TalkTalk landline down for 3 weeks

Lavender987

My mum's in her 80s and relies on her landline.  It stopped working 3 weeks ago although the broadband is fine.  At least 3 neighbours, two on other networks, are having the same problem.  I heard about it 2 weeks ago so contacted TalkTalk, who've been useless.  They initially refused to acknowledge there was a problem but I managed to confirm it with Openreach.  When I let TalkTalk know, they said Openreach had just passed the details to them.

I contacted them a week later for an update and they refused to acknowledge there was a problem, contradicting what I had been told the previous week. They carried out a test on the line and ... surprise ... found a problem.

I called TalkTalk, had my mum give them permission for them to deal with me, and someone raised a case.  The following day they reset the router without letting us know, changing the password back to the default one.  I only discovered this when looking at the case to raise a complaint.

A complaint's been raised but they now won't deal with me unless we complete a paper user account nomination form and send it in the post, causing a further delay of a week.

We would really like to get the line fixed.  In the meantime I'm making all the calls using my mobile on behalf of my mum, removing some of her independence.

Any advice on how to get this resolved would be appreciated.

born_again

If there is a fault on the line & it is also effecting others in the area then it is down to Openreach to fix. TT can do nothing to fix it.
Depending on what the issue is, it might take a while to fix. All TT can do is chase Openreach.

There is compensation for lines being down

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/automatic-compensation-need-know/

Lavender987

I finally managed to get an update only after threatening to take the complaint about poor communication to the ombudsman and that a longstanding customer said they wanted to leave.

Lavender987

(Sorry - I'm too new to be able to link to the reply at 12.15pm)

Thank you.  Openreach said they'd notified all providers but, until today, TT denied anything about it.  They finally admitted that they latest update from Openreach was 18.03.25.  It would be so much easier if providers could just pass on the updates or even made them searchable on their website so customers knew it was being dealt with.  My neighbours on BT and Sky are having the same problems.

My complaint email included a request for compensation.