TalkTalk Issues

[CaptainChaos]

Hi (again),

I'll try to keep this as brief as humanly possible!

I set up TalkTalk landline phone account for my mum (her partner died in March 2017). I did this with no input from my Mum as she didn't really know what was going on. I have Power of Attorney for ALL of her affairs.

In August she was admitted to a care home suffering from severe lack of mobility and dementia.

When I realised that she would never be returning to her (rented) house, in January 2018 I sent a recorded delivery letter to all of the utility companies (gas, electricity, water, council tax, TalkTalk etc).

I cancelled all of the direct debits that she had set up and it was all sorted out with the other companies with no problem .....

..... except TalkTalk.

I have emailed them, phoned them, live chatted with them, texted them but STILL keep receiving letters and emails from them saying that my Mum owes them (anything between £26.00 to over £140).

When I spoke to TalkTalk in February, they said that they would cancel the account, even though they weren't supposed to (for legal/privacy reason), but there would be a disconnection charge of £11.54.

I spoke to DRS about all of this & the person I spoke to said "I can only discuss this with the account holder" so I tried to explain that she had dementia, was in a Care Home and that was impossible, at which point he said "I am ending this call" and hung up.

I then went on the live chat, and even though she was "sympathetic" and "understood", there was precisely nothing she could do.

I then phoned TalkTalk again, they were too busy to answer the phone, and I am now in the middle of lots of text messages from them, but I just know I will get exactly the same answer (ie. we can't help you, you are not the account holder, we sympathise etc).

What should I do? It is brick wall after brick wall & I just feel like blocking their phone number(s), blocking their emails & ignoring everything that they send. I am sure that it would look REALLY good if they decided to take my Mum to court in the state she is in!

It was so easy to start the account for her, but impossible to cancel it!

Heeeeelllllppp please.

Thanks

Ian

[Matty B]

I would suggest you just ignore all of the people you have spoken to and write directly to the ceo of talktalk.

Head of Complaints – CEO's Office, TalkTalk (CEO), PO Box 672, Salford, M5 0NG.

[CaptainChaos]

Thank you Matty B - I will try that - ignore all of the emails/phone calls/text messages & write an exceptionally angry letter!

See what happens.

[ostell]

Or even try an email (courtesy of ceoemail.com)

TalkTalk Group
Ms Tristia Harrison	Chief Executive
Email	tristia.harrison@talktalkplc.com

[Matty B]

Thank you Matty B - I will try that - ignore all of the emails/phone calls/text messages & write an exceptionally angry letter!

See what happens.

If possible try to keep the letter factual and to the point. By all means express just how stressful and upsetting you have found it all. I am not sure a rant will actually do you any good in the long run although I know just how frustrating this kind of thing is.

[jaguarsuk]

I complained to the CEO's office in 2014 for a different issue and they are very diligent. I got my issue sorted and I don't know if it's still the case, but their call centre was in India where basically if it's not on the script they don't have the answer.

[CaptainChaos]

Recorded letter sent earlier today ... play the waiting game now ....

[CaptainChaos]

This is getting stupid now.

TalkTalk have sent me a letter (to my address) saying that "in order for you to be able manage my mum's account I need to have & provide Power of Attorney", send them A/C holder's full name, Address (where she no longer lives), A/C number & alternative contact number (aka my mobile) which I've got but I really can't be bothered any more.

Then they say that they can only accept a solicitor's letter, medical consent or court order to progress a PoA request!

What now?

It's NOT a huge amount of money, but I just object to paying for an account (still receiving invoice emails of different amounts each time) that I asked to be closed in January, she was up to date with all payments & the line is now disconnected.

Her Royal Mail redirect to my home address will run out soon, but they know My home address & my work email.

How can I reply to them?

Thanks
Ian

[ostell]

Send them a copy of your power of attorney and the details they request (in order to fully identify the account) and provide (probably again) your home address. Ignore the bit about solicitors. This is all setting your ducks in a row in case they then decide to go to court.

I know how you feel, I had a similar problem with Virgin Medi trying to cancel, as executor, the account of one of their customers. They needed to talk to their customer first before they would talk to me. Go figure!

[CaptainChaos]

Thanks Ostell - I'll copy the PoA forms that were certified by a local solicitor, send that off to them with all the details they want & add a letter telling them to leave me alone hahahahaha

[CaptainChaos]

And so it continues ....

Sent a letter & copies of the "proper" certified Power of Attorney forms only to receive another letter back from TalkTalk saying "you need to complete OUR Power of Attorney form, not send YOUR Power of Attorney form".

I wrote "Do not contact me again" on their form & sent it recorded delivery.

Unbelievable, although it did say on the letter that as Power of Attorney for my Mum, I am NOT liable for any costs on her account. That could prove interesting!

I might try to work out how I can "block" their emails from my work email (wish I'd never used that email address now but hey ho).