Talk Talk - moving home mid contract - issues with dodgy order cancellation

Lily78_2

Hello, 

I need some help with this matter. Has anybody out there got any experience with moving home with talktalk? 

Tomorrow, I should be completing on house purchase (!) and I'm currently renting. I have 12months remaining on Fibre BB contract with TalkTalk so naturally I contacted them to find out their process - ie how much notice did they need to move broadband to new place etc. I am not moving straight away and I know for sure the sellers have cancelled their contract from tomorrow.

So yesterday I looked online and started the 'Home moving' process using their online form. The page 'confirming' what package I could have was at best confusing, showing a £14 increase to bring some call package I didn't know I had, and it seemed it would be a new 18 months contract to sign. On top of that I wasn't clear if I could pick a date in 3 weeks time for moving date... So I called.

TalkTalk 'home moving' service person on the phone was quite efficient, explaining the process - so I thought. He told me they can provide Fibre 65 at my new address but my current package (Fibre65 + unlimited calls @£25/m) don't exist anymore; so they need to start a new contract (really?). That is now £29.95 but no problem he can do me a discount - good I think. Then he told me about the 'house moving' fee which is also discounted to nothing (this was online too). Then we go on booking date for transfer and engineer (apparently needed one?). Perfect, could get the dates I wanted. All sorted. Got the 'welcome' email through. All good. 

This morning I got a text message from Talk Talk saying my order has been rejected... I was puzzled but didn't think much about it. I somehow thought it was to do with my current address broadband contract being 'cancelled' so the new one could be 'ordered'; I thought of phoning but I had a busy day. 

Around 5.45pm, I got a phone call from TalkTalk. After going through all the security questions, the lady on the phone tells me she's sorry but my order was rejected. Then she added the reason was that TalkTalk couldn't provide me with the same Fibre BB package from the serving point near property because they had too many customers to serve from there -- ??? what?. Before I got the chance to ask, she continued "you need to take the 'fast broadband' (I checked that the 11Mb one) and then contact us again 2 months later to upgrade to fibre. We will have space then". I asked her to repeat because it made no sense to me. So I did recap what I heard and asked why this was not detected the day before - surely if there had been such an issue, her colleague wouldn't have confirmed all was ok (confirming what I got when filling form online - I thought anyway?)? 
Then I tried to get some details - could she confirm what this 'fast broadband' speed was? Price? She did not know.
Then I said if Talk Talk couldn't provide me with the same as my current contract - as apparently I now needed to take a new one - I wasn't interested. Her tone changed and she needed to pass me to a colleague form the 'home moving' team (again!) to cancel my order (talk about being confusing!). 
So I got passed to Home moving colleague who greeted me by a 'I understand you want to cancel your contract'. So I set the record straight about me moving home, going through process no problem, then weird conversation with his colleague. (He muted himself a few times while I was talking I noticed). He seemed adamant I could get fibre 65 at my new place, but that we had to cancel the previous order first (well, it has been rejected by them so ...?) and wait til tomorrow to place a new 'home move' order. Right. I asked how did he know the same thing won't happen again. "It happens sometimes". OK. He then went on reading a whole piece that I had to 'agree' to to say 'I cancelled the contract ...blabla.. financial implications.. bla' -- which I pointed to him was not my situation, clearly. He went on telling me that of course not but if I did not place a new 'order' tomorrow, then I will be bridging my contract etc etc all threatening... So anyway, we left it at he will call tomorrow... can't wait... 

I did find these 2 conversations dodgy at best. It does look to me like a weird way of making sure I am paying full rack when 'upgrading' in 2 months time -- yes, in April!, when we know all providers will hike their prices... I do not understand why it is I need to be on a new contract by simply 'moving' my current one to new address, as it seems I could get same service. Or is it that they really can't connect me with Fibre at new place, in which case, am I in my right to cancel 'penalty free' and start a new contract with another provider in my new place. To say I am not impressed and fed up is putting it mildly...

Has anybody out there got any experience with moving home with talktalk?
Is it normal to be put on a new contract when moving? Does it mean you also have a 15 days cooling period if that's the case? 

I am grateful for any advice with the above. 
Thanks

littleboo

Usually, you have a contract for service at a particular address. If you move, then you either pay any early termination fees that apply, or the provider will waive those if you take a new contract at the new address.
It sounds as if your FTTC cabinet is full, which is why only lower speeds may be available initially 

Lily78_2

littleboo said:

Usually, you have a contract for service at a particular address. If you move, then you either pay any early termination fees that apply, or the provider will waive those if you take a new contract at the new address.
It sounds as if your FTTC cabinet is full, which is why only lower speeds may be available initially 

Thanks. 

I still don't understand why they couldn't spot that yesterday when I went through the process? Or why now I am getting a different reason in an email after today's conversation, saying "Another provider has notified us that they are cancelling your recent TalkTalk home move order"... 

What I understand even less is where my rights are? If I am willing to move my contract but they can't because they can't offer same service I have, shouldn't I be able to simply cancel my current contract when I move with no penalty fees? 

Thanks

Neil_Jones

You agree a contract with TalkTalk to provide internet at 221B Baker Street (key word:  at.  Baker Street).  They do that because they can supply it at that address.

You decide to move to 17 Cherry Tree Lane.  For technica/network reasons TalkTalk cannot provide you.  You are moving to an area/address that TalkTalk do not supply.  TalkTalk have not made you move.  You are the one breaking the agreement by moving, so on that basis you agreed to pay exit fees as you are moving out of your house that the services are provided to, and into an area where they can't.  Simple as.

This is no different a situation to moving house with Virgin and finding out they do not cover the new house you are moving to.