..to be FURIOUS that both TalkTalk and BT have been billing me?

[fasterthanthewind]

I am beyond outraged.

Here's the history:

Jan 2013 finally get fed up of TalkTalk terrible broadband service and decide to switch to BT

28 Jan call TalkTalk to cancel - get long spiel about sticking with them etc. etc. Stick to guns, say we are leaving. Am told a) don't need a code to transfer over; b) don't cancel DDebit as they will need to make a 'balancing payment'

31 Jan BT starts messing about with our line - make a total pigs ear of it, so that for some days we have neither bb nor phone line. BB only starts mid Feb, but phone sorted quickly.

1 May suddenly realise that the bills I am getting from TalkTalk relate not (as I'd thought - stupidly) to my mobile, but to the landline, and that they are STILL billing us for line rental and an (obviously entirely unused and unusable) call package. Email them about this - they say no notification was received in Jan, but will cancel now, and that I should send BT bills to prove double-billing thing.

At this point DS gets ill, and I get distracted.

This weekend get YET ANOTHER bill from them.

Today call them. Stay on the line for AN HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES, which will have cost me I dread to think how much - 0870 number.

Finally speak to a Customer Service Manager who says, essentially
a) since they have no notes on the conversation on 28 Jan I cannot have rung to cancel (what else would I have talked to them about for 11 minutes??!)
b) that they have continued to provide me with a service and that my account is therefore open and I should pay (but they didn't provide me with a service - no calls since 3 Feb (not sure why 3 Feb, given 31 Jan transfer, but that's what bill says)
c) that it's my responsibility to make sure that they bill me correctly, and they don't have to refund further back than 3 months

So I reckon they owe me £109.04 - plus the cost of this crazy phone call today.

After a great deal of negotiation, they 'offer' me £91.78.

AIBU to say I will not 'accept' this - they MUST refund me, as they have charged me for a service I
a) cancelled; and
b) couldn't receive, since BT were providing it.

NB we have kept the same phone number throughout, so they must have given BT some info, so that BT could take over the line - so some part of TalkTalk has def known all this time...

So - AIBU??

And more importantly, what do I do now???

threaten them with reporting them to Offcom - that should have an effect. Failing that contact Watchdog/trading standards/anyone who will listen.

You are not being unreasonable but, tbh, for the amount of stress and hassle fighting it would cause, I would just take the ninety quid and write off the other £20.

I just think the battle you will get into just isn't worth it over £20.

I understand it's the principle, but it still isn't worth it.

I know, Hecsy, but IT'S THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING

I said I'd take them to the Ombudsman, which is why it got as high as it did (first offer way way lower).

In my innocence I presumed that once they realised that there had been double billing going on, they'd so oh dear, so so sorry, of course, have it all back.

HOW CAN IT BE OK THAT THEY GET TO STEAL MY MONEY??

which is what I think it is. They took it when I TOLD THEM NOT TO, and for NOTHING. I call that THEFT.

I know and of course it's not ok.

But you have to decide if it's worth fighting the good fight over £20.

Hopefully you'll win. And then what? You'll have the extra £20 and need to spend it on booze to relax after 18 months of hassle.

Will you look back on it and think it was worth it?

If you think you will, then go for it. If, otoh, you think you'll look back and go dear god that really stressed me out, then maybe just let it go.

You have to decide what you think is going to piss you off more - months of fight or letting them 'win'

You could start by asking how, if there was no conversation and no cancellation, BT have been able to provide you with the service using your old TalkTalk phone number since X date.

I had this happen, but in reverse - we were fed up of BTs awful broadband and switched back to Talk Talk. BT are being complete arses and refusing to cancel the contract / making up charges / telling us it is Talk Talk's fault. Last week we sent a letter threatening court for harassment. no number of phone calls sorts it and we're getting increasingly threatening bills for a service we don't have. No advice, but I do feel your pain!

Go for the full amount that you're owed and do report them if you have no joy. Also, for 0870 numbers, use www.saynoto0870.com :)

Talk Talk are super crap.

I have had endless nightmares with them and it seems to be that thousands of people have major issues with Talk Talk once they cancel - oops sorry no - let me re phrase that - when they try to cancel.

Talk Talk seem to have a problem with people cancelling their service.

Google Talk Talk complaints and in amongst loads of horror stories the cancellation ones are the most prominent.

They are shit end of. Pity anyone with them because you may think its all hunky dory now but once you want to leave you are up shit creek without a paddle. They dont make anything simple either.

Hate the fuckers with a passion. They are without doubt the worse company I have EVER had the misfortune to waste my money on and attempt to deal with - notice I use the word attempt - yeah their customer service is so uber shite they simply cant and dont deal.

They were fined last year by some body for their utter shitness. How they are still in business is a mystery but I guess its because noone can ever leave.

Ooh I'd have to go for all my money back. It'd irk me for ages otherwise!

Hecsy speaks sense.

Particularly given all sorts of other rubbish in life just now.

HOWEVER I think this is SO TERRIBLE that I'm going to pursue them.

Cocktailmamma - agree totally. I am FURIOUS that they specifically told me not to cancel my DD (like a fool I trusted them), and then they continued to take money. In addition, they said they will issue a 'credit bill' (whatever the hell that is) - but in order for them to pay it, I will have to ring them up AGAIN?!!!

Their practices stink.

I always thought it was against the law for more than one bb company to bill the same residence

Had the same with sky and BT - took two years and the ombudsman to stop Sky billing us. We even moved house and they carried on!

sock - is that right? any idea how I can confirm that?
nb it's not actually about broadband (tho in theory they were supplying that as well), but line rental plus calls package

WHen I rang to cancel, their "systems were down."

I wouldn't stake my life on it as AOL told me that.

I cancelled with the, switched to bt but got a debt collectors letter months later when I called they said they had no record of the cancellation I went through my notes of the convos and was blathering to myself down the phone about stuff like no no that ones the bt bb and the man interrupted my blatherings to say that if I sent confirmation of bt being my provider they would cancel the collection against me as only one provider can bill at a time unless you have multiple lines.

that's v interesting, sock

I wish there was a way of really shaming companies like this: it's appalling they can do this sort of thing.

YABU - You should always check Say no to 0870 first ;)

Ok, so I should have checked earlier.
But now I hAve, and given that they have taken my money and provided me w NOTHING in return, what right have they to keep it? Specially as I told them etc. etc. etc.

Really sock? What law is that? I've tried to Google it but I'm getting nothing. Can you expand?

If they have taken Direct debit payments and not provided the service then you can contact your bank and dispute the direct debits. Under the direct debit guarantee the bank is obliged to return the funds to you while you dispute with Talk Talk. You should find it easier to argue your case with them once you have the money back.

I had exactly this type of scenario with tiscali (now part of Talk Talk) took forever to sort out, pushed around from pillaar to post. In the end

I got hold of the email addys of Talk Talks CEO,Head of HR, & Head of Customer Relations. I politely but firmly outlined the saga thus far attaching copies of my BT bill showing the costs of my calls to them (over £70) . I suggested they stopped hassling me for the money, they said I "owed" them £27, or i would take them to the small claims court.

Within 24hrs I had a nice irish lady on the phone to sort it out & refund the money & close the account.

They are useless I will never give them my custom again.

I had a nightmare sorting stuff out with talktalk when we moved - they managed to cancel my phone no problem but not my broadband - and then had the cheek to put the price up significantly as I was no longer taking my phone line from them too (cost more than the two put together!).

Nobody else had the number, it wasn't being used.

Appparently it was our fault for not switching our broadband to our new number - except that we had a 6 month period when we had both houses, so we had already got new talktalk phone number and broadband in our new house so couldn't switch it over as we already had it.

at least you are getting something from them - we got nothing (and for lots more than £100!)

doesn't help you, sorry, but it's good to vent at bloody talk talk!

It's several years ago now, but seeing this just wondering if it's worth digging up the paperwork and complaining again...

I already did MTM when I explained who gave me that info and how it had come about, clearly under those circumstances I am not going to be able to quote a particular law as a AOL employee told me without going into details he just said it was without quoting any actual legislation ( i also dont anticipate him having any legal qualifications)hence saying I wouldn't stake my life on it.

But I did send the proof to them and they did cancel the debt they thought I owed because I only had one connection/ line and bt was supplying not aol.

SimplifyDigital is quite a good bb info service 0800 531 6395 it was quite a while ago that I spoke to someone there but when I did they knew loads about bb rules so it may be worth a call to them.

you're mad not to take that offer, they are right in that it is your responsibility to know what bills are going out of your account, its been five months!

Getting at them via twitter is very effective. Much better results than phoning them.