I've left Talk Talk will they refund my credit?

Yorkshire_Pud · 6 July 2012 at 7:50PM

I recently left Talk Talk even though at the eleventh hour they offered to reduce my monthly bill from over £22 to under £12 a month for 12 months with no contract to retain me as a customer.

My account is now in credit. One might assume that as I pay by DD they would refund my bank account with a credit?

However they have a message on my final bill inviting me to call their customer services which is no longer a free call as I am no longer a customer, to CLAIM MY REFUND!:mad:

Why can't Talk Talk just credit my bank account automatically?

Why do I have to pay (a phone call on an 0870 number) to get my money back?

Shoud I presume that if I don't request my credit on my account Talk Talk will keep it which is withholding My money with intent and as far as I am concerned fraudulent business practice?

savemoney · 6 July 2012 at 7:53PM

At a guess it could be they still want to retain you as a customer and may make you want to jump through one final loop

Personally I never go back to them due to constant cold calling

poshparrot · 6 July 2012 at 10:03PM

or you could mistakenly;) call their sales line (0800 number) and get them to put you through to the appropriate department

Buzby · 6 July 2012 at 10:07PM

Why do you think they would pay the refund to an account you pay from? You may want it to go to a different destination, so their action is to be recommended.

However, you make a serious error -if you use their services, you ARE IN CONTRACT, it is a legal requirement. They may not insist on a minimum term, but that is a different issue.

What 'intent' is there - if you don't advise them where you want the money, there is no withholding. You can only complain if, having told how you want the refund - they don't provide it.

Yorkshire_Pud · 6 July 2012 at 10:22PM

I did inform TT whilst still a customer that I wanted the expected refund to be paid into the same bank account that TT take the DD from. I was assured this would happen.

I did this so that I would not be put in the position of having to claim my credit. I am now in that position.

Re Contract the point I was making was that I could have left TT at any time without incurring a penalty had I accepted their bribe to stay.

However due to TT's business practices I preferred to enter a 12 month contract with another provider and pay bit more.

Yorkshire_Pud · 9 July 2012 at 6:55PM

Just phoned Talk Talk using their geographical number 02034415550 which I found on their website under contact us, so didn't have to use 0870 number.

The operator said I would receive the refund within 7 working days paid to the same account that I paid TT's direct debit with. He didn't offer any other options:rotfl:

So much for the idea that they don't auto refund because they don't know what account The customer wants it paid to

1jim · 9 July 2012 at 10:02PM

That's great, was just coming on here to see it talktalk rep could arrange my refund without calling them,
I too have left tt and just had final bill and am due a refund, I do object to calling to get it but this way call is free :-)

TalkTalk · 10 July 2012 at 11:30AM

Hi Yorkshirepud,

Im glad to see this is resolved.

In terms of credting any refunds this isnt done automatically as there are various reasons customers may cancel with us, not all of these allow for automatic refunds (such as bereavements, emigrations, home moves)

As such automatically issuing a bank refund to the account we have on file, or a cheque to the registered address, is not always the most appropriate response as this can lead to rejected refunds or refund payments being lost, increasing costs and time necessary from both TT and the customr to resolve.

As such if there is credit on an account at the time this disconnects a letter is generated to advise the customer of this and how to claim a refund.

In your case however, if you have been advised that a refund would be processed, the agent who advised this should have processed the refund manually for you at the appropriate time, I can only apologise if this was not done to your expectations.

Regards

Mark
TalkTalk Online Community Department

Yorkshire_Pud · 16 July 2012 at 2:04AM

Talk Talk have paid my refund as promised, was all quite painless really!:)

Appreciate your comments Mark makes the process more understandable.

Yes I was promised the refund previously that didn't happen but my fears of TT withholding my refund were unfounded so TT are better than I thought!:T

1jim · 16 July 2012 at 10:55AM

To be fair, I still really don't understand the bit about checking where you want refund sending to, when I called there wasn't a choice, I was told it would go back to the account it was taken from. This being their policy though I can't see why they can't arrange it at the point of cancellation..... "yes 1jim, your service will cease on..., your last bill will be on....., should there be any money owed how would you like it refunding?" I really don't get the having to call up a second time to request, other than to try and make money from the call, to get you to rejoin(although they didn't try that with me) or more than likly hoping people won't check the bill and read the bit where you need to call or hope that people won't bother.

It would be interesting to see how many people and how much money has not been reclaimed by those who have left tt

Yorkshire_Pud · 16 July 2012 at 8:16PM

Agree with you as well 1jim!

Contradicting myself but putting the onus on the customer to claim their refund is sharp practice.

I've just changed my gas supplier and their final bill says they will pay my refund to the account my DD comes from. No questions, no having to ask for my money, automatic.

Surely the same 'problems' could occur there as well but of course in 99% of cases there won't be any.

So yes it's sharp practice by Talk Talk. If the customer doesn't contact Talk Talk does TT contact them to refund? Let me guess:rotfl:

I've left Talk Talk will they refund my credit?

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