Talk Talk renewed contract I believe taking advantage of vulnerable adult

Satyris

I have become good friends with a gentleman who really is not very tech savvy, I fix his computer and phone when the simplest issues arise. Usually restarting the device works wonders but we both enjoy having a chat, he has mobility issues and I don't wish to say anything else but you get the picture.

He has no savings and his only income is from disability payments and I was seeing what phone and broadband he was on to see if I could save him money.

Unbeknownst to me, he has been entered into a new contract with his current phone and broadband provider Talk Talk for £23.50 a month as of March this year for a period of 18 months.

He says he was called by them before that date and effectively pressured into his new contract by the person on the line. He told them at the time he did not understand what it was he was signing up to but all the same, he's tied in for over another year.

Now I feel partly to blame for not asking him sooner about his phone and Internet but I'm a little bit annoyed that he was pressured into accepting a contract over the phone with no opportunity at the time to think about it or look at other options.

I appreciate there is a cooling off period and we could have done something about this and that ignorance is no defence for breaking the law. But I also do not see the benefit of his current contract over a standard rate he would have paid at the end of his old contract.

I get the feeling that Talk Talk are not adding value to their customers lives by tying them in to further contracts, they are taking advantage of the fact most people will stay with their current provider but going one step further and tying them in to prevent their leaving.

I appreciate we probably will not be able to do anything about this but it's the fact he said over the phone he didn't understand what they were telling him and still locked him in regardless.

beardiedog

I would phone and explain that he is a vulnerable person, that you've just discovered what has happened and that you believe he did not understand what he was signing up for. They should be able to find the voice recording if you supply them with the date of the call. Worth a try.

onomatopoeia99

Are TT aware that he is a "vulnerable person"? Does he have capacity, or is there a LPA or the office of the public guardian involved in appointing a deputy to manage his financial affairs?

Rather than go directly to blaming the company, look at why you consider him unable to make this decision for himself, and whether this extends to other areas of his life.

Chino

Satyris wrote: »

he has mobility issues

Satyris wrote: »

He has no savings and his only income is from disability payments

None of which makes your friend inherently "vulnerable". You're like many posters here who, once a person reaches a certain age or is less than completely able bodied, label that person as mentally feeble and assume they are unable to think for themselves.

[Deleted User]

Satyris wrote: »

I have become good friends with a gentleman who really is not very tech savvy, I fix his computer and phone when the simplest issues arise. Usually restarting the device works wonders but we both enjoy having a chat, he has mobility issues and I don't wish to say anything else but you get the picture.

He has no savings and his only income is from disability payments and I was seeing what phone and broadband he was on to see if I could save him money.

Unbeknownst to me, he has been entered into a new contract with his current phone and broadband provider Talk Talk for £23.50 a month as of March this year for a period of 18 months.

He says he was called by them before that date and effectively pressured into his new contract by the person on the line. He told them at the time he did not understand what it was he was signing up to but all the same, he's tied in for over another year.

Now I feel partly to blame for not asking him sooner about his phone and Internet but I'm a little bit annoyed that he was pressured into accepting a contract over the phone with no opportunity at the time to think about it or look at other options.

I appreciate there is a cooling off period and we could have done something about this and that ignorance is no defence for breaking the law. But I also do not see the benefit of his current contract over a standard rate he would have paid at the end of his old contract.

I get the feeling that Talk Talk are not adding value to their customers lives by tying them in to further contracts, they are taking advantage of the fact most people will stay with their current provider but going one step further and tying them in to prevent their leaving.

I appreciate we probably will not be able to do anything about this but it's the fact he said over the phone he didn't understand what they were telling him and still locked him in regardless.

They have 4 different contact options for complaints:-

• Telephone
• Email
• Postal
• Live Chat

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/How-do-I-make-a-complaint/ta-p/2204670?from_footer_nav%3Ffrom_footer_nav

Take your pick and see what happens.

That said if they're paying £23.50 then I'm guessing it's for ADSL? If so then the full price is £27 so they are getting a discount (yes, there are better including for TT new customers through this site) but I wouldn't say they've been particularly taken advantage of (dependant on the actual conversation of course). If fibre, then the full price is £33.50.

TalkTalk

Hi Satyris,

I am so sorry to hear about this. We wouldn't apply a contract unless the package was agreed to.

If there are any concerns or disputes with the package and you wish to discuss other offers and options, which may include deals that are not only cheaper but may also more appropriate for what the account holder wants, then it'd be best to speak with our loyalty team who can outline all of the options available.

All of our contact information is available on our website, along with our full complaints process if you wish to peruse this.

Alternatively, you can also reach out to my team on Twitter (@TalkTalk) or Facebook.

Thanks,
Zach - TalkTalk Social Team

Satyris

Hi Zach, thank you for reaching out with suggestions how to proceed, and thank you to everyone else who has commented.