Calls Boost Ending before FTTP contract.

[benny55]

I agreed to an FTTP upgrade (18 month’s duration) on the 26th November 2021 which also included a calls boosts package. There was then a delay in the FTTP installation which appears to have created an imbalance between the end dates of the two elements. As a consequence I’m concerned about call boost charges being applied for this interim period.

I’m seeking to synchronise both elements with TT or an alternative provider. Therefore, can you please confirm;

1) Call boosts can be removed via ‘My Account’.

2) The earliest point where I can end the FTTP portion of my TT contract without incurring costs?

Thank You.

[benny55]

Thank you Arne.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

I can confirm that the second account is now disconnected.

[benny55]

Arne thanks for the reassurance.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

This is automatically generated when the cancel was placed on the 2nd account.

[benny55]

Didn't have to wait long for the next instalment, today I had this email;

We’re sorry to hear that you’re thinking of leaving TalkTalk. Unfortunately leaving your contract early means that you will need to pay early termination charges.

We’d love it if you stayed. So, we really want to get a better understanding of why you might want to leave. This means we can let you know all the options available to you. These options could save you the hassle of leaving and having to pay extra charges.

Want to learn more? Simply give us a call on the number below and a member of our team will chat you through your options.

Yours sincerely, The TalkTalk Team

[benny55]

Having spent over an hour on the phone I 'may' be closer to a resolution of this long running saga.

The first agent;

• Acknowledged the overcharging and following approval from his supervisor processed a credit to cover.
• Confirmed my contract was a ‘Fixed Price Plus ‘agreement and noted it for future reference.
• Regarding the duplicate services, he contacted the Cancellations Team. When he came back to me I pointed out the potential loss of service (as mentioned on here) he then contacted the Order Management team. When they confirmed it would be fine he went back to the Order Cancellation team. If you’re still with me, this agent then passed me over to the Customer Services team.

The second agent;

• This agent then took me through the service cancellation process for my old plan with a termination date of the 25th August. She then proceeded with a list of T&C’c  which she stated didn’t apply to me as I had another service.
• When I questioned why this situation was allowed to happen she sated it was ‘Failure to monitor the service change-over’.
• I’ve just had a ‘We’d love you to stay’ email with all the usual, we’d like you to stay, return equipment etc, etc. I’m hoping it’s just part of this cancellation routine and there not serious.
• So I must now wait to see what happens next. 

[benny55]

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@Arne-TalkTalk wrote:

The main issue is that if we put a cease through on the other (wrong) account we are unsure if it will stop the entire line.  I would have to advise you to call the Full fibre team again. 

Sorry for any inconvenience. 

---

Thanks you Arne for replying.

• I don’t believe I have ever spoken to the Full Fibre team, this whole change was arranged via one of your colleagues in the Retentions Dept. this after I had arranged a switch to Vodafone.
• How do you suppose I am going to be more successful at resolving this, dealing directly with them, when you, a colleague within TT failed?  

[Arne-TalkTalk]

The main issue is that if we put a cease through on the other (wrong) account we are unsure if it will stop the entire line.  I would have to advise you to call the Full fibre team again. 

Sorry for any inconvenience. 

[benny55]

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@Arne-TalkTalk wrote:

Hi benny55

Your bill was manually adjusted as promised.  

The only update I can give is that the issue is still with the billing team. 

Im sorry that this is still ongoing. 

---

Thank you Arne for your reply.

In 2023 its astonishing that a major telecoms company has to resort to manually adjusting customers bills. Could it be that we're just one step away from quill and parchment statements?

Leaving that aside, this 'manual adjustment' of last months bill failed to address the 'double charging' of the previous three months nor indeed does it alter the 'Fixed Price Plus' status on the T&C's of my new contract plan.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Hi benny55

Your bill was manually adjusted as promised.  

The only update I can give is that the issue is still with the billing team. 

Im sorry that this is still ongoing. 

[benny55]

When is someone going to take responsibility for this ongoing problem???

I fail to see why my State Pension income should be supporting the balance sheet of a company like TalkTalk. 

One option maybe to suspend my Direct Debit mandate until such time as all my overpayments have been recovered.

[benny55]

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@Arne-TalkTalk wrote:

Its still being investigated, the other service needs to be ceased, we are trying to work out how to stop it without cancelling the whole line.   When the next bill is produced we will make sure that you are only charged for the correct service, manually until a fix can be sorted. 

---

I was awaiting the outcome of the collection of the Direct Debit mandate before commenting further.

The promise of manually adjusting my bill appears to have failed miserably.

• My A/C continues to show two chargeable services; ‘Fibre 65 data only’ also ‘Fibre 65’ and while the DD collected was for just the latter that leaves the overcharging of the former for June, July and August. All of which means that rather than applying the DD my A/C is actually in credit.
• The Contract T&C’s continues to state that prices are subject to increases over the duration of the contract. That is not what I signed-up for.

What I don’t understand is why the charge for this ‘non service’ can’t be set at £0.00; this could then be applied retrospectively from the cessation point of this ‘Fibre 65 data only’ section of the contract, thereby recovering all my overcharges. This could continue until a resolution is found, if ever.

[benny55]

Returned from leave and guess what awaited me, yes, yet another incorrect Bill from TT. I haven’t had a correct one since May and in that period and my calculations I’ve been overcharged by approx. £80. 

Just to make matters worse I’ve now got a notice on my account that reads;

"You have an outstanding balance on your account, and payment is now overdue. Please - make an online card payment - or, if you're struggling to pay, review your options  here" .

All of this at a time when TT, as a result of their system failings, actually owe me money.

Just when is this nonsense going to end????

[benny55]

Wow, that advanced.

At least Fred appears to know what he doing.

[ferguson]

The TalkTalk accounts manager hard at work with the latest technology:

.

[benny55]

Thanks Arne.

What a very strange situation that a customer cannot be migrated from one package to another in a seamless fashion. This scenario can’t be applicable to just me.

I’m assuming that next month’s ‘manually produced’ bill will also reflect the overcharge (circa £49) from last month.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Its still being investigated, the other service needs to be ceased, we are trying to work out how to stop it without cancelling the whole line.   When the next bill is produced we will make sure that you are only charged for the correct service, manually until a fix can be sorted. 

[benny55]

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@Arne-TalkTalk wrote:

Hi benny55

The account is still being investigated with the billing team. 

When I get an update I will let you know.  

---

OK, another week has passed and no indication that my account has been corrected.

Don’t know why it takes so long to investigate/correct what is a very simple situation.

• My old contract ended on the 19th June.
• My new contract commenced on the 19th June.

On my last bill (July) I was charged for both services, in arrears for the June portion and future for all of July.

As I will be away during my next billing cycle I don’t want to return to a bill of £70, similar to last month.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Hi benny55

The account is still being investigated with the billing team. 

When I get an update I will let you know.  

[benny55]

So a week has now elapsed with no obvious changes/corrections to My Account. 

Where do I go from here??