TalkTalk won't close my account even though I don't use them anymore

philonysh

For the past few months I've had an horrific experience with TalkTalk. They falsely extended my contract (even though I didn't sign a new contract) and I had to fight to get that returned to its original date.

After finally managing to convince them to return to my original contract dates, I switched provider to BT. BT assured me that they would handle the switch and I wouldn't have to inform TalkTalk. However, I continued to get TalkTalk bills. Since then I've been on contact over their live chat to cancel the account and they have promised me they will. They haven't.

I posted on their Community Forums about this, and was told that cancellations are only possible over phone, and that Full Fibre changes have to be handled by the customer, not my new provider. I am hard of hearing (it says so on my account) so I can't make phone calls. They refuse to allow my partner to speak on my behalf. I used Relay UK to call them today (though that app is awful) and they didn't slow down or listen to the advisor who was speaking on my behalf.

Anyway, I was now told that they won't close my account until I pay the outstanding balance even though I haven't been using their services for 3 months. They say the bills will just continue until I pay them.

I really can't afford to pay for 3 months bills for a service I don't use. I am disabled and it's hard enough to cover the bills I do have.

I don't know what to do at this point. I've tried to raise a complaint with them before but the only way they handle complaints is phone calls (and no-reply emails to inform me of the phone calls). So I can't really use CIDAS because TalkTalk's process of raising a complaint is literally inaccessible to me (and in breach of the Equality Act 2010).

How do I close my account without affecting my credit score, and having to pay bills I can't afford?

The_Fat_Controller

You CAN complain in writing as detailed in the link at the bottom of the community pages.

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/Raising-a-complaint/ta-p/2204670

You can also use Live Chat, which, as they say, is the preferred method, calling is the alternative, not the primary method.

They are not breaching any legislation.

gld73

I'm having a similar problem ... I've moved house, TalkTalk are billing me for my new service at my new address, but have also now carried on billing me for my old address, even though they assured me the swap over of contracts was all arranged. I've now spoken to 12 different people over 3 different days, each one of which assures me they're finally transferring me to the person who just has the last little bit to do to sort out the problem, only to talk to the next person doesn't know anything about it and I'm starting from scratch. 

On the phonecalls I get told it has to be done by online chat, and the online chat people say it can only be done by phonecall. That's both for cancelling the contract (again!) and my attempts today to take it all to a complaints process. So don't think you're not resolving it because you can't phone them, you're not getting it resolved because TalkTalk is utterly incompetent and/or just rides roughshod over customers. 

In the calls I've had for the last 2 days, it sort of gets acknowledged that someone at their end messed up not cancelling my old connection, but then say they still have to continue billing me for it as they're providing it, even if I cancelled it a month ago, don't live there any more, and am paying for a new contract at my new address which they set up without problem. I've got this battle to get through first, then I'm just going to be counting down the days I can escape TalkTalk and switch to a provider with even a half decent customer service.

MikeJXE

I'm with talk talk and my contract ends in March. I am moving in February, they will get a months notice and they wont be getting a forwarding address unless they make a deal and come with me. I will also cancel my direct debit with them, the same will apply to my energy supplier  OVO 

gld73

The_Fat_Controller said:

You CAN complain in writing as detailed in the link at the bottom of the community pages.

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/Raising-a-complaint/ta-p/2204670

You can also use Live Chat, which, as they say, is the preferred method, calling is the alternative, not the primary method.

They are not breaching any legislation.

I followed the instructions to do complain via Live Chat, and it goes nowhere - if you say you wish to raise a complaint they give you the number for Customer Services, and when you phone it it's the same generic number for taking out a new contract, querying your bill etc etc ... then when you ignore all those options in order to try and talk to someone in customer service, you're just left on hold for an hour (frustrating when I'm on a PAYG phone so am paying for it) before being told there are no people available and to call back another time.... or to use Live Chat ...

brewerdave

MikeJXE said:

I'm with talk talk and my contract ends in March. I am moving in February, they will get a months notice and they wont be getting a forwarding address unless they make a deal and come with me. I will also cancel my direct debit with them, the same will apply to my energy supplier  OVO 

Not sure HOW you are going to get a deal with anyone unless you tell them your new address ?? eg TT may not be able to supply due to any number of reasons.
With energy ,you will have a deemed supplier at your new place.

jbuchanangb

I have been with TalkTalk since they took over Tiscali, and joined Tiscali phone service 20 years ago. I still have the welcome letter dated 30 December 2002. They are very inflexible, and I keep my interactions with them to a minimum. They did succesfully manage a home move for me 4 years ago, ceasing the old line on the specified date, and with the new line at a completely different place active within 7 days. I have found that the Online Community Experts (OCEs) in their "Community" https://community.talktalk.co.uk/ are excellent and resolve most issues that customers raise. There are also volunteer specialists who are not TalkTalk staff but often provide relevant technical support. When in difficulty with a contract type issue, the way to reach the so-called "loyalty team" by phone is to call the standard number, and address the speech recognition system with the phrase "leaving Talktalk" or "loyalty team". One thing I learnt very early on with all interactions with utility companies, but TalkTalk in particular, was to keep a written log of dates, times, names of agents, type of interactions (phone/chat/forum) from the very first attempt. 

Unilateral action, such as cancelling DD mandates, results in the automated billing system simply applying penalty charges, which then become the topic of a further dispute.

Jumblebumble

philonysh said:

For the past few months I've had an horrific experience with TalkTalk. They falsely extended my contract (even though I didn't sign a new contract) and I had to fight to get that returned to its original date.

After finally managing to convince them to return to my original contract dates, I switched provider to BT. BT assured me that they would handle the switch and I wouldn't have to inform TalkTalk. However, I continued to get TalkTalk bills. Since then I've been on contact over their live chat to cancel the account and they have promised me they will. They haven't.

I posted on their Community Forums about this, and was told that cancellations are only possible over phone, and that Full Fibre changes have to be handled by the customer, not my new provider. I am hard of hearing (it says so on my account) so I can't make phone calls. They refuse to allow my partner to speak on my behalf. I used Relay UK to call them today (though that app is awful) and they didn't slow down or listen to the advisor who was speaking on my behalf.

Anyway, I was now told that they won't close my account until I pay the outstanding balance even though I haven't been using their services for 3 months. They say the bills will just continue until I pay them.

I really can't afford to pay for 3 months bills for a service I don't use. I am disabled and it's hard enough to cover the bills I do have.

I don't know what to do at this point. I've tried to raise a complaint with them before but the only way they handle complaints is phone calls (and no-reply emails to inform me of the phone calls). So I can't really use CIDAS because TalkTalk's process of raising a complaint is literally inaccessible to me (and in breach of the Equality Act 2010).

How do I close my account without affecting my credit score, and having to pay bills I can't afford?

The link that the Fat Controller so kindly supplied above  advises you exactly what to do
Because this has not yet been done naturally they will refuse to engage with your partner
When completed you should ask for ex gratia compensation for the amount you are out of pocket
It is likely that Live Chat is a bot and not a human and that is possibly why you are getting no sense
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