TALKTALK woes.

Hi Guys, I can here after being pointed this way on the PlusNet forum.

I was a customer of 2 years with PlusNet, quite happily getting phone and broadband, but 1 day I saw an ad for youview with sky channels on TalkTalk, and thought I would give it ago, boy what a mistake.

When talktalk activated the tv package, my broadband become shockingly slow, under 2 meg, compaired to the 16 I was getting with PN.
I complained, and I was told basically it's tough, or pay £50 for an engineer to investigate!

Then 6 days after migration, I found my account to be blocked.

I phoned up and was transfered to the FRAUD department.
They told me that last November I run up a £500 bill.

I laughed and asked how that could be, when I was connected to PlusNet?
The lady said she had no idea, and even said there is a zero balance on my account.
However she said I need to pay £570 to have the service reinstated.

I replied with BALLS and asked for the cancellation department.

I was told I can't have a mac until the money is paid, and also they will block any action by PN to take over the line.

That was 2 weeks ago.

Since then I phoned TT at least 2 dozen times, each times I am refused access to a manger, refused access to the fraud dept, none of the foreign staff seem to even understand me let alone leave the script and try to help.
I am put on endless hold cycles, cut off, transfered to dept after dept... but not 1 person has tried to help.

I have made a complaint via the website, the reply said 'pay £500 then claim it back after we look into it'
My response was NEVER!!

I have sent a letter to the CEO office, and have proof of delivery, that was a week ago, so far no response.

I have posted on the customer forum, so far I have been told to phone customer service!

My online account balance is showing as 0.00.

Below is copy/paste of the complaint and response I raised:

Subject
I have been disconnected for a bill I do not owe.

Discussion Thread
Response Via Email (Simundele Blessing Nene) 25/10/2012 10.38 AM
Dear Marc

Thank you for your email regarding your account disconnection.

Your details at point of sale match those on a bad debt account in on our records, which is why your service has been disconnected. The bad debt account has an outstanding balance of £553.39 which would have to be paid by you.

If you choose not to pay this balance then all future orders placed in your name will be canceled because of this bad debt account.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to reply or visit ******* for more information.

Kind regards,


Simlindele Blessing Nene,
TalkTalk Customer Relations.
Auto-Response 23/10/2012 01.47 PM
The following answers might help you immediately. (Answers open in a separate window.)

Title: Change the owner of my account
Link:

Title: Change my Name
Link:


Dear Marc

Thank you for contacting us.

Your incident number is ******-******. Please keep this safe as you will need to use this number in the subject line of any emails you send us about this issue.

Our Customer Services Team will reply as soon as possible.

Kind Regards,

TalkTalk Customer Services

TalkTalk Group Limited
Registered in England and Wales No. 6534112
Registered Address: 11 Evesham Street, London, W11 4AJ

This email and its attachments are confidential and intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s). This email and its attachments may also be privileged or protected by legal rules. If you have received this by mistake please let us know by reply immediately and destroy the email and its attachments without reading, copying or forwarding the contents.

Customer By Web Form (Marc ) 23/10/2012 01.47 PM
I have been a customer for under 1 WEEK.
My service has already been disconnected by the fraud dept because they say I have an outstanding balance on an old account.
There has been NO COMMUNICATION from you, I have no other details, TalkTalk will not speak to me, and constantly hang up on me.

I have no idea what is going on or why.

I have never been a talktalk customer before, I do not owe you a penny.
If you think I do, it is a mistake.

I want to see cold hard evidence of this bill, I also want to know why you agreed to my custom in the first place if you think this, and I want to know why you haven't even contacted me.

I also want and demand my MAC code so I can go back to my previous supplier of whom I have never had a problem.


A week and a half of waiting for support from the online forum I received this.. plus my reply:

OCE_Ady
Today, 09:21 AM #40
Online Community Executive
Surfing from ,Cant Surf! Wont Surf! but i love iphones

Joined Feb 2008, 20,867 Posts

Hi Devonian,

Thanks for providing the 12 digit number. I am afraid you will need to contact Customer Services on 08704441820 for support of any kind.
__________________
Adrian
TalkTalk`s Online Community Team: Meet the forum staff and ensure you know Who`s Who

Quick Links:
l Contact Us - Security Questions l Check service status l Report a fault l myAccount l Help Articles lExtension Leads, Do Not Use Them l
l Engineer Charges - An Explanation l lTalkTalk Customer Complaints Code l


Great thanks for that!!

And my reply:


Devonian
Today, 12:56 PM #41
TalkTalk Member
Surfing from Paignton
Joined Oct 2012, 73 Posts

What a laughable reply for the so called excellent OCE!!

Not a single person at TT will even look into this, or try to help, and that includes OCE ADY.

PATHETIC.

Ring the number you say?

Don't you think I have already tried that a dozen times?

And what do I get told?

Write a letter!! WHich I have done, and it was signed for last Wednesday at 10.32am.

I am a victim of TT incompetance, and how do TT deal with it?
By refusing to deal with it.

Thank you for keeping my account safe and secure talktalk.
Thank you for having sufficient security on the system to control data and prevent crossed accounts.
Thank you for providing top notch customer service and trying to help!!!!


What a bunch of useless morons.

7 weeks left of waiting, then I can consult the data commissioner, Ofcom/telecoms watchdog, and ultimately a solicitor.

You can not treat a customer like this and get away with it.



Below is a copy/paste of my account: Id do a screen shot, but not sure how to post it.


Welcome back
Smartphones from only £5 a month. Find out more
We are sorry, but your account is temporarily barred. You cannot make any changes at this time.
Summary
TV
Broadband
Home phone
Mobile
++
TV, Broadband & Phone
Your package: TalkTalk Plus (TV, broadband and phone)

Latest bill total:
£0.00

Payment due:
29 Oct

Payment method:

View details
«13456

Comments

  • I had another little surprise today from TT.

    3 weeks into a fixed term 24 month contract I received this email.


    Click here to view this in a web browser




    Dear Mr E*****

    At TalkTalk we are continually working to bring you better value and make your home better off. Over the last few years we have invested to improve our service and bring you new features like a 12 month LOVEFiLM Instant† gift and great value unlimited broadband, phone, and now TV.

    We do occasionally need to change our prices. From January 1st 2013, your Plus package will be charged at £15.50 a month which now includes your free YouView box normally £299. With these changes you will still have Britain's best value unlimited TV, broadband and phone compared to Sky, BT and Virgin*.

    Save up to £65 a year with Value Line Rental
    Monthly line rental will change to £14.95. But if you have paid your line rental in advance there will be no change for the remainder of your Value Line Rental term. To take Value Line Rental and save up to £65 a year, simply pay for the next 12 months in one card payment of £114, making line rental the equivalent of £9.50 a month§. This is only available online by logging into your account. Just go to talktalk.co.uk/myaccount

    There will be some changes to the call charges not included in your package. Go to talktalk.co.uk/customerupdate for full details of the changes.

    These changes will be reflected in your January bill. We know that flexibility to manage your package and control your bills is important to you so remember there are many ways to save money with our flexible calling Boosts. To help you budget better, you can review your bill online in My Account at talktalk.co.uk/myaccount

    We’re committed to making your home better off with TalkTalk, and we’re proud to bring you Britain’s best value unlimited TV, broadband and phone compared to Sky, BT and Virgin* . We hope that you and your family continue to take advantage of all the great benefits available to you as a TalkTalk customer.

    Yours sincerely,



    Nigel Pearson
    Senior Director, Customer Services
    TalkTalk



    There was me thinking it was a reply to my complaints about being disconnected, but oh no, it is a price rise, but not only that it is breaching their own contract that is still less than a month old!

    I also had this message on their forum yesterday:


    OCE_Ady
    Yesterday, 08:01 AM #42
    Online Community Executive
    Surfing from ,Cant Surf! Wont Surf! but i love iphones

    Joined Feb 2008, 20,948 Posts

    Hi Devonian,

    sorry to hear you are unhappy with the service you are receiving. I can only suggest that you ring on 08704441820 and you will be transferred the correct team to assist you with this particular issue.
    Again my apologies if you are unhappy.
    __________________
    Adrian
    TalkTalk`s Online Community Team: Meet the forum staff and ensure you know Who`s Who

    Quick Links:
    l Contact Us - Security Questions l Check service status l Report a fault l myAccount l Help Articles lExtension Leads, Do Not Use Them l
    l Engineer Charges - An Explanation l lTalkTalk Customer Complaints Code l



    Devonian
    Yesterday, 11:55 AM #43
    TalkTalk Member
    Surfing from Paignton
    Joined Oct 2012, 77 Posts

    I am wondering if there is a reason you aren't understanding me?
    Am I speaking German perhaps?

    I have phoned that number a dozen times and more.

    I am transfered to the 'special dept' with no name, aka fraud desk, I get a voice message saying they aren't taking calls from customers, and for the staff member to deal with it, then I am cut off.

    Tell me OCE Ady, is it acceptable to treat a customer with such disrespect?
    The only communication I have had from TT still, is what you have put on this thread.
    Not a single word in any other format.

    I would call the company a joke, but it is far beyond that now.

    OCE_Ady
    Yesterday, 02:05 PM #44
    Online Community Executive
    Surfing from ,Cant Surf! Wont Surf! but i love iphones

    Joined Feb 2008, 20,948 Posts

    Hi Devonian,

    I have emailed the fraud team and asked if anyone can pick this up for you.
    __________________
    Adrian
    TalkTalk`s Online Community Team: Meet the forum staff and ensure you know Who`s Who

    Quick Links:
    l Contact Us - Security Questions l Check service status l Report a fault l myAccount l Help Articles lExtension Leads, Do Not Use Them l
    l Engineer Charges - An Explanation l lTalkTalk Customer Complaints Code l



    Devonian
    Today, 11:54 AM #45
    TalkTalk Member
    Surfing from Paignton
    Joined Oct 2012, 77 Posts

    Well, as I suspected still no contact at all.

    Wait a minute, that's not strictly true, I had an email this morning, less than a minute into a fixed term 2 year contract, telling me you are putting the price up!!

    So not only have you broken Ofcom rules by barring my service for no good reason, and refuse to even discuss it, let alone investigate, but you also break Ofcom rules by putting up the price so early into a fixed term contract.

    What a company!

    I am lost for words.
  • I'm sorry for the war and peace posts, but I felt it important to add as much as I could remember, atleast then I have it all in one place for reference later on.
  • Have you tried banging your head repeatedly on a wall?

    I won't do anything helpful but is a lot more fun and rewarding than trying to get help from talktalk customer services.
  • I try that every time I ring them.

    I don't even want my service reinstated now.

    I'm going back to PlusNet next week, but what I do want is my account wiping clear, and an apology.
  • Neil49
    Neil49 Posts: 3,074 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    TalkTalk have a company representative who usually monitors this site so I'm suprised they haven't picked this up.

    I've copied and pasted an earlier reponse from them below which may give you an alternative means of contacting them. I'm with TalkTalk and contacted them recently via the Members Forum with no problems.

    Quote -

    If you tweet us @TalkTalkCare or join the TalkTalk Members Forum we are more than happy to look into the details of your speed and advise you further.

    Cheers


    Mark
    TalkTalk Online Community Department

    Unquote.

    Hope this helps.
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,088 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    The one issue you are wrong on is the price increase. It's not a fixed price contract, so they can increase the price at any time, including the day after you contracted for the minimum term. It also gives you the opportunity to leave without penalty of course.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • macman wrote: »
    The one issue you are wrong on is the price increase. It's not a fixed price contract, so they can increase the price at any time, including the day after you contracted for the minimum term. It also gives you the opportunity to leave without penalty of course.

    That's not the case, I signed a contracted that stated my package would be given to me at a special price for 6 month.
    Whether it was written in black or white or not, it is still a dirty trick.

    I understand you point though. ;)
  • macman
    macman Posts: 53,088 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    The usual kind of offer they have is '6m at half price'. However, if they then increase the base price, which is permissible, your half price increases accordingly.
    I suggest you check the T&C's closely.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • Neil49 wrote: »
    TalkTalk have a company representative who usually monitors this site so I'm suprised they haven't picked this up.

    I've copied and pasted an earlier reponse from them below which may give you an alternative means of contacting them. I'm with TalkTalk and contacted them recently via the Members Forum with no problems.

    Quote -

    If you tweet us @TalkTalkCare or join the TalkTalk Members Forum we are more than happy to look into the details of your speed and advise you further.

    Cheers


    Mark
    TalkTalk Online Community Department

    Unquote.

    Hope this helps.

    Cheers bud.

    As you are a member, can I point you towards my thread.. you will see the level of support the OCE offered, after obviously disregarding every word I put!:D
    Granted it is rather heated in places, but I make no apologies for that after the disgraceful service they have shown me.

    I don't use twitter unfortunately, maybe I should ;)

    oh I cant post links.
  • Swipe
    Swipe Posts: 5,085 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    I briefly contemplated moving from plusnet to talk talk to save a few quid. After reading this, I will definitely not be doing so.
This discussion has been closed.
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