Approaching current contract end...some questions...

[aolmum]

Hello

I am aware that despite hearing issues meaning it is difficult for me to negotiate Renewal by telephone (via Loyalty and/or Retentions), help to do so is unavailable on the forum and never as good terms by live chat. However, I am hopeful, at least, for some clarification here re some matters connected with Renewal.

1)  My current 24 month contract ends on 20 April 2025.  I have received a standard email on 24/3/25, advising my package will increase by £1.54 p.m. from 28/4/25. I understand the why as regards the price (ie CPI at 2.5% + 3.7%), but why from 28th rather than 20th?

2)  I believe Ofcom mandates for customers to be sent notification of end of contract date and renewal options between 10 and 40 days before contract ends, and this more usually happens around 30 days before. Bearing in mind my contract is due to end on 20th April 2025, I have not yet received any such by email or post. Will it be sent soon? Oddly, on 22nd November 2024 I received an email advising my contract was due to end soon and offering me a Renewal price of £26 p.m. for 18 maths (increasing by £3 in April (presumably 2025, it didn't say). As this was 5 months ahead of time, I thought it had been sent in error. Can you check why it was sent so early, and could there be some mix up with dates and this be the reason I haven't yet received the expected  End of Contract Renewal Offer within the more usual 30 days or so of 24/4/25? I can see a different Renewal offer in My Account of £32 p.m for 24 months increasing by £3 p.m. in April 2026 (despite it stating the offer includes Fixed Price Plus!), but as this is a different contract length and quite a bit more than the figure in November's email, I am not sure how accurate it is.

Hopefully one of the support team can check my account/relevant dates and clear up any confusion, thanks,  plus possibly arrange for the expected 30 days or so beforehand Renewal Invite/Offer to be emailed to me.

Thanks in anticipation, as ever, for assistance.

PS

As I have seen others reporting recently elsewhere on the forum, I can't access the Dashboard in My Account, as it just results in the constant spinning/buffering symbol.

[Divsec]

Hi @aolmum good news from Arne, did you get a deal you liked? For the benefit of fellow customers with your particular issues how did you finally make the arrangements.

All the best

Divsec

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Hi aolmum

I can see that you have now renewed. 

Thanks for staying.

[ferguson]

I appreciate that you mentioned your hearing previously, I hadn't missed the point. But only at your suggestion of phoning did I postulate "why not?" in effect. 

[aolmum]

Procrasrtinating, and because, as I said at start "hearing issues meaning it is difficult for me to negotiate Renewal by telephone (via Loyalty and/or Retentions)."

Telephones really are not ideal for me (and many others, no doubt), and for various reasons TypeTalk or suchlike is not an option I would personally use, hence telephoning to negotiate something as important (and attempting to accurately hear all that is being said/offered), would only be as a last resort if I thought that "Retentions" really might have leeway to offer a bit better than the wonderfully named  "Better Deals Department" did via online chat.

[ferguson]

Re. your previous questions. Hell yeah, why not give them a call? And yes, calls are free from a TalkTalk landline. 

[aolmum]

Erm, no......but thanks for understanding the dilemma 😂.

[aolmum]

Hello @siphosethu-TT

Erm, I suppose I am still asking are Better Deals Department via chat the exact same as Loyalty and/or Retentions Department via phone (or is there still a glimmer of hope that the latter might be able to tweak the offers to better match Sky)?

Also, is Talk Talk 0345 172 0088 free to call from a Talk Talk landline, or chargeable at 0345 number rates (as I don't have a calls package)?

[ferguson]

@aolmum 

I totally understand. If you are generally satisfied with TalkTalk then a step into the unknown with the possibility of some disruption along the way is not a pleasant thought. How good is the change in money terms and does that compensate for ongoing peace of mind? I'm not helping, am I?  🙂

[aolmum]

...for some odd reason, after all these years with Talk Talk (and AOL Broadband before Talk Talk took them over), even that I am considering walking away feels odd...and so it is hard to make a choice either way , as there will be negatives and positives in both staying or going. Not looking for someone to make the choice for us....just offloading my thoughts whilst I am here.

[ferguson]

@aolmum 

Ha, I suspect only the names have changed, some bright young thing in middle management probably got a bonus for that!

At the end of the day, it is absolutely your prerogative to walk away and switch. I am sure that you have checked all the detail/small print with Sky to make sure you do not encounter any unexpected pitfalls.

Good luck whatever you decide and I trust you will keep us posted.

[siphosethu-TT]

Hi there aolmum, do you still have any questions? Thanks

[aolmum]

@ferguson  That's what I chose, and chatbot this time put me through to Better Deals Department. I am well versed at haggling (have probably developed skills through all the years of being with and doing so with Talk Talk - despite various negatives, they still have lots of positives too, hence why still loyal, so far), and was on about 50 mins yesterday and an hour today (yes, I had some spare time 😂). Had never heard that Department name used before at Talk Talk, hence wondering if Retentions are any different or all one and the same.  

Must be losing my touch, as so far Sky is still looking to be the better offers.

[ferguson]

Oh and if they make you an offer that are you not satisfied with, say so. Be prepared to haggle. Being out of contract strengthens your hand. 

[ferguson]

I have successfully negotiated decent renewal terms via chat on a number of occasions. When the options first present themselves select "thinking of leaving," or words to that effect. 

[aolmum]

...and yes, eventually had the renewal offers email arrive, and also accessed the offers in my account too. As usual, they differ from each other, and the ones in the account have changed a few times in past week or so too, and are higher than the offers via chat.

As said above, though, now my quandry is whether chat "Better Value Department" is same as telephone "Retentions Department"....or if it is worth a final attempt, even with my hearing issues, phoning the latter before my other half persuades me to give up and move to Sky for one of their lower price offers.

[aolmum]

Sorry for late replys @Gliwmaeden2  and @Divsec . Thanks for input. 

I really do not like to use Text Relay for various reasons, so unfortunately not a suitable option. 

I have however used chat, which I am far more comfortable doing, but I am never sure if the chatbot has transferred me to the agents who can give best offers. When I used to phone ( and indeed the general advice still given on these forums to do), it was to Loyalty and/or Retentions.

Talk Talk Chatbot put me through, twice now, to Better Value Department. So, I have some renewal /upgrade offers, but not quite as good as what Sky Broadband have offered, and don't know if the Better Value Department  is one and the same as Loyalty and/or Retentions, or if there is still a chance if I do attempt telephoning the latter, they might have scope to get closer to the Sky offers.

[Gliwmaeden2]

@aolmum, check the phone availability hours nevertheless, because these will be the same as for text relay.

However, Chat should work equally well, once you get past the bot, and as it's a script you avoid the hearing issues. Keep screenshots either way!

[Divsec]

Hi @aolmum if you do decide to use the text relay option, which seems to be designed to help with hearing and speech difficulties, I would really appreciate to hear how you get on. I think the suggestions from my colleague @Gliwmaeden2 are possibly more suited to other users.

D

[Gliwmaeden2]

@aolmum, the new price kicks in with the date of the bill in April. The increase applies from then.

That's a totally separate issue from your end of contract date, which means that out of contract fees would apply pro rata for the days between the end of contract and the billing date.

You are dealing with two separate issues that happen to occur in the same month.

You're best negotiating a new deal directly through Chat or phoning 03451 720088, so check opening hours in the link that Divsec posted. These deals tend to be better than what's available in emails or in Offers & Upgrades.

[Divsec]

Hi @aolmum sorry for taking a while to get to you, I've found this page

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/How-to-contact-TalkTalk-Broadband/ta-p/2230529

And if you scroll quite away down you will find  information about text relay. It seems designed to help.