My wife and I bought, and moved in to a new build property in December 06, and tried to get Broadband through Sky, but were told it wasn't available in our area for a few months. Soon after, Talk Talk were in the area trying to get people to leave BT. They offered us the free broadband, and it looked like a great deal. My wife signed an 18 month contract, and our phone line was switched over to Talk Talk within a few weeks.

We have waited and waited to get the broadband connected, and have been using dial-up in the meantime, at a cost of £300 to £400 per bill!!!. As both my wife and I need broadband for our work, we have had to do it this way. She is on maternity leave now, and not earning, so the last bill of £488 has remained unpaid, and we have been cut off as a result. During this time, the status of our order on the Talk Talk website has altered drastically, and we have been given at least 3 "go live" dates, none of which have come to fruition. My wife has made many calls to Talk Talk, most being answered from South Africa, and has had various levels of success from people sympathising and apologising, to being told "why are you complaining, the broadband is free!!". What broadband? The only reason we switched was to get free broadband in the first place. Despite being polite but firm, my wife has been blatantly hung-up on a number of times, or put on hold for 5 minutes, followed by the line going dead, and enough is enough.

Originally we were told that the modem had been sent out, and would arrive just after our go live date. 4 of these never turned up, and another was always sent (apparently). We are now back to stage one of 5 on their order tracking page of the talk talk website, having initially ordered in Feb 07, and when my wife phoned them again last week she was told "Good news, we have a date for your broadband. May 2008." May 08? That's at least 15 months after we switched to them. What a joke. Part of me things they're totally incompetent, and the rest of me things they just want us to keep spending huge amounts on phone bills, made all the more insulting because we have a new baby to care for.

We've tried to get our internet elsewhere, and just ride out the contract for the phoneline, but have been told we need a BT line, and the Talk Talk line won't allow us to get broadband from any other suppliers, so we're stuck between a rock and a hard place, with no liklihood of getting broadband for at least another 7 months. We know our neighbours have all got broadband, mainly with BT, so surely it can't be too much of a problem to sort it out.

Despite promises of someone in authority contacting us, no one has, and I've emailed my disgust to Talk Talk via their website, still awaiting a response. I have also been in touch with BBC Watchdog, who have had similar complaints, and I have told Talk Talk I am seeking my broadband to be connected ASAP, or my contract to be cancelled, and regardless of the outcome, at least 50% back on my bills, both paid and the current, outstanding one, and a bloody good apology, as a minimum. I have also threatened to contact OFT & OFCOM about them, none of which have sped up the complaints process.

I really feel that we are being messed about and strung along. It's also evident that their internal communication is next to useless. The best we've been offered (3 days ago), was £100 off our current bill, despite paying well over £1,500 in phone bills in 8 months! Despite their claims that they'd keep us informed through every step of the process, which, and on heart, I can say is utter tripe, all they seem interested in is promising us we'll have BB is "15 days" everytime we phone, and taking the payment from our over-inflated phone bills.

Is it true that with a Talk Talk phoneline I can only get broadband from them?

Is there any way of getting out of the contract which has another 10 months or so to run, without getting charged?

Are they winding me up, or are they really this useless?

My mother switched to Talk Talk before we did, and had a fault on her line. It took weeks to get them out. They kept telling her that the fault was nothing to do with them, and that if they did come out (which they still refused to do), she would have to foot the bill WHEN they proved it wasn't at their end. As the fault had occured after heavy snow fall, I urged my mother to keep on at them. Eventually they came out, and as suspected, the fault was traced to a line outside her front door that had become loose under the heavy snow. She didn't receive an apology or prompt service, and looking at various forums we are far from alone.

Any advice or help would be gladly received.

Hi, I have read your post. However, it is very difficult to ask for compensation for something that is being given for free. I do understand you only moved to them because of the free broadband. It now sounds as if you will get no further with talktalk and you should contact OFT and OFCOM. I would not wait for a reply, just go for it and I would start by asking for all the amount you have spent connecting to the internet. You can't go up if they do meet any part of your claim.Hope this helps a little. I am not an expert. I am a talktalk customer and I am very happy with the service. Good luck. Kevin

Hi

I have now been with Talk Talk for 15 months and still awaiting broadband connection. Only changed to them for the free connection.

Talk Talk sales keep telephoning to tell me all about their fantastic offers including free broadband!

Ditch them and sign up to a pay monthly broadband supplier. I have signed up with Virgin broadband with no problems.

 

 

  

 

 

Hi Foreverlasting,

What was your order number, ill see if i can take a look at this one for you.

Thanks TalkTalkBoy, that would be VERY much appreciated. The order number is 1997975.

The latest update is that I have had replies to my 4 emails to Talk Talk, but I honestly don't think anyone has crasped what angle I'm taking. No one can still tell me when we'll get B/band, despite the many previous quotes we've received (from 15 days to, er, 15 months). I keep getting told they won't do anything until I pay my bill, which is a complete fob off, as I won't pay my bill until I know when I can expect B/band, and they have finally admitted that they don't know.

I entered my next door neighbours details on the website, and was told I could have the complete package within 4 weeks. When I advised Talk Talk Customer Services of this, I was told this is an estimate of how long it would take. I can agree with that, but the 9+ months we've waited so far is a bit of a joke, and the 15 months we were quoted which prompted my inital post is taking the p*ss.

I got the usual apologies (I can only imagine to know how you feel...), and one reassuring me that this is not how Talk Talk operate, which led nicely on to telling me that our account has been cancelled, and our case handed over to the Debt Collectors. I haven't as yet contacted the Debt Collectors to explain that their first letter is unappreciated, as I am currently taking legal action in order to not have to pay all of the outstanding balance, and to be reimbursed for my call charges. Given that I have waited so long, and to no avail, and that seemingly my neighbour can have B/band in under a month or so, I also think that Trading Standards would have a case. I have so far forwarded on all correspondence and note to Trsading Standards, OFCOM, OFT, Watchdog, and will be downloading claim forms tomorrow from the internet to try and claim money back through the courts. I also strongly believe that this is a breach of the Goods and Services Act.

 If a compromise can be agreed, I could better spend the time that I am dedicating to this, and I fuly appreciate it that you are not offering to help as part of your job, as you have contacted me and other people on your own time to rectify their problems. Something for which I feel you should be commented for.

 Thanks.

Hi,

 

Im afraid i cant discuss your account in any detail on the forums and could not find any alternative contact method on your account, but i'd reccomend giving talktalk a call to discuss your options.  It looks like the line is going to be cancelled, ive attempted to cancel the cease so that you can have some more time to resolve the issue.  I may however be too late for this as the cease is due to complete today.  Give talktalk a call either tonight or tomorrow.  If you mention that you have gone to your solicitor or OFCOM they should put you through to the High Level Complaints (HLC) team.  You will then be allocated an account manager to assist you further.

 

Thanks for the help. We phoned them today, and were put through to the finance dept. They told my wife that she needed to speak to Customer Services, and when my wife told her that they'd given her the number for the finance dept, the lady hung up! We've been hung up on more often than not, when dealing with TalkTalk, and I was wondering if there was a number you could give me to speak to someone in this country, because, and call me crazy, but I don't think that the people in South Africa that we get put through to, tend to give too much of a damn.
With no broadband, it's proving difficult to download the forms I need to claim through the courts, but I'm just on my way to find my nearest Carphone Warehouse, and internet cafe, to speak to someone in this country and download the forms respectively.
All communications to you and to TalkTalk have been done on my phone, and it's a bit of a pain. My last email, 48 hours ago, is still awaiting a response. Trading Standards have replied with some advice, and someone from Ofcom is apparently phoning me back soon.
I still can't believe this problem has been played out like this, but appreciate you trying to help.

Foreverlasting,

 Had much the same problem, in the end i cancelled my direct debit after 16 monts with them (guess what my modem and software never turned up either) and was sent a bill for £180.00 for early contract cancellation.

 Rang them and was told i had to pay, exploded on the phone telling my situation and they did cut the bill to £8.00 - ahhh bless them.

 During this time I was on broadband with another provider (2 phone lines) and had to pay.

Back with BT

 Staying with BT

Not the cheapest

Not the Best

but they do get it done.

 

Im afraid i cannot offer any numbers that will direct you straight to the UK.  As suggested, ask to be put through to the on site escalations team, when you get to them explain that you have gone to the small claims court and OFCOM and they will then speak to there team manager and should be transferring you to the HLC team.  TalkTalks policy is that if anyone has threatended legal action or has already gone to OFCOM this should be dealt with by the HLC team.

 

It may be worth sending an email to support AT talktalk.net asking them to record an alternative contact number for you on the notes on your account. 

I will do that as soon as I post this. I'm still waiting on a reply from Customer Services to my last email, sent 5 days ago. The status on the website has finally changed to Stage 2 "Your landline switches", having been at stage 3 a couple of times, but at Stage 1 for the last few months. Our landline actually switched in Feb, but the irony is that we've now been cut off and our number doesn't work!!

I asked a chap in my local CPW on Thursday, how long it would take to connect to TalkTalk if I swiched. He proudly told me "3 weeks. It used to be longer, but there're more people working on it these days."

I deflated him with "Good, because we switched over 9 months ago, and are still waiting." I told him as much of the story as I could, and he phoned someone, only to be told that BB is ready to go live, all we need to do is pay up. Hmmm, not sure if I believe that, and so I told him. Someone was listening (I assumed his manager), and they had a little chat, and he came back, saying he'd email his Area Manager, saying it was the best he could do, and I fully appreciated it. He took my mobile number, and said he'd phone me as soon as he had some answers. I'll give him a few more days and pop back in and see him if I hear nothing.

My Xbox live subscription lapses on Tuesday, and that's exactly a year without online gaming, for which I've paid (3 months of that time wasn't down to Talk Talk). How I've missed it.

 Any-hoo, as ever, thanks for the help you've offered so far.

TTB,

All done, and a reply to my email 5 days ago was received whilst I was writing to them again. The message reading:

"I have looked into your account and I find that on the 23rd of November 2007 a complaint was logged for you regarding this matter. Our Escalations Department are taking care of this matter from now on. They will contact you when they have an update regarding your complaint.

The ticket number from the Complaints Data Base is 360676."

I guess I'll sit and wait, and see what happens. I've also posted a 7 page document, consisting of all emails to and fro, to the Talk Talk address on the website, in a bid to hurry things up further.

 Thanks again.

Latest update from me (Tues 27th Nov.)

Spoke to TalkTalk last Thursday, in a bid to get debt collectors off our back, given our decision to take TT to court, report them to OFCOM, Trading Standards, etc. Was told they'd been called off, and were then hung up on. Travelled in to town to speak to guy in CPW. Explained issues, and was told he'd email his AM, and phone me to let me know. Still heard nothing.

Over the weekend, noticed that our status on the TT website had progressed one, with the message "please bear with us..." What have I been doing for 10 months?

Sunday, emailed them again, as I'd heard nothing from them following my email 5 days previous. Got a reply as I was writing my next email, but still sent 2nd email. Reply stated we'd been handed over to the escalations dept., who would be in touch. Still nothing. Also posted 7 pages of emails to and from TT, to their office in London, W3 that's featured on the TT website.

Yesterday, got a letter from TT stating they were terminating our agreement, as we'd requested to transfer our service (What service? We've never had broadband, and they cut our phone off weeks ago. You've got to laugh.) They go on to say that they'll be charging us £70 as well. My *** they will. Also received a FINAL NOTICE letter from their debt collectors (the ones that were reportedly called off), saying that if we do not pay, they will take us to court, and seek damages, etc.

I've got a lot of chasing up to do today, and all I want is Broadband. I've waited 10 months, been patient, polite, listened to countless lies, been hung-up on routinely, and now am facing court action. If they can't give us our "free broadband", why not say "Sorry, can't do it. Here you go, we'll free you from your contract with our apologies"?

This morning - Phoned the number on the TT letter we got yesterday. Was told (by a polite and friendly guy in this country) that the letter was sent in error. Was told that the phoneline has now gone (even though the website tells us we're soon to get BB), and we'll need to contact BT to get a new line. Then I was told that on Thursday, it was agreed that the bill be split, and we now only need to pay 50% of the outstanding amount. Thing is, no one told us. Apparently, the escalations department have been trying to contact us to discuss. The shame of it is that they've been using our home phone that they cut off 2 weeks ago!! Every correspondence I've had with TT, I've asked them to ring my mobile. Phoned the Debt collectors, but they were useless, and wouldn't confirm that they've been called off.

Now, if TT agree to let us go, having paid only 50% of the outstanding bill, and they waive the £70 leaving fee, then we're free of them, and we can get another line and another number, and get BB elsewhere. We will still be taking legal action though.

Hi Foreverlasting ,

 

The escalations intervention and agreement to meet you half way on the bill was due to me.  Please bear in mind that the debt collection holding off is not a permanent solution but somthing which will only be done for one month.  If you can contact talktalk via the phone and request they leave a note on your account with an alternative number, ill see if i can get somone else to call you back again. 

Thanks TTB, we're hugely greatful. Should you ever find yourself in my pub, the drinks are on me!

On every email, I have requested my mobile as point of contact, but the gent I spoke to the other day said he'd put a note on there regarding it.

My wife is paying the remaining balance in the next couple of days, and then we hope to be free. The last dealings we have with TT, and the dreaded £70 leaving fee, may prove pivitol as to whether we continue with the lagal action. Gonna have to fork out to BT for a new line and number by the look of things, but it'll be worth it, so we can start again, and try and get BB ASAP.

 Thanks, again.

Hi,

There is no contact number available on your account. Could you call and ask for this to be added on.