Talk talk forwarded an account to debt collection Agency 2 years ago

[Stevejones2023]

Talk talk forwarded an account to debt collection Agency 2 years ago, was not advised if this by anyone, DCA say they have been contacting me during the past 2 years which they haven't got an email and letter same day 2 days ago, they lied to allow the £25 debt to increase to £87, have asked for proof of their contacting me, no response yet, the £25 is due to a non returned set top box, I returned everything by royal mail 2 years ago, phone talk talk they won't help the DCA dint care just say got to pay the money.....help please

[Stevejones2023]

Yes but when I first phoned TT I was told access to the account was not possible, but suddenly I get confirmation that my equipment had been reviewed, now a complaint has been raised, was told previously this not possible as it had been sent to the debt agency WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE 

[Arne-TalkTalk]

You will need to discuss this with the complaints team, once a complaint is raised we cant interfere on the community. 

[Stevejones2023]

After the equipment was returned there was no further communication from TT 😡

[Arne-TalkTalk]

A complaint has been raised this is now in the hands of the complaint department. 

[Gliwmaeden2]

Re-escalating this for you, @Stevejones2023. Hopefully this will all be over soon.

[Stevejones2023]

No one at talk talk cares about their customers, this has been going on for a couple of months now, with threatening emails from BW legal, I trawled the internet for Wats if contacting TT today I finally received a reply saying my equipment had been returned 2 years ago, a phone call to TT received the response can't help you talk to BW legal, it's just not good enough, TT must talk to customers first and not just hand over to a debt agency 

Maybe now I can get this closed, with an apology 

[Arne-TalkTalk]

We would have issued monthly bills showing an outstanding balance, After a certain amount of time we are allowed to sell on the debt.

[AllyM]

---

@jaspertat wrote:

Arne are you saying that TalkTalk can, at a whim, vary the terms and conditions?

---

As well as that, it is quite concerning that they can pass on a debt to a Debt Collection Agency without telling the customer that they believe money is owed and giving them the chance to pay it first.

[jaspertat]

Arne are you saying that TalkTalk can, at a whim, vary the terms and conditions?

[Stevejones2023]

But it should not have been passed on

1 because I returned the equipment

2 according to TT t&c it's the customers property

3 TT never contacted me about a problem or that they were going to forward my details to a DCA

So 😡

[Arne-TalkTalk]

The debt has been sold to a collection agency you will need to go through them, ring 02034370311 for assistance.

[Stevejones2023]

One missed call from TT then nothing, TT don't care 😪

[Stevejones2023]

So w hat about clause 7.2 saying the customer owns the set top box ????

[Stevejones2023]

Wish I could return all the stupid badges I keep winning what a 😡 joke

[Stevejones2023]

Neither TT or the DCA contacted me 2 years ago to say the equipment wasn't returned, which it was, and what about your T&C clause 7.2 stating the set top box is the customers property ???

[Stevejones2023]

What about clause 7.2 saying the set top box is the property if the customer 🤔🤔🤔

[Stevejones2023]

Thank you, I feel less one now, I have asked the DCA for proof if communications, as there were none, TT should have contacted me 2 years ago saying the equipment not returned, also advise me that my personal info had been passed to a DCA, really not good enough, which is why TT have the worst customer service according to which magazine 

[Stevejones2023]

One missed call then nothing TT don't care, see there trust pilot reviews 😡

[Arne-TalkTalk]

After 2 years there is nothing we can do on this, equipment returns has been a process for a long time (pre covid )  if the OP can show the evidence I can definitely dispute it.  

[Gliwmaeden2]

@Arne-TalkTalk, customers often take it on trust that a piece of equipment will be received and processed correctly by Talktalk. 

There is no warning given about "keep a certificate of posting for several years thereafter because either Royal Mail or our own systems will bungle this for you".

Only because we CSs remind people that it is advisable for customers to get a certificate of posting, some of them do have this "insurance".

There have been multiple instances of Talktalk not correctly processing returns and billing customers thereafter. 

If nothing else, in the light of Talktalk's own track record, there should be an advisory note in the email that requests return of equipment, to the effect that the customer should keep the record of posting for several years.

With no warning in the message, Talktalk customers will not be keeping the evidence this long.

Can Talktalk prove that they have sent out warnings to the customer at an earlier stage in this process, before the amount deemed to be owed escalated, and while they might have retained evidence of posting?

@Stevejones2023, the "new" service mentioned really refers to "first" service with Talktalk. It really is a bit misleading.

There are too many loose ends in Talktalk's own behaviour and the wording of the Ts&Cs.

Can Talktalk provide evidence of attempts to follow up sooner, @Arne-TalkTalk?

These need to be provided to the customer, as, without proof, it is Talktalk's word against theirs in court.