Talk Talk - Landline still not fixed

[razor8]

Hi there, I'm writing on behalf of my girlfriend. She has the combined Talk Talk landline and free broadband offer from Talk Talk. The problem is that back in Nov 06 they upgraded the broadband from 2Mbp's to 8Mbp's(which incidentally didn't increase and made the service worse than it normally is). Since they did this the phone line has not worked, she has phoned Talk Talk almost daily since Nov 06 asking when it is going too fixed. Besides never speaking to the same person more than once they blatantly lie. After being promised that an engineer will come round and then phoning when they haven't, they deny that they ever said an engineer was going to turn up. While all this is happening she is still paying her monthly bill. She has now written to the head office but they are still basically fobbing her off.

She now has to use her mobile phone for all conversions, which are normally free. My question is can she get the money back that she is now spending on her mobile? And any sort of compensation for the major inconvenience this has caused her, it was her only means of keeping in contact with me whilst I served overseas with the RAF. Also can she just leave Talk Talk when they fix the line even with six months remaining on her contract with them?

Any advice would be welcome, thank you

[davethorp]

I see no reason why she cannot hold talktalk liable for the extra costs of calling from her mobile. I'm doing the same thing to mercury telecom

As talk talk are not providing the service she is paying for she should be able to cancel the service though may be best to write a letter giving 14 days notice of cancellation unless they provide the service she is paying for in that time limit and compensate for loss of service and extra call costs through the mobile

[buzby]

No she can't. She might be able to claim for an equivalent service (mobile is NOT an equivalent) so I seriously doubt any court would uphold a claim for costs - even if excluded from their T&Cs - because of the addition cost of mobile calls. BT provide compensation automatically, TT do not - as a consumer, you pay your money and take your choice.

[ian cognito]

SHe does not have to stay with TalkTalk if they are failing to provide the service they are contracted to provide, it is they who are breaking the contract, not her and she is well within her rights to switch to another provider and pay nothing to TalkTalk for the remainder of her contract.

It actually takes a few weeks to switch to another provider so she can give TalkTalk notice, wouldn't even bother asking them any further for a repair becasue from experience you won't get one.

We have just successfully switched away from TalkTalk with 5 months of a contract still to run, and although it was hard work, they have now agreed to wipe the account.

Gaining compensation from someone who has failed to provide what the are contracted to so is not unreasonable.

[razor8]

Well they have fixed it now; she got the entire line rental credited back for the months that it was down. Then got two months credited as a "good will gesture". She did ask for some sort of compensation for the inconvenience but they weren’t having it. Have to say though there service has been appalling. Thanks to everyone for their advice
.