Re : Southline Communications

[Brooksykb]

watchdog may be the way http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/thanks.shtml][/url]

Edited December 15, 2009 by Brooksykb
wrong link

[buzby]

Watchdog do have a number of requirements before they take an interest. One-off complaints are of no consequence. Next, if a good number of consumers express a concern, it is evaluated to see if it can be turned into 'good television' (by that, a 'novelty' side that can allow pseudo comedy with a hapless motorcycle passenger or an apologeting MD who can be made to look a fool of).

 

Failing that, it's a waste of time.

[Dobleen]

no its the right comp it has been miss selling mobile phone contracts for far two long WHAT GOES ARROUND COMES ARROUND

 

It would have always been their intention to wind up the business once they'd pocketed the commission. Don't think they're upset about it - they're laughing all the way to the bank.

 

They'll be back in another guise soon (they used to be Walk and Talk) and as long as distributors and mobile providers fail to conduct checks on who they deal with the problem will continue.

[question.Mark156]

I beleive they are now trading as Clear Talk, same sales pitch, same process, be aware.

Edited January 25, 2010 by question.Mark156

[wonky1]

I too bought a mobile phone contract from Southline Communications and i also had exactly the same problems as you guys experienced, they claimed to me that tmobile who were my current contract supplier at the time weren't giving them the correct information to sort things out so it was taking longer than they thought......BULL SH*T!! i rang Southline and spoke to a jumped up canadian guy who i threatened to break his neck and told them ive got the day off work and am currently on route to there office to resolve this burden of a problem and guess what within 30 mins it was all payed and sorted..

might not work for everyone but it did for me! Glad they've now gone out of business though.

[Reedy1234]

Hi everyone,

 

Just a quick question about Southline Communications. Does anyone know where abouts they are based?? And now they are ClearTalk do you know what there business is now??

[Buzzed]

aa

Edited May 26, 2010 by Buzzed

[jason brown]

2-way communications are southline communications

 

Hi guys just to give you a heads up I took up the brilliant offer made to me by Southline Communications only to realise I would pay more in the long run as they did not pay my last bill to T-mobile of over £300 as they promise about 2 years ago. I recently received a call from Two Way Communication or as they say it 2-way Communication offering all these excellent phone packages, once bitten twice shy so this time I tried to do some research on the company but could not find anything on them on the internet. But after a few hours worth of digging I found out that both Southline and 2-way are from the same neck of the woods, both companies are bases about ½ mile apart from each other, both use the same sale tactics, the processes are exactly the same, both companies are owned by asian people as I have found out on companies house, to me its too much of a coincident, its history repeating itself. So if you get a call from 2-way communications don’t sign up with them as when thing sound too good to be true they normally are.

[Philwright]

I came across the post about 2 way communications and had to voice my opinion. I have recently changed my phones over to orange via them and I am very impressed with the service I recieved.

I had 12 phone with o2, and normally I do not except sales calls but a young girl contacted me and I couldnt help but listen and I am glad I did.

Not only did they save me £300 per month, there was no delay with the numbers porting, and my get out clause was paid within a few weeks.

I was stung 4 or 5 years ago and vowed never to use a 3rd party again, I have taken the risk and boy I am glad I did.

2 way communications did everythin they said they would and I will continue to do business with them year after year.

I must say myself there is no information on 2 way communications but have you ever thought that maybe that is because nobody has a bad word to say about them, they are just a small business trying to earn a living like the rest of us, it must be hard for them when people read that they are associated with the likes of southline communications who we have all heard of and read about. 2 way communications have been trading for 2 years and not had to change there name several times like some others we have read about, so there not running away from customers they have ripped off. I contacted orange first to confirm all 2 way were telling me and they were more then happy to give a good review. You do have to be wary of all these phone companies but 2 way is one I will recommend to all.

keep up the good work 2 way

P.W Developments.

[4240]

Just to let you know that all the above names are correct and they are now trading as Cleartalk communications ltd this company was registered in May 2010. I know this as my husband has just been stung for transfering his contract from 3 to orange through Cleartalk by buying out 3. That was back in March, and we still havent received the cheque! We have had debt collection letters from 3 so have just issued a court summons to them for £700. I am shaking typing this as i cant beleive they are allowed to get away with it! I think the mobile networks should be partly responsible for this? Has anyone followed this procedure and had a positive result? Im in the process of finding out who owns the co and will let you know.

[4240]

Cleartalk communication ltd

66 Botley Road

Park Gate

Hampshire

SO31 1BB

 

Cleartalkuk.com (this website does not exist)!!!!

[buzby]

Your court action MUST be in the name of the entity you dealt with, not any name change. this is assuming it is a Ltd Company, as this is a legal entity in its own right.

 

Second, legal action will only be successful if (and assuming they defend) if you complied with the explicit terms of the offer. If not, then your pursuit will not be seen as justified. Networks do take an interest if misselling is known, but the whole process is now largely in disrepute and few offer it due to network clampdowns and clawbacks.

[4240]

Your court action MUST be in the name of the entity you dealt with, not any name change. this is assuming it is a Ltd Company, as this is a legal entity in its own right.

 

Second, legal action will only be successful if (and assuming they defend) if you complied with the explicit terms of the offer. If not, then your pursuit will not be seen as justified. Networks do take an interest if misselling is known, but the whole process is now largely in disrepute and few offer it due to network clampdowns and clawbacks.

 

 

Thanks for your info Buzby! I have checked everything u mentioned and am sure with have followed all terms Cleartalk Ltd offered so think we will just have to wait and see!! Just to correct my first blog, Cleartalk were established in May 2009 not 2010.

 

Did some more digging around today and managed to found out the owners names and mailing address. My husband also spoke to orange to see if they would help but as it is not regulated they advised their was nothing they could do!!!

[Stop them]

I've been stung by this lot...twice. Once by Southline Communications, and I vowed never to use a 3rd party phone company again. And recently I had a phone call from 2 Way who promised that they were not like the rest, and stupid me I fell for it again. I feel like such a fool. I am out of pocket by hundreds, I cant even bring myself to calculate the total figure, I am a self employed plumber and I rely on my phone, I cant be without it and they exploit that fact. A lot of my friends in the trade have also been called by various mobile phone companies, all with a different name but the very same sales patter. I think they tend to pursue one man bands and smaller companies as we are more trusting, easier to rip off that the big corporate firms. Having read the posts on here its obvious to me what is going on, they have a stash of pre registered company names, so they can change from one to another when either the unpaid bills rack up or the word gets out or their reputation becomes mud. How many company names have been listed on here? Southline Communications? Walk and talk? Clear talk? 2 Way communications? All based in the Southampton area, all playing the same game, one going out of business after another? Too much of a coincidence, they are a bunch of con artists, ripping off people desperate to save a few quid in a recession. I was changed from Orange to 3, and when I called and explained the situation neither of the mobile phone networks would help me, as far as they are concerned its not their problem. This whole situation is beyond the pale, the networks should not be able to shrug off our claims, okay so I didn't deal DIRECT with 3, but I have been sold one of their products by one of their vendors, I was promised to be brought out of my current contract (8 months) cash back, a blue tooth headset and guess what, all I have got is 2 phones, a bill from orange and a bill from 3 which is higher than what I was quoted. The networks must know what is going on...but all the time they are getting new customers that are stuck in 2 year contracts they couldn't care less. There must be something that we can do as a group?

[buzby]

3UK was one of the first networks to seriously claw back commissions from firms like these (especially when it offered 'cashback' deals), but what you ask is unreasonable. Anyone can sell anything they like - you could have gone to 3UK direct but did not, so why should they be responsible? Is a garage responsible for the mis-selling of a car, or the manufacturer, or indeed the DVLA?

 

THe firms you mention all trade on their 'assciation' with a well known brand, but was this checked out? Or simply believed because they said so? Networks have no responsibility for the claims made by others, that would be a ludicrous situation. The answer is to deal with the network directly, that we with the middlement removed trhere's less of a gamble. It might appear to cost more, but in the long run for many, it actually costs much less!

[gary meekin]

Just seen all the info above. We were cold called by southline in may last year. we were talked into switching from orange to Three. The three service and coverage cost us lots of money due to bad reception and network problems. We have a letter from southline confirming we had a 12 month contract starting 8th July 09. with Three mobile. We terminated the contract in may this year but are now being chased for over £1100.00 by there debt collection agency Moorcroft Debt Recovery, of Cheshire. Apparently southline have told Three that we have a 24 month contract therefore increasing there commission.

We need to get together as a collective to stand up against Three as they now say that we should contact the contract provider (Southline communications) to claim any reimbursements as the debt to themselves still stands. We have now written to three and there debt collection agents telling them that we have a copy of a 12 month agreement and asking them to supply copies of any agreements they may have that we have signed or agreed to.

Oh and yes they went into administration a few months ago owing hundreds of thousands of pounds. I have a list of most the people they ripped off.

Southline also failed to buy us out of our orange contract so we paid that up ourselves as it was the right thing to do.

[chinny1967]

Hello did you say you found out owners names and mailing addresses

I would be most grateful to know....Cleartalk still owe me from March 2010 over a grand....theyve led me a merry dance and Orange dont seem to be able to make them pay me...even though ive been through all the correct channels and asked Orange if they could simply withold Cleartalks commission until they paid me!!!!!

 

Not that difficult surely...Cleartalks are just modern day highwaymen.....but theyll wish they hadnt done so to me when one of my HGVs is parked across their entrance ONE day....covered in banners portraying exactly what theyre about.

 

When they finally get wound down and set up under another name I shall do exactly the same with one of my wagons (haulage operator) wherever they may be....we all have to make a stand dont we..!!!!

Thanks

[lmu]

It's been good to read your posts, it makes me feel like I'm not alone in all this mess.

I don't know where to start, I'm so angry and worried. Cleartalk are complete con artists.

They still owe me £440 from March, and are now saying I'll get it in the New Year. Every time I call them I talk to a different person, who always says they've been having problems (security breach/buyout/cashflow), but assures me I will receive a cheque in a few weeks. So I've just been told I have to wait till January.

They cold called me in March, saying they could better my O2 contract. I told them I had more mins and texts than I ever use, on a month-to-month rolling contract, for £20 a month. I was sure they couldn't beat that, but they came back saying they could match that for £10 per month, plus insurance and handsets.

Too good to be true?

Yep...

I told them it wouldn't work, as I had filed for voluntary bankruptcy a few years ago, so my credit rating was too bad for a credit check. This wasn't a problem, they said, I could get the contract in a friends name and, after 3 months, it could get changed into my name.

That was a lie. Orange can't change it into my name, because of a bad credit rating. So the new contract is still in my friends name.

I successfully ran my landscaping business till this summer. Due to early onset arthritis I have had to close it down, and am now at university as a mature student, retraining. I have no income at the moment and am living on a student loan. I have now been paying an Orange contract of £50 per month, since March.

I have phoned Cleartalk approx 50 times since then, and so have spent a small fortune on phonecalls.

What I don't understand is, are they all in on it? They've all got the sales patter down, and I'm aware I'm just another aggrieved voice on the phone, so they don't really give a monkeys about me.

What should I do? Orange say it's nothing to do with them...

Do I visit their offices, and either get on my knees and beg, or simply take a folding chair, a flask of tea and settle in? I'm reasonably sure they wouldn't want to get the local police involved. Do I alert the local press to my visit?

All I want is to get the money they owe me, and to stop being so frustrated and worried about it.

How best to deal with these modern day highwaymen???

[lmu]

One other thing. I would like to send letters to the directors of the company. There are websites offeringthis info, but they all demand a fee. Is there a way I can get this info without paying for it?

Thanks

[Paul Cryer]

we too were cold called by Southline communications in the summer of 2009. Even though we had only recently signed a contract extension with Orange. For this reason I declined to transfer & they agreed that financially it would not be worth while. However, they kept calling & they promised verbally that they would pay Orange directly the termination fee. They made numerous other promises such as insurance with 3 & foreign roaming packages to match what Orange offered these were both lies. Due to the false promises we failed to cancel the direct debit & Orange debited the termination fee of over £3000 directly.. When we discovered that Southline were going into liquidation we contacted 3 about it. We were promised a response within 28 days & assured that there was a dedicated team dealing with a large number of complaints. 3 dragged their heals & it was 2 months before we got any response despite numerous phonecalls from us. We asked for a copy of the contract that they claim we have with 3 this has not been forthcoming. They have admitted that we had a verbal contract with Southline Communications & that this formed the basis of the 'contract' that they claim they have. We gave notice to terminate with 3 & we are now being pursued by Moorcroft for £4,400. from the start of the termination process we have told 3 & now Moorcroft that this should be dealt with in court. A few weeks ago we were told that if we returned the handsets then this would close the matter this was before moorcroft became involved. Some months ago we contacted the Liquidators,hjsrecovery of Southampton tel 02380234222, who told us that the handsets were the property of the liquidators as 3 had never supplied these. Mike Quick is the person who dealt with the case. We are not going to pay Moorcroft & have told them this. We believe 3 network should be pursing the directors of Southline individually. We also wonder how much 3 new of southline communications & if any of Clear Talks new business is being passed to 3. Have 3 or any employee of been investigated under the DUTY to report suspicious dealings under the Proceeds of Crime Act

[lmu]

Check out the Cleartalk Communications Nightmare thread on the moneysavingexpert.com site for some good news re clawing cashback.

[Paul Cryer]

we too were cold called by Southline communications in the summer of 2009. Even though we had only recently signed a contract extension with Orange. For this reason I declined to transfer & they agreed that financially it would not be worth while. However, they kept calling & they promised verbally that they would pay Orange directly the termination fee. They made numerous other promises such as insurance with 3 & foreign roaming packages to match what Orange offered these were both lies. Due to the false promises we failed to cancel the direct debit & Orange debited the termination fee of over £3000 directly.. When we discovered that Southline were going into liquidation we contacted 3 about it. We were promised a response within 28 days & assured that there was a dedicated team dealing with a large number of complaints. 3 dragged their heals & it was 2 months before we got any response despite numerous phonecalls from us. We asked for a copy of the contract that they claim we have with 3 this has not been forthcoming. They have admitted that we had a verbal contract with Southline Communications & that this formed the basis of the 'contract' that they claim they have. We gave notice to terminate with 3 & we are now being pursued by Moorcroft for £4,400. from the start of the termination process we have told 3 & now Moorcroft that this should be dealt with in court. A few weeks ago we were told that if we returned the handsets then this would close the matter this was before moorcroft became involved. Some months ago we contacted the Liquidators,hjsrecovery of Southampton tel 02380234222, who told us that the handsets were the property of the liquidators as 3 had never supplied these. Mike Quick is the person who dealt with the case. We are not going to pay Moorcroft & have told them this. We believe 3 network should be pursing the directors of Southline individually. We also wonder how much 3 new of southline communications & if any of Clear Talks new business is being passed to 3. Have 3 or any employee of been investigated under the DUTY to report suspicious dealings under the Proceeds of Crime Act

 

 

 

Further to our original posting we have had a number of communications with Moorcroft representatives & we stated our willingness to go to court to fight this. In the last week we found a communication from 3 stating that our account was closed & had a small credit balance. The document was a few weeks old but we contacted Moorcroft who advised us that they were no longer pursuing the matter. we have today received written confirmation of this & that they have passed the matter back to 3. Has anybody else had a similar experience?

[lj89]

im not going to give too much info away so i dont reveal myself too much, but i worked there last year. for 2 weeks. they have 2 departments one which call potential customers gathering information about them to then go to porting where a 2nd department will call the mobile company pretending to be whoever to find out buy out fees and check their account and stuff if its a viable buy out a 3rddept will call them giving them deals. i worked in dept 1 left due to working for an appaulingly run company. i wasnt even paid for my work there. while i was there loads of different staff were coming in and out the doors with promises of wage cheques. they are now operating under t2 whether or not its still under that name is beyond me. they were when i was there operating under cleartalk in some parts of the company. im not sure if its still there or not but its ground floor admiral suite royal mail house terminus Terrance southampton and its run by a guy called taz chaddah.

there is]a facebook group set up by another disgruntled worker just type the name into google and you'll find it. hope this helps some of you.

[Massattack]

Help help please someone help, having a nightmare with cleartalk communications (previously known as southline).

Clear talk cold called me also and offered a deal with O2 that i could not refuse. My monthly tariff with orange ranged from £600 - £900 per month so when cleartalk told me they could get similar mins with O2 for £450 and buy me out of my contract with orange for £2800 i nearly bit their hand off.

I have a written quotation from clear talk stating the above but to this day 18 months on and numerous letters from the debt collection agency this money has still not been payed.

What annoys me more is the fact that every time i make a payment to O2 these dirty little scamsters cleartalk are taking a commision so have explained to O2 that i no longer wish to be in this contract. I have told O2 that i will re-sign with them direct the following day but they are telling me if i leave there will be a £6000 buy out fee (yes £6000) and they cannot re-start a new contract with me to waiver this. So i am indeed caught between a rock and a hard stone.

If i stay with O2 craptalk carry on making commision if i leave i will be left with a £6000 debt from O2 as well as the now £3200 from orange sureley this cant be correct.

I have told O2 perhaps they could chase craptalk for the money as they are in breach of contract but NO the contract is in my name yet they dont have the power to close my account with cleartalk as it is infact craptalks decision to release me from contract and you guessed it they told me i could get out but would have to pay the buyout of 6k. Now if this debt of 6k was with cleartalk i would tell them to stick it where the sun dont shine but yep you guessed it its with O2.

Can anyone offer any sensible advice sureley this cant be legal as many others are suffering at the hands of CRAPTALK

[Massattack]

Just to let you all know Craptalk (Southline) have done it again and gone into administration leaving people with their debts yet again!!!. everyone needs to stay vigilant and look for their comeback in yet another trading name so that we can all blacklist this company.

Congrats Crap talk you have made me smile at last as the debt owed to orange is being passed to their administrators.

Mr Singh and your associates of Cleartalk you are all **** and i would not **** on you if you were burning, you are truly not worth the dog turd off the bottom of my shoe.