TalkTalk continue billing after switch

TonyG1

I have been assisting a relative to switch from TalkTalk to a different provider for Broadband and Landline services due to dissatisfaction with TT's customer service.  First attempt in March 202 was to move to Vodafone; Vodafone tried several times to switch, but TT kept refusing the request and my relative gave up.  Then the TT service failed intermittently and then completely; TT kept saying they were investigating the fault but couldn't send an engineer until they had completed their investigation.  After over 2 weeks with no service my relative contacted BT.  BT said they would manage the switch and send an engineer to identify and rectify the line fault.  The line fault was fixed and a transfer date was given for 18th August, and acknowledged by TT on 7th August; they also confirmed that there were no early termination charges as the account was out of contract and pointed out that they would also send a final bill covering any outstanding charges.  BT provided the account holder with a temporary number until transfer of the original number on 18th August.  BT confirmed the transfer of the original number took place as planned on 18th August.  The account holder paid the August TalkTalk bill and BT commenced billing.  The account holder cancelled the TT Direct Debit.
The account holder then received a further bill from TT, which they assumed was for outstanding charges and paid it by cheque; TT acknowledged the receipt of the payment.
Then the account holder received a further bill and realised that TT were in fact continuing to bill monthly as it the transfer to BT hadn't happened.  Despite several fruitless calls to TT's customer service team and letters written to TT's offices the bills kept arriving monthly.  TT's claim was that the original transfer request for 18th August but had been cancelled; that a second transfer request was received and transfer scheduled for 18th September but that was also cancelled, and that a third transfer was made and scheduled, and finally implemented, for 31st December 2020.  No supporting evidence has been provided, only statements that TT has looked at the account (?).  TT has engaged a debt collection agency (threatening that failure to pay would have a serious impact on the account holder's credit rating).  A letter was provided acknowledging that the account holder's complaint had now been registered and a manager would be in contact within 3 days - no-one from TT got in touch with the account holder regarding the complaint and apart from continuing invoices for the claimed outstanding payments the next update on the complaint after 8 weeks had elapsed from the complaint being registered stating the account holder could now put their case to CISAS - which I am now doing on behalf of the account holder.
Is this a one-off experience?

ann_droid

Hi
Is VodaFone billing anything at all?
Is BT billing for anything?

The TT account may have the old/incorrect phone number and that is still regarded as active.

Therefore I would attempt to login to the TT account and take screenshots of any available info.

TalkTalk broadband complaints

If it's simply a complaint that you wish to make, then call between 8am and 8pm Monday to Sunday: 0345-172-0088

This is free if you're a TalkTalk landline customer otherwise it's charged at 3ppm plus your phone company's access charge.

This you already know....            Complain in writing

To complain about your TalkTalk Broadband in writing, use this address:

TalkTalk Correspondence Dept.
PO Box 675
Salford
M5 0NL

You can also submit a written complaint using this email address: concerns@talktalkplc.com.

If these do not resolve your issue, you can escalate your complaint by writing to the following address:

Head of Complaints - CEO's Office TalkTalk (CEO)
PO Box 672
Salford 
M5 0NG

Complaining about TalkTalk to CISAS

If you are unable to resolve your broadband issue with TalkTalk then you can submit your complaint to the ombudsman. Every provider is a member of one of two ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) schemes: TalkTalk is part of the Communications and Internet Services
Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).

You can contact CISAS once you have received a deadlock letter from TalkTalk (this is a document that states that you and TalkTalk have been unable to agree on a solution to your issue). You can contact CISAS without a deadlock letter if you have not had a response from TalkTalk for at least eight weeks.

Before contacting either TalkTalk or the ombudsman you should read our in-depth guide to complaining about broadband. This goes through the process in more detail.

ColinD1

The best of luck.
I had a similar problem with TalkTalk continuing to bill me after I left them. Their management system seems to be confused by anything that goes wrong (in my case I had a transfer that ended up being cancelled and they did not recognise the second successful transfer). Even after convincing them, they seem unable to control their billing system. It took around six months to sort out the billing (including reference to CIFAS, who believe the falsehoods TalkTalk tell them and are about as much use as a chocolate teapot). It took around 16 months to sort out the botched number porting which Vodafone failed to sort out (as required by OFCOM). This was only achieved by moving on to BT and it still took them 6 months. TalkTalk just deny the problem lies with them, the system makes it easy for them to do so and there is no reason for them to change.

Basil_Bruschetta

Same for me they have been sending me threatening letters and are using a Debt Recovery agency to try and get the £50 i supposedly owe back even though they never provided me with the service i asked for so i cancelled the contract and yet they bill me for what they did not supply.

Wrote and complained and they fobbed me off told me i need to pay - dreadful customer service actually worse than Virgin which i thought was not possible - overseas call centres are a disgrace they should follow Plusnet and keep it in the UK!

No intention on paying let the debt recovery company keep sending threats does not bother me!