Direct Debit Failure

[amiaspden1]

Got a message today that my direct debit had failed. It looked so much like a scam I nearly ignored it, but thought I'd check my bank account. Money hadn't gone out - but there's enough money and the direct debit is active. Looks like TalkTalk haven't requested the payment.

The email said I'm going to be charged an extra £12.50. This will be a deal breaker for me after many years as a customer,  if you fail to take payment and then charge me for that failure. 

[Arne-TalkTalk]

There has been a failure in one of our systems which has been identified and will be fixed ASAP.

[Pal353]

I have had exactly the same experience and received the same email with the £12.50 surcharge on my next bill. I logged into my account and paid the bill by debit card.  After a call to Customer Services yesterday, I was told that the fault lay with my bank.  So I took a trip to my bank only to find that TalkTalk had not asked for the direct debit to be taken. So this morning I have spent nearly an hour on the phone to Customer Services. I thought the problem may have occurred because I renewed my contract a few weeks ago. But not so....there has been a problem with the collection of direct debits.

After 50 minutes, I have negotiated the following:

1. The £12.50 surcharge on my next bill will be cancelled.

2. The June direct debit will be taken on the due date (17th in my case). BUT I WILL CHECK THAT IT HAS BEEN.

3. My account with £5 compensation for the inconvenience caused to me by this TalkTalk fault.

I did say to  the helpful operator at Customer Services (whose name I have) that TalkTalk ought to have informed customers like me and "amiaspdent" above that there had been this problem.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Hi amiaspden1

Thanks for raising this 

This has been escalated to the billing team as a fault in our systems, 

Because of this there will not be extra charges 

[Gliwmaeden2]

There does seem to be a cluster of these DDs that Talktalk appears not to have actioned correctly  and are now warning  that you will be charged for late payment. 

There is plenty of time ahead of the next billing cycle for any wrong charges to be remedied before the next bill is produced. 

Hopefully staff will pick up the issue and address it in the next few days and give everyone peace of mind!

They reply during the day, Monday to Friday.