How to stop a BB contract

CEON44

Sounds simple enough but not in this situation.  My 86 year old father in law was talked into taking out a broadband contract over a year ago by a so called friend who was staying with him for a while. Anyway after discovering that his “deal” had ended and he was now paying TalkTalk £35 per month for basic BB that he doesn’t even know how to use I tried to cancel. But on calling twice I couldn’t get past security as I had no details of the account. My father in law also had no idea as it was set up by the friend. He doesn’t receive any monthly bills etc. The account was set up in the friends email.  The friend by the way is long gone and uncontactable.  So as far as I can see all I can do is cancel the direct debit. Will this cause a problem in any way. Will they try to charge or threaten in any way. Seems the only way out when they won’t even talk over the phone. They flatly refused to let me talk to a supervisor or manager to explain.  Help!!

Neil_Jones

Move it to another provider, a 30 day rolling contract one in your name.  Let it run for one month.  Then cancel it, it'll run for another month (as per 30 day rolling).  There may be a cease fee charge (this is to basically make the changes to remove provision of broadband on the line).  You may have to move the phone line too if that's with TalkTalk.

CEON44

Neil_Jones said:

Move it to another provider, a 30 day rolling contract one in your name.  Let it run for one month.  Then cancel it, it'll run for another month (as per 30 day rolling).  There may be a cease fee charge (this is to basically make the changes to remove provision of broadband on the line).  You may have to move the phone line too if that's with TalkTalk.

Would this work though. Based on fact I have no info on the account apart from fact it’s Talk talk.  No letters, account numbers, passwords. Nothing apart from bank statement saying £35 debited each month. If I was to try to move it surely the new provider would need more details?

Browntoa

No , they would look at it as new owner of the property , possibly use your bank account and details instead which would make it easier for you to manage the whole thing

Farway

CEON44 said:

Neil_Jones said:

Move it to another provider, a 30 day rolling contract one in your name.  Let it run for one month.  Then cancel it, it'll run for another month (as per 30 day rolling).  There may be a cease fee charge (this is to basically make the changes to remove provision of broadband on the line).  You may have to move the phone line too if that's with TalkTalk.

Would this work though. Based on fact I have no info on the account apart from fact it’s Talk talk.  No letters, account numbers, passwords. Nothing apart from bank statement saying £35 debited each month. If I was to try to move it surely the new provider would need more details?

AFAIK all that is required is the landline number, no need to talk with any one, just like moving energy these days

need the LL number so new provider can confirm there is a slot available

As said may need to over your LL as well but assuming the number comes along as well it may even turn out better, or at least no worse

The_Fat_Controller

The new provider would arrange the transfer based on the address and landline number and contact TT to take over the line.
However this will generate a leaving request with TT and they will send communication to the registered email address, this will include notification of any early termination fees if you are in a fixed term contract that has not yet expired.
They may also require the return of any equipment supplied and there could be another £50 charge if that is not done.
Cancelling the Direct Debit will result in charges for late payment and eventual suspension of broadband and phone service.
It is possible any debts could be sold to a collection agency.
You could head over to the TT support forum, register and post in the BILLING section and hopefully a staff member will be able to assist.

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Help-with-your-service/ct-p/help

EDIT : I should add that TT do not provide a phone only service, all their contracts are broadband and phone, so you CANNOT just remove the broadband part.

Neil_Jones

CEON44 said:

Neil_Jones said:

Move it to another provider, a 30 day rolling contract one in your name.  Let it run for one month.  Then cancel it, it'll run for another month (as per 30 day rolling).  There may be a cease fee charge (this is to basically make the changes to remove provision of broadband on the line).  You may have to move the phone line too if that's with TalkTalk.

Would this work though. Based on fact I have no info on the account apart from fact it’s Talk talk.  No letters, account numbers, passwords. Nothing apart from bank statement saying £35 debited each month. If I was to try to move it surely the new provider would need more details?

Shouldn't be a problem.  Years ago my parents landline was in my father's name (with BT), but I used to switch the broadband round on occasion for them and it was always in my mother's name, while the line stayed with BT in my father's name.  This was back in the days when doing that was an option (the modern trend which I should have mentioned is to move them both).  The decision was taken at some point to move the phone line to the same provider as the broadband which was (and still is) Plusnet.  BT didn't mention a dicky bird that I'm aware of that the line was moving away from them and would end up in somebody else's name, albeit at the same address.  It transferred without a problem.  I think all we had to provide at the time was the number we wanted to transfer and settle whatever was outstanding from BT at the time for rental and calls, but that took care of itself.

If you were moving house you might have had an issue but you're not.  You're just moving provider.  TalkTalk will probably email the friend (I'm assuming this friend is "uncontactable" as in they've moved away, maybe new email/phone/address and not "uncontactable" as in they're dead) but that'll be it.

The_Fat_Controller

@Neil_Jones, there still could be early termination charges and the requirement to return equipment.
The OP needs to ascertain both of those details.

Neil_Jones

The_Fat_Controller said:

@Neil_Jones, there still could be early termination charges and the requirement to return equipment.
The OP needs to ascertain both of those details.

The OP has already said the "deal" has ended, and £35 sounds like an out of contract rate considering the current offers on the website say from £22 for a new contract.

T&Cs state: "All such necessary equipment will be owned by [TalkTalk] apart from the following equipment which you will own:(a) any router and/or set top box that we send you as part of a new service with us; and (b) any equipment that you have paid for"  If they sent the router in the first place then that implies the router is the OP's so they can keep it, sell it, prop the door open with it or whatever.

jbuchanangb

Whatever you do don't cancel the DD. Non-payment penalties will start being added to the account.
The gent could ask his bank about the DD, or just look at bank statement. There should be an account reference there.

(I just looked at my bank statement and the TT account number is shown) He knows his landline number. TalkTalk have a "Nominated User" process. You can download the form from here.

Once you have the form, landline number and account number, you and your father can fill it in and post it to TalkTalk.

From that point onwards you can administer the account.

pbartlett

nominated user form.is an excellent idea. But surely TT have a 'forgotten details' procedure? 

You know the account holder's name, address and telephone mumber - there should be a way to 'reset forgotten passwords', to 'change email address' and to get a reminder of the account number?