talk talk credit score flag incorrect, late payment fees charged after closing my account

[violetteTaghavi]

on the 19th February 2023 i received a final bill of £15.26 on my account. Of that, £12.50 late payment fee was included. On the 27th Feb i contacted talk talk and made the payment and talk talk kindly removed the fee. After that from my perspective, I was in the clear and my account could finally be closed. However I received a notification on the 19th March that i owe £12.50. for which I ignored, as I thought it was taken care of. No news after that, then I went to take out a loan this week and they refused. I checked my credit score and there's a red flag on my account with a missed payment warning. I called yesterday to understand why and talktalk accepted and removed the £12.50 from my account. Therefore my account is at zero now. 

However, this is still on my credit score and I am unable to take loans out because of a mistake on talktalks behalf. 

Legally it should be that a final payment reminder is sent or that its at least 30 days since the missed payment before a credit company is contacted. None of this was done. 

I have had multiple conversations with talktalk and I just go around in circles with people who either can't write english or have no idea what they are saying. 

I have contacted Equifax to get this flag removed, for which I asked talk talk for a transcipt of the conversation on the 27th Feb proving they accepted to remove the late payment fee. They told me that takes 2 months to get the transcript! They argued down the phone to me as though I am in the wrong and did not help in any manner. 

Now I have wasted hours and hours of my life trying to close my talk talk account and ruined my credit score, its the worst experience I have ever had with a company. 

I need TalkTalk to take this seriously and show the required proof to Equifax that shows I did not miss any genuine payments. #broadband

[violetteTaghavi]

Hi Arne, @Arne-TalkTalk 

I don't agree i was still a customer when the bill was sent to me and therefore there was nothing wrong with me cancelling my direct debit. The bill was sent on the 9th January and with a  payment by 16th January. All after my services were cut. 

Therefore its not correct what you're stating that I was a customer at the time. 

I really really need someone to act on this, its such a simple task for the credit team to contact the credit rating and say it was a miscommunication. 

My intention was never to not pay my bill but understand that a £42 bill for no service from my perspective is also not something I could just pay and afford. 

I can't let this go, the missed payment is stopping me from getting loans and I have builders working now, I won't have anywhere to live if I don't get this sorted. I was always able to get a loan before this, as I have a strong credit history.

I have opened a case with Cedr, I will go to every extent I need to because I still don't believe the arguments given are fair and need it wiped. 

[Arne-TalkTalk]

HI violetteTaghavi

I advised the credit reference team of the situation before my last reply, their reply was posted, as Gliwmaeden2 advised we would always advise against cancelling the direct debit to avoid this type of issue, as you were technically still a customer when the bill was produced so non payment generated the charges. 

Im really sorry.

[Gliwmaeden2]

Staff reply during the day Monday to Friday. 

[violetteTaghavi]

@Arne-TalkTalk 

[Gliwmaeden2]

@violetteTaghavi ?

I am simply a customer like yourself. CSs can only steer you in the direction of support or speak from experience of a situation. We cannot influence Talktalk's stance in this sort of situation. 

[violetteTaghavi]

@Gliwmaeden2 

[violetteTaghavi]

It doesn't help my situation but I understand it technically, if I didn't cancel my direct debit, I would of been charged £42 and then again for the other internet provider. given It was outside my end date, no service was provided.

Especially given I didn't use talk talk services for that time frame. 

I expected that talk talk refund the money before it goes to a credit company. 

Given I've been caught out by such a small unique case, I plead that talktalk tells the credit company it was a misunderstanding and remove it. 

I have contacted equifax and asked they ask talktalk but everyone is refusing.

I am a long standing client of talktalks, I have another account too for which talktalk has also seriously messed (taking 5 weeks later to get me live). 

This situation has impacted my life immensely, its now put me off using talk talk services completely. I can't get any loans for purely a misunderstanding. 

[Gliwmaeden2]

You've been caught by the fact that Talktalk always bills a full month ahead, and, in case you had changed your mind about cancellation, the further bill would be issued.

The NEXT month you would be sent the money back, for the unused days, to My Account to reclaim the money to your bank via your Direct Debit details. After that the final bill is issued for £0.00.

We advise that people never cancel the Direct Debit until they get to that final stage to avoid the sort of upsets that occurred in this instance. 

It is the tidiest way to avoid admin charges etc, though makes the customer feel out of pocket in the short term, and then you have the inconvenience of having to go via My Account to claim back your own money. 

I hope that helps partly explain why it happened, @violetteTaghavi.

[violetteTaghavi]

Hi, its still incorrect. I feel so wrong done by. 

My contract with talk talk ended on the 17th Nov. I tried to cancel is as soon as possible. They told me the earliest my cut off day could be was 9th Jan, much more than 30 days of my contract ending. I paid all my bills till then of £42, consider that my old contract was £26. 

Then on the 16th January i received a bill for the period after my internet was cut, I was then told I will get this refunded due to not actually being live during that period. 

Given it was £42 in advance and also after my internet cut, i thought I was not expected to pay as the credit will be applied.

Then talk talk credited my account, taking my balance to £2.56 and added an admin fee. 

Then I paid that and then they applied another admin fee. 

its not legally correct to charge people £42 for no service used, then to tell the credit company. 

Its not money owed to talktalk given its in advance and my internet was cut off. 

I really appreciate if you ask the credit reference team to look into the following details: 

When my contract ended: 

When I gave 30 days notice. 

When my internet was cut

The credits on my account after. 

Please understand my intension was never to miss a payment, but if I am not receiving a service, I do understand what I was billed for. 

I would also appreciate if someone could detail my legal obligation to for internet outside of my contract and when the services have been cut. 

I really really need this wiped from my credit score, it reflects so badly and in 12 years of my adult life I have never had a flag on my score. 

[Arne-TalkTalk]

HI violetteTaghavi

This has been passed to the credit reference team and the outs come is :

We have checked the account and can confirm that the late marker reported is correct. The late payment marker is correct as the balance of the payment for January invoice which was due for payment on 16/1/2023 was not made until 27/02/2023.

Apologies there nothing further we can do.
 

[violetteTaghavi]

done

[violetteTaghavi]

Done 

[Gliwmaeden2]

@violetteTaghavi, please add your former landline phone number to your community forum profile details for TT staff to identify your account. 

Go via your avatar/name; settings; Personal Information. SAVE CHANGES. 

I'll move your duplicate post out of the way. 

Please follow up on this thread when staff reply.