Talktalk do listen

[Llinx]

What a week! Everything started to go wrong when I was offered a social broadband package that would have been cheaper with another ISP. I decided to accept it and went through the proccess of changing ISP's.

I was then presented with a £216 leaving bill as I was apparently in breach of contract and this extortinate amount was the contract breaking fee. This would have finacially crippled me in a very serious way. After a few hours (literaly) trying to get this resolved, I decided I had no choice in paying this high fee in order to be able to leave Talktalk. 

Let's just say this was left as it was on VERY terms with me losing all confidence and trust with Talktalk and basically calling the loyalty team a complete joke (not the best conversation I have ever had but I was furious).

Today, the loyalty department contacted me by phone and offered me a shorter contract package, cheaper and a loyalty cash back bonus! Highly unexpected. My stress levels have been extreme over the last few days to say the least but I listened to their new proposal.

I was not expecting what was offered but they offered a deal that I couldn't refuse and this new package will help me out finacially in this ever increasing price rise wars we are all experiencing.

Thank you Talktalk for the new package and really listening to my concerns. I honestly thought we would leave on negative terms. Goes to show that customer loyalty does count for something.

Today was a good day and this new offer has greatly releived me of my finacial worries and stress at the prospect of being £216 out of pocket.

I greatly and deeply appreciate your support and the new offer. Thank you so much.

(Reason for posting this is so if anyone has hardship, don't put it off. Explain to Talktalk your struggling and see if they can help you).

[Llinx]

Any information or update to this yet? It seems I am paying a little over £11 pm. This is acceptable but I am still not happy with the hidden admin one off cost of £30 that was not mentioned.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

@Llinx can you please PM me the confirmation email, so I can investigate this. 

Thank you

[Gliwmaeden2]

@Llinx, remember that you had renewed your contract a few months back?

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Broadband/Burned-Again/td-p/2968444

This was the NEW contract that would have continued to Jan '25.

It may have included extras that you were not sure about, so the actual billing amount differed from what you expected.

Remember that there can also be part month confusion when you renew, which can give you a strange figure for the first bill of the new contract. 

Anyway, that's what caused the massive potential early termination fees when you wanted to switch so soon to another provider. 

Then, when you came to renegotiate, that recent renewal date was treated as the reference point, and agents are required to charge an admin fee if you are this early in  a new contract. Only in the last 90 days of a contract would this be waived. See one off fees here:

http://community.talktalk.co.uk/pricing

The agent should have made this clear to you. While it's not as bad as the early termination fees, by a long way, it is still a significant charge.

The higher monthly amount, £24.95 rather than £21.95, may reflect extras. Check for TV, Voicemail, Supersafe or any other boost in the details of My Account (any of these may be discounted).

Check also in the Ts&Cs (linked at the foot of any Talktalk page) as this clarifies the contract information. 

Regardless of how the phone call was handled, you are not out of contract with respect to Talktalk given that they are applying the charge because of the one you are already in, that you have simply changed. Remember that January was their reference point.

The only way to have escaped Talktalk without charge, earlier in the year, would have been to NOT RENEW in January and they would have simply required 30 days' notice, out of contract. It would still have taken a month or two to sort out billing, but eventually any unused days would have been refunded to My Account for you to claim back.

Wait for Arne to take a closer look at all this!

[Llinx]

Seems my above post was premature. Talktalk appear to have got the agreed package wrong. They offered me a deal for £21.95pm. The package associated with my account says £24.95pm (that is not what was offered). Also, when I received the confirmation email so this is legally binding (as is needed when agreeing to a new contract) there is a hidden cost of £30 one off fee for admin charges (NOT even mentioned let alone discussed).

So yet MORE grief with trying to sort this out. Will it never end?

I am not clued up on law with contracts but I currently see this as if it isn't what was agreed to at the time of the phone call, as far as I am concerned there is A contract associated with my account but as it does not seem to be what was agreed with unmentioned hidden charges, I am currently therfore out of contract with talktalk as whatever this contract is thats currently there is not the one agreed to..

What a mess...again... so fed up and unhappy.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi Llinx

So glad to hear that the loyalty team were able to agree a suitable deal for you.

Regards,

Karl. 

[Gliwmaeden2]

Good to hear that Talktalk listened, @Llinx.

And if you don't ask, you don't get, so it was definitely worth explaining your circumstances. 

Also a cautionary tale, as people do have to observe the Ts&Cs if they leave early. Easy to forget in the heat of the moment or in a crisis!

Thanks for posting!