £70 early termination fee, to which i responded would not be paid.

So i returned the router and sent a formal letter of complaint (this was all in september within 7 days of me going "live"). To date they have not acknowledged this - i know it was delivered as i sent it recorded.

My September bill came and i paid even though it did not have the credit as promised.

My October bill came and they billed me for dates after my disconnection date. I wrote to them disputing this and asking about my complaint letter, to which they responded by only acknowledging that they had incorrectly billed for the dates after my disconnection and this would be adjusted on the final bill.

Final bill in November arrives...no credit for September, they have credited for October, but have now added a late charge for the October bill that i didn't pay - reason being that they had incorrectly billed me...!

So i have written to them again (December) stating all of the above and sent a copy of my original complaint letter...

To which they have only responded to the billing issue and still not responded to my complaint. Their response has been basically Novembers bill is correct and to pay it - which is now showing as £87! They havent even tried to meet me part way and say as a good will gesture etc etc, like what most good companies do when they inconvenience their customers.

Im so frustrated their suppose to be a communications company but yet their complaints dept cant respond to a letter and they also cant apply credits and bill correctly. I dont feel that i should have to pay the full termination fee as it was their fault i had no internet and their staff didnt seem to know how to resolve the fault (in fact at their end they couldnt see an actual fault). I did take photos of the screen that was coming up and sent them copies too as proof.

Thanks

info_addict

Hi,

The simple answer is, give up on Talk Talk and just contact the ombudsman. That is what I did with my billing issues. You have to wait for 8 weeks to allow Talk Talk to sort the problem from the date you first started your complaint. Then the ombudsman will take over if they feel you have a case.

They are very sympathetic and there to help.

Football_Geek

I've been with Talk Talk for a while and my experience is that they don't deal with complaints.


I raise a complaint on the phone, they don't do anything, so I email and then write to them but they still don't respond.


The latest is they have just charged me £50 for an engineer(which I did not ask for) and when I specially asked if there was any cost when the appointment was arranged, was told that it was free. I noticed that the charge appeared on my bill. I took it up with TalkTalk over the phone and in writing but they still went ahead and took the money from my account. What are the contact details of the ombudsman, please?

info_addict

Here is a link

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/communications.html

Or phone

0330 440 1614

Good luck

Football_Geek

info_addict wrote: »

Here is a link

http://www.ombudsman-services.org/communications.html

Or phone

0330 440 1614

Good luck

Thank you.