@talktalk Talk Talk charged me £130 for unplanned engineers visit!

[powerful_rogue]

Hi,

 

Just looking for some advice really.

 

17th Sepetember I phoned Talk Talk to report my broadband connection dropping intermittently. They conducted a check on the line and said they could see there was a fault. They advised me they would try and resolve the matter their end, however if they couldnt resolve it they would call me back to arrange an engineers visit.

 

I didnt hear anything from Talk Talk, however on the 21st September a BT engineer came around, stating he had been sent by Talk Talk. He was here for around 15 minutes. He took the covers off all the phone sockets, but stated he couldnt see what the fault was.

 

On the 22nd September I receiveed a text message from Talk Talk stating the fault had been resolved and to text back if everything was working correctly. From then on the broadband seemed to be working fine.

 

Roll forward to the 20th January and I received a charge of £130 on my Talk Talk bill for the engineers visit!

 

I phoned them up, speaking with three different people stating that as an engineer visited, I would have to pay. I kept saying that I wasnt told an engineer was coming until he turned up and that at no point during any of the calls was I advised the visit would have cost £130.

 

The final person at Talk Talk said they would escalate the matter and I would receive a call back in 48 hours. Having heard nothing, I just phoned back and was told the matter was only escalated today and would have to wait 7 days to find out the result. To top it off, I would have to phone back and chase it up as they dont do call backs.

 

Just wondering where I really stand if they come back saying they £130 charge stands. If I knew it was going to cost £130, I would have spoken with my next door neighbour first as he's a BT engineer!

[rebel11]

Hi power

 

Depending on what they comeback and say, write a Formal Letter of Complaint mark it as such, explain whats happened, whats been said to you, what they've actually done and what you want them to do. Send it to:-

 

Dido Harding, Chief Executive

dido.harding@talktalkplc.com

 

Some tips:- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1242161/How--write-letter-complaint.html

 

Once you get a final answer if your still not happy that your complaint hasn't been dealt with there are further avenues to complain:- http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/

[powerful_rogue]

Hi rebel,

 

Thast great, many thanks for the email address.

 

I think I can guess what the reply will be in 7 days! Annoying thing was, the person I was speaking with said she totally agreed with me regarding I shouldnt have to pay it, but there was nothing she could do and her manager said it was a just charge.

 

Felt like banging my head against the wall!

[rebel11]

Well it is Unfair, you have the right to know whats costs are involved before any call out,

 

a) they didn't tell you how much it would cost?

b) they didn't tell you when they would be calling?

c) they couldn't find a fault?

d) a manager there thinks it's 'fair' to charge you £130, in fact it's clearly unfair. But it's a great income earner for TalkTalk.

 

Let us know what happens.

 

Hi rebel,

 

Thast great, many thanks for the email address.

 

I think I can guess what the reply will be in 7 days! Annoying thing was, the person I was speaking with said she totally agreed with me regarding I shouldnt have to pay it, but there was nothing she could do and her manager said it was a just charge.

 

Felt like banging my head against the wall!

[powerful_rogue]

Thanks rebel, I'll certainly keep you updated.

 

Some of the stuff Talk Talk came out with was quite amusing! At one point they said it wasnt anything to do with them because it was a BT Openzone engineer! I quickly put her in her place by saying that my contract is with them, not BT and they arranged it without me knowing so stop trying to pass the buck! She quickly stopped going along that route!

[rebel11]

Make sure you mention everything they have said, make it clear to them that you won't let the matter rest.

 

Thanks rebel, I'll certainly keep you updated.

 

Some of the stuff Talk Talk came out with was quite amusing! At one point they said it wasnt anything to do with them because it was a BT Openzone engineer! I quickly put her in her place by saying that my contract is with them, not BT and they arranged it without me knowing so stop trying to pass the buck! She quickly stopped going along that route!

[powerful_rogue]

Rebel, can you see any issues if I escalate the issue and email the Chief Executive now? I have no confidence in the call center. They said they would escalate it on Saturday when I phoned, however phoning up today I was advised it was escalated today at 1515hours. I find their service so shocking and dont want to wait seven days only to be messed around any more!

 

Ive been looking around, and will be contacting them tomorrow to give my one months notice (luckily im out of contract) and will be moving to Tesco!

[rebel11]

I can't see any issues, nothing they have said so far has been consistent, so go for it. What if the fault had been at their end all the time? £130 - thank you.

I could add further comments, but I won't. I think we've actually got a TalkTalk Rep on this site, it's upto you if want to contact them.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/member.php?345592-TalkTalk-Offical-Company-Rep

 

Rebel, can you see any issues if I escalate the issue and email the Chief Executive now? I have no confidence in the call center. They said they would escalate it on Saturday when I phoned, however phoning up today I was advised it was escalated today at 1515hours. I find their service so shocking and dont want to wait seven days only to be messed around any more!

 

Ive been looking around, and will be contacting them tomorrow to give my one months notice (luckily im out of contract) and will be moving to Tesco!

[powerful_rogue]

Thanks rebel, really appreciate your help.

If you have a few minutes, would you mind casting your eyes over my letter before I send it?

 

I would like to raise a complaint over the service I have received.

 

During September I contacted Talk Talk customer services to report an issue with my broadband where it would disconnect intermittently. A test was conducted on the line and I was advised that they could see there was a fault. I was advised that the technical team would try and resolve the issue, however if that was not possible then they would contact me back to arrange a convenient time for an engineer to attend.

 

On the 22nd September a BT engineer unexpectedly attended my address. He said he had been sent by Talk Talk to fix the line. The engineer was at my premises for around 15 minutes and in that time he removed the covers to all the phone sockets and stated that he could not see what the fault was. He did however advise that we had an old line and should look into getting it replaced.

 

Later on that day I received a text message from Talk Talk stating that the fault had been repaired and to text back if the fault was no longer present. I noticed the internet was no longer disconnecting intermittently so replied back stating it was fixed.

 

Jump forward four months to the 21st January 2011 when I received my bill. To my surprise there was a charge of £129.99 added for the engineers visit.

 

I immediately phoned up to query this and was told it was a legitimate charge and would remain. I was on the phone to your operator for 45 minutes and during that time she stated on numerous occasions that she agreed I should not have been charged for the visit, but her manager stated the charge would remain. She also stated it was not a Talk Talk issue as it was BT that attended. I quickly reminded her that my contact was with Talk Talk and not BT and that I did not arrange the visit. Although I expressed my annoyance at the situation, I was polite throughout the call which you can confirm by listening to the call, however for some unknown reason the call was disconnected.

 

I called back and spoke to a male operator who took all the details. He stated he would raise the issue so it could be investigated and that I would be contacted back within 48 hours. 72 hours later I had received no call, so phoned back to chase the matter up. I was advised that I had been mis-informed and that all investigations take upto 7 days and I would need to phone back on the 31st January. I stated that this would be 11 days as I phoned on the 21st January, however she stated that the matter was only escalated today (24th January) at 1515 hours – 3 days after I phoned. I was also advised that I would need to phone to be informed of the decision of the investigation as apparently you don’t do call backs. As the call was ending, it appears the operator didn’t disconnect quick enough as I could hear her laughing, presumably about our call which I find very unprofessional.

 

The two main reasons why I should not incur the £129.99 charge for the engineers visit is as follows:

 

1) I was not advised that an engineer would be attending, despite Talk Talk advising me that they would contact me to arrange a time for an engineer to visit should one be required.

2) At no stage during my call to Talk Talk in September or when the engineer attended was I informed it would cost £129.99. I am under the impression that all charges should be communicated with a customer up front prior to any bookings being made, allowing the customer a decision on whether they want to go ahead.

I would also like to complain about the poor service I have received from your customer call centre. I have been disconnected, mis-informed about details and heard an operator laughing as she was terminating the call.

 

Presently it appears customer service is at the bottom of Talk Talks priorities.

 

I look forward to your swift reply in getting this matter resolved, as £129.99 is a lot of money in today’s climate to have to pay for a charge I was not informed about.

[rebel11]

Hi Power

 

Excellent, you've got all the main points, I would also add a sentence about pursing the matter if it's not resolved.

 

Thanks rebel, really appreciate your help.

If you have a few minutes, would you mind casting your eyes over my letter before I send it?

 

I would like to raise a complaint over the service I have received.

[powerful_rogue]

Thanks rebel, I get something added. I'll also add why ive contacted her whilst the investigation is still ongoing.

 

Will let you know what happens.

[powerful_rogue]

Just a quick post to update!

Emailed Dido and two hours later got an email back saying her team would look into it.

 

Received a phone call today from her office saying they are going to scrub the £130 fee!

 

Thank again for your advice rebel

[blueskies123]

HOW VERY STRANGE THIS IS.

 

I am experiencing EXACTLY the same issue with talktalk! (AOL)

 

I had exactly the same kind of fault in October 2011, continual Broadband disconnection and slow line speed which they said would be rectified at their end but then wasn't. They said I needed an engineeer from BT. He never turned up and the problem mysteriously went away without any BT engineer visit. Now (Feb 13th Bill) I will be charged £129.99 for a non existent BT engineer visit. They claim one came and I wasnt in so I must pay. I am still awaiting a call back. The call centres have no clue what is going on and there seems little come back possible. It seems VERY ODD that the exact same fault happened to me and the exact same charges for this are now being levied 3 months later.

 

I have rang them, e mailed them and written to them. Unfortunately I have a contract until Novemeber 2012 otherwise they would be history. I feel like they are tryio rip me off and others it seems. The call centre service is also appalling.