Carphone Warehouse/Talk Talk

[starlitegaize]

I've just received a letter from Roxburghe Debt collectors on behalf of a non-existent debt with the Carphone Warehouse.

 

Bear with me, it's quite involved and I want to give as much detail as I can!

 

15.12.09: exchange of contracts on my flat; contacted Talk Talk/CPW to transfer my account (been with Talk Talk for a couple of years already).

 

Moving into a rented flat for 6 months - needed to set up the internet/phone line before I completed on the flat so I could use the rented place as the "office" whilst my new flat was being renovated.

 

The customer services bod informed me that this would have to be set up as a new account. Fine, says I. I'd like this all up and running before the New Year. Could we do this for December 28th? No problem, says TT.

 

Rented place already had a phone line, so rangmy mobile and got the number. Informed Landlord, get him to do his bit, a PAC number (whatever it's called) was obtained from the existing telecom supplier.

 

December came and went. No phone, no internet. I rang TT at the start of January, to be told there was a fault on the line, they'd have it sorted out by the 15th. Too late says I. I need the internet now. I'm losing work.

 

After a number of telephone calls, TT then tell me they cannot sort this out until 24th January, by which time, 19th Jan, BT have come in and installed a completely new telephone number, broadband and everything.

 

TT were informed on the 19th January that they had not kept to their part of the contract and under the terms I was cancelling.

 

Talk Talk sent me a phone bill for £176, which included: new line connection, tel calls, and then, cheek, the advance line rental for a now non-existent telephone number.

 

I have kept a log of all the time spent on the phone sorting this out, (8 hours... on one occasion) and in the process been passed from department to department. I finally got an agreement (from three different cancellation departments) within TT/CPW that the account had been cancelled. I agreed that I owed them £24 in phone calls, which was paid in full. This was after explaining to them that the number they were charging me for was now non existent and I had a new number. They waived the new line fee, they waived the advanced payment, they accepted the cost of the calls being the final balance.

 

So naturally I am horrified to get a letter from Roxburghe, stating I owe them 96.03. Immediately rang TT/CPW and was again informed that there is no outstanding amount due. They would look into it.

 

2 weeks later, get another letter from Roxburghe.... I am furious...

 

Any ideas?

[Hardupnotfedup]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/resources/templates-library/86-debt-collectors/573-general-debt-letter-if-you-know-nothing-of-the-debt

 

Try this

[Helios]

Welcome to CAG.

As you've found calling these people is useless and waste of time just a cost to you. Everything must be in writing from now on leaves a good paper trail.

 

TalkTalk didn't keep to there side of the contract as you've made out so the account is in dispute with them. What you need to do is write a letter to TalkTalk and lodge a official complain with them

 

 

As for the DCA Roxburghe send this

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Account no:

 

You have contacted I/us regarding the account with the above reference number, which you claim is owed by myself/ourselves.

 

I/we would point out that I/we have no knowledge of any such debt being owed to (insert company name).

 

I am/we are familiar with the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance which states that it unfair to send demands for payment to an individual whenit is uncertain that they are the debtor in question.

 

I/we would also point out that the OFT say under the Guidance that it is unfair to pursue third parties for payment when they are not liable. In not ceasing collection activity whilst investigating a reasonably queried or disputed debt you are using deceptive/and or unfair methods.

 

Furthermore ignoring and/or disregarding claims that debts have been settled or are disputed and continuing to make unjustified demands for payment amounts to physical/psychological harassment.

 

I/we would ask that no further contact be made concerning the above account unless you can provide evidence as to my/our liability for the debt in question.

 

I/we await your written confirmation that this matter is now closed. Otherwise I will have no option but to make a complaint to the trading standards department and consider informing the OFT of your actions.

 

I/we look forward to your reply.

 

Yours faithfully

 

edit to suit

[Guest HeftyHippo]

all the util companies are utter crap when theres a problem. they are too big and systems are too complicated for a problem to come out teh other end.... no, cancel that, they are so big and we need them so much that they don't consider customer care or satisfaction.

 

I had a fairly similar problem with Bulldog telecoms, and was pushed from one dept to another. In the end they said they would not reduce the bill, and I had to make a complaint to their arbitration service. I said if I was going to be even more inconvenienced by that attitude I would be asking for more compensation by the time I had finished giving the details to the arbitration service "not our problem" they said, and he stated that they would rather risk paying more compensation at the end of arbitration than reduce their excessive charges!

 

In the end what I did was write to the home address of one of the directors. That way there is no chance of letters being filtered out by PAs and sent through the usual chain where they meet the usual disdain

 

The problem is, most directors of the big utils give other business addresses to companies house, so getting hold of one like that is near impossible.

 

You've tried their normal systems and got no where, so I would write to all the directors individuallt, and let them know that not only are you publishing their pathetic performance to as many places as you can, and warning everyone you can away from their service, you will counter sue for your time and lost business if they persist in their legal threats. add that if they immediately apologise and desist with their threats you will accept their goodwill offer of £25/35/50 (or whatever) in vouchers

[Afternoon Assasin]

TT & CPW are now seperate companies, which makes them twice as useless as they were before !

 

They have a very poor customer service record from my experience, however contacting them and making a complaint to the office of the CEO does get a response quite quickly.....

[starlitegaize]

thanks all, nice to know there is some help out there

[Guest HeftyHippo]

I seem to remember last time I was looking for a broadband supplier reading about many peoples problems with TalkTalk. There attititude seemed to many customers that as they were getting the broadband 'free' they shouldn't complain about how bad it was

Truth is, with all utilities, there is no customer protection for sloppy performance or bad standards, and if you don't pay under protest, or because the bill is incorrect, they cut you off and hold you to ransom so you can't go anywhere else