Talk Talk Broadband

[Deller]

Earlier this year (April) I decided to take up Talk Talk's offer of their discounted Broadband offer. Having made the phone-call and gone through the normal questioning for setting up a new account I was asked to pay a one off connection fee of £29.99. My go-live date was deemed to be 1st May 2006 and I was advised that I would receive a welcome pack along with my modem shortly. Sure enough a week or so later the package arrived, but when I tried to configure the modem on my laptop I was unable to do so. I phoned the technical support line and was talked through a manual set-up procedure which didn't work either, I was advised that I must have received a faulty modem and that I would be sent a replacement within 10 days. 4 weeks later nothing, so tried to contact talk talk again, ( this is a nightmare in itself - queing for 30 mins at a time), once I got through I was told that a modem would be dispatched within 10 days. Well this went on for the next two months and I must have spent several hours queing on the phone just to listen to their same old bulls***. Finally 2nd Aug a new modem arrived only for this not work either. That was it, I couldn't put up with this cr*p any more so decided to cancell the whole package and request a refund of the initial connection fee.

 

After numerous phone calls and emails to Talk Talk I finally received a letter on 15th Sept stating that I would receive a cheque for £29.99 within 28 working days. This deadline has since expired and still nothing, I am fed up with it but don't feel as though they should get away with it, even if it is only a small ammount of money. I refuse to phone them as this is just making my phone bill ridiculously high having to wait ages to speak to anyone each time only to be fobbed off to another department and another que.

 

Has anyone else incurred such problems with Talk Talk, and are there any suggestions as to how I can get my money back!!

[blueskies]

Write them a letter demanding the money back within 14 days or you will issue a claim in the small claims court. Mark the letter LETTER BEFORE ACTION (you have already requested the money back so you don't need to send a prelim letter.

[Jimbo44]

Write them a letter demanding the money back within 14 days or you will issue a claim in the small claims court. Mark the letter LETTER BEFORE ACTION (you have already requested the money back so you don't need to send a prelim letter.

 

.....and I would be very tempted to add on the cost of the 'phone calls to them asking for it back too!! I'm willing to bet it was a 'premium line' of some kind!!

[Deller]

Thanks guys,

 

Yes it was a premium rate number, so will be going through my phone bills and checking how much money I wasted on them and adding it to what they already owe me!!

[secretarybird]

Hi, Ive had a similar problem with Pipex. I signed up, received the modem, told | am ready to go live within 8 days - brilliant! I get to install the modem - doesnt work! Try installing, re-installing, disconnecting, everything I can think of. I ring their technical help line 2 hours later still getting "high volume of calls" thing which eventually cuts off! This went all evening and all the next day Saturday - me getting the same message and getting cut off. Sunday they are not available at all. So come Monday at 8am I phone and guess what - the same thing up until 11 am when i eventually rang their Sales Dept. Hey Presto - instant reply!! When I eventually cooled down they said they didn't know the reason why I hadnt got through Friday evening and all day Saturday and they put me through to someone on technical help. This guy asked if I had a spare modem to try!! I said I could find one as it happened (but hey - what would have happened if I hadn't got hold of one?) Anyway I got home that night, tried again with the new modem and this wouldnt work. And of course when I ring techncial help they arent around!! So again Tuesday 8am I ring again. Cant get through?? Just ring Sales! Yes that does the trick - answer first ring!! By this time I am livid so I just tell them I want to cancel my contract. They say well I shall have to pay a fee because I have broken my contract with them I say No - you have broken the contract because your technical help desk doesnt exist. I was given all sorts of excuses, line faults, new line system etc. but I pointed out that shouldn't be my problem - I sign up to a provider with technical help that isn't there!! I have rung the bank who say they cant cancel the Direct Debit because its not yet in force, but as soon as I see it presented to my bank I can ring the bank and they will claw it back the same day. This is two weeks now and I have to look on line to see if this has happened and up to now it hasn't. But the moral of this story is DONT USE PIPEX !!!

Having got that off my chest - any ideas as to who I can use for broadband..... cant bear to use th PC at home now cos its so slow on narrowband.

Thanks for letiing me shed all that ...

Margaret

[Deller]

You seem to have had a pretty enthralling time of it too!!

 

I know what you mean about narrow-band, I'm still on it until I can find a broadband provider who is able to fullfill what they offer.

[Jimbo44]

Hi Margaret and Deller

 

Without wanting to 'plug' any ISP in particular, or be accused of anything untoward either, I've used Tiscali without any problems since they took over the defunct 'Tiny' set up some years ago.

 

When I upgraded from dial-up to broadband everything happened when they said it would. Their technical help when I had problems connecting for the first time on broadband was good too. The guy I spoke to even spoke in language a techno-simpleton like me could understand (I'm not a computer-geek by any means)!

 

Having said that, I know of those (even on this forum) who have had problems with them.

 

I guess the old saying applies to a large extent; "You pays your money and you takes your chance"!!

[Deller]

Well I've had two very heated conversations with Talk Talk this evening but with no result. Just kept being passed from one department to another, so I'll be issuing them with a LBA tomorrow.

[davidp1948]

If you want a reliable and resonably priced Internet Service Provider switch to "FREEOLA.COM" They do not charge a premium for telephone support. The telephone support guys are really helpful and go beyond what they need to in order to help. I started with them about six years ago with dial up and then switched my broadband from BT to them. I had problems configuring a new wireless router and they helped me change all my settings which was not their job, but the router manufacturer was useless. You also get unlimited email accounts hosted by them. I've considered talktalk, Sky and some of the other marginally cheaper ISPs but you hear so many bad things that I'll stay where I am thank you.

[Deller]

Received the following email this evening regarding my complaint,

 

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Please accept my sincere apologies for the problems that you have experienced with our service. I agree that some of the issues that you described in your e-mail could have been handled better and I thank you for your patience and understanding.

 

I can confirm your account has been credited with an amount of £39.97 this is the cost of the modem and the direct debit charges.

 

Once the credit has been raised a cheque will be forwarded within 28 days.

 

 

If you have any general queries, please call customer services on 0870 444 1820.

 

I don't believe it, they actually want to make me wait another 28 days, and they've even dished out the customer services number again, the one that if you ring, you get put on hold for 30mins than passed between departments.

[fatboy88]

Pipex are the worse for claiming back money and if your line is down. I moved from them in may and they are still chasing me for £16 when in fact they owe me £5 but i couldnt be bothered to claim for it. All you get in emails as i cant be bothered to wait on the phone is your account says you owe £16 they never read the notes

[ellielou]

I too have had problems with Talk Talk - from them cancelling my initial Broadband order, to the password not working once I finally had a connection date.

 

I've rang their help lin eon numerous occasions only to run though the same troubleshooting & for them to tell me they have to pass it on to the technical department to call me back - I was given a specific time when this would happen. They have called back, however, at a totally different time than agreed, which meant I haven't had access to my computer when they called.

 

I was only 'supposed' to be able to connect from last Monday but having spent now almost £50 on calls to them - I've had enough. I'm going to write them a letter asking them to cancel my contract (if they try to hold me to the 18 months I signed up for - I'll point out that they are in breach of contract, as they have failed to provide me with the service I signed up for), I am also going to request that they refund all the money I have spent on phone calls & I may even ask for some money for the inconvienence of the whole bl00dy thing.

 

Then I'll start all over again & see if I can find a decent BB provider.

[Gruffle Gaw]

I've had similar problems with Talk Talk broadband too, from the modem not working to their techies not bothering to call me back when they said they would. I've been thinking of making a claim, though given the amount in question it has slipped down my list of priorities. It has now jumed back up again and I'll be watching this thread with interest.

[Allyxia]

Night mare Eh!!!!

[martdj]

Ive just got them to give me a cheque for £200 and pay all my bills ubtil BT take back the line on 11/12 I can give you loads of e mail adresses and some direct numbers if you want them. I used to e mail about 8 people in TT every day with an update of the problems i was having if you request a read reciept you know they have been read, and eventually you will win

[Deller]

Night mare Eh!!!!

 

This has become a pretty minor issue compared to some of my others, I still can't believe it's taking the longest though!!

[Deller]

Well this has been long overdue but finally got a cheque from Talk Talk yesterday for full amount plus an extra 20 quid.....so that was a bit of a bonus.

 

Don't know where they got the extra money from but I'm not complaining....

[shellbells1982]

The extra money was a good will gesture or a sorry as you like for keeping you waiting so long and the trouble that you went through. Its not an unusual thing for them to do

[Deller]

And here was me thinking it was a Xmas pressie!!

[kamadhenu]

Did you watch BBC One Watchdog programme yesterday; if not take a look at BBC NEWS | Business | Carphone misleading over iPhone and be informed.