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Address problem

bewick
Grafter
Posts: 79
Registered: ‎04-08-2007

Address problem

Some time ago a friend was seduced by Talktalk and moved his phone line from BT, and his broadband from Plusnet.
In the process Talktalk entirely changed his address. The only bits which were consistent were the house number, "hill" in the streetname, and the first 4 characters of the postcode. Even in the telephone directory he now appears at an entirely different address.
TT sent the original router to the wrong address -twice, replacement filters - twice, and finally a BT Openreach engineer. Three times TT promised that their error had been fixed. 3 times it hasn't.
My friend decided to rejoin PN complete with his phone line.PN  hit problems because the real address doesn't match TT records.
The CEO of TT Group now claims it is "impossible" to fix but they managed to move my friend in the first place.
BT wholesale are unable to help because they only rent the line and have no other details. Ofcom will contact TT if we ask but that is circular.
Has anyone any useful advice on how to sort this. My friend is 80 and really does not wish to change his phone number or lose his service for up to a week.
I rather think that the TT database has defects since an operative actually told my friend "it's on the screen now and going through"
I know all about tags. It is the address which is the problem.
20 REPLIES 20
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
Fixes: 565
Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Address problem

Someone aught to compile a book entitled Talk Talk Horror Stories.
I don't know the answer to this one but would love to see the solution.
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spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
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Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Address problem

I suspect a complaint to Ofcom might be needed to prompt action to resolve the problem. Alternatively since TT have failed to correct the address problem which is preventing the service being moved to an other provider your friend could ask for a deadlock notice from the CEO's office and complain to the dispute resolution service to which TT subscribe. I think this is Ombudsman Services - Communications.
David
bewick
Grafter
Posts: 79
Registered: ‎04-08-2007

Re: Address problem

Thanks spraxyt. My friend has restarted the transfer to Plusnet, accepting that he may just lose the telephone number he has held for 40 years.
Today he visited the address at which TT insists he lives - less than a mile away,
The occupiers, also TT customers, were very helpful and gave him all their details. TT were about to totally cut him off  (your deadlock notice?) but he has temporarily stopped that. Instead, on my advice, he is ringing them to say he is moving to his current address (his long time address) with immediate effect. The Exchange is the same so there should be no problem in transferring the number (he did that once before when he moved) in time to save Plusnet from having to create a new number.
Complaints to the Ombudsman and Ofcom will be after the event as will any small claims court action if TT don't compensate. I doubt they'd turn up in Court so it could be a minor win for my friend.
Shall update as things develop
[Moderator's note by Dick (Strat):  Full quote of preceding post removed, as per Forum Rules ]
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
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Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Address problem

Stay with TT, insist on postal billing, then when he hasn't paid the bills he hasn't received let them send the bailiffs to the wrong address! Cheesy
Edit: I'm not being serious - but I'll be watching to see how this pans out.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
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spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
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Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Address problem

Quote from: bewick
Complaints to the Ombudsman and Ofcom will be after the event as will any small claims court action if TT don't compensate. I doubt they'd turn up in Court so it could be a minor win for my friend.

In the context you mentioned Ombudsman I wonder if you assumed the link I provided was to an official body? Ombudsman Services are a private company and provide a dispute resolution service between consumers and participating companies. Their communications industry arm was originally called Otelo.
David
bewick
Grafter
Posts: 79
Registered: ‎04-08-2007

Re: Address problem

Yes I did think that. Anyway things have moved on today. PN told my friend again that TT wouldn't release his phone number. He contacted TT CEO again but so far no reply. However PN phone him again today to say that they have found a way to keep his phone number . So fingers crossed and 5 stars to PN
adie:quote
bewick
Grafter
Posts: 79
Registered: ‎04-08-2007

Re: Address problem

Problem sorted. I promised to say what we achieved but in truth  I know not how. Plusnet had said they had a solution which kept my friend's number despite the problems.
Today TT rang him and said that they had now released his phone number etc. etc,  Previously the CEO of TT Group (yup I got his/her email address)  had said it was "impossible" to restore his correct address.(the real problem and yet  they had changed it in the first place without any apparent problem and without his authorisation). Obviously not impossible and one has to wonder how CEOs manage to get to their positions. I have my own views on that one and I was once just a peg below CEO of a large organisation.
.
Bottom line? My friend is cock-a-hoop. He is coming back to a reputable and efficient supplier and will have his telephone directory entry restored to his correct address and preserve his 40 year old telephone number.  The TT customers at the wrong address will also be pleased.
I am inclined to think that Plusnet efforts were the key to this so well done PN.
Having told this story to a few people the maggots crawl out of the woodwork. TT has very inconsistent speeds and seems to cause problems for many. and seems not to care once the money is in the bag. Another friend just signed up for another 18 months for a £3 a month reduction. He failed to check with his daughter who has serious speed problems with TT. They live not 30 yards from the subject of this rant.  MY PN speed has, apart from BT line and router failure, been totally consistent and at any time of day.
Remains to be seen whether my friend will claim compensation from TT and then take to Small Claims Court. Hope he does. Case closed.
PeterLoftus
Pro
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Registered: ‎27-05-2011

Re: Address problem

Its a lady  Wink
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/telecoms/8726296/Talk-Tal...
To do is to be - Neitzsche
To be is to do - Kant
do be do be do - Sinatra
bewick
Grafter
Posts: 79
Registered: ‎04-08-2007

Re: Address problem

Quote from: PeterLoftus
Its a lady  Wink

Thanks Peter. I wasn't sure whether Dido was a lady or a bloke. She IS though a liar. It wasn't she who replied to my friend because she passed the matter to a minion - another "lady" who couldn't resolve the matter,
I once  met the famous head of a major bank  (his intials are DW) who was visiting one of the offices of a subsidiary. where I was providing some consultancy. He  really WAS  talking to employees and finding their views. No cameras. Totally relaxed and interested. Good bloke.
On another occasion I was working at a major insurance company at a MAJOR office. The American CEO (British Company)  was touring complete with cameras, He spent his time posing and actually all but destroyed the company. Sad that I bought shares before I saw him,. Note that I didn't meet this one -  just saw him posing for the cameras,.
Guess Dido is similar to the latter.
jim:green quote fixed mod:end
PeterLoftus
Pro
Posts: 2,599
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Registered: ‎27-05-2011

Re: Address problem

we'll have to have a logo for ex TT customers on PN
I was with Fredom2surf which was sold to Opal, which was sold to TalkTalk. Eventually there was no connection with the customers whatsoever. I was happy with the F2S website until TT gutted it and I was supposed to inteface with TT through their website but when I tried I didn't exist. THe telephone help were non existent because they couldnt find me on the system either  Grin
So I bailed out and all of a sudden they new enough about me to ring and try to promise me everything they had failed to provide over about two years.
So far PN are a much better experience, and I'm from Yorkshire so I biased anyway  Wink
To do is to be - Neitzsche
To be is to do - Kant
do be do be do - Sinatra
bewick
Grafter
Posts: 79
Registered: ‎04-08-2007

Re: Address problem

Quote
So far PN are a much better experience, and I'm from Yorkshire so I biased anyway  Wink

Peter
Thanks for the link. Tells me much. "Dido" , previously Diana, is the grandaughter of a famous General. Tells me all - the link, and the name change. Oxford educated no less, Well I have employed Oxford graduates and less than impressed. The Cambridge ones were a little better. It's a small small world as Disneyland says but have the right connections then ability doesn't matter.
Yorkshireman eh? Well I can forgive you for that because I'm an exiled Derbyshireman so know where you are coming from.
In the meantime I've now written to Dido (Diana in a sane world) on behalf of my 80 year old friend and requested £500 compensation for the time and stress that TT has caused.
Watch this space.
jim:green quote fixed mod:end
PeterLoftus
Pro
Posts: 2,599
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Registered: ‎27-05-2011

Re: Address problem

I remembered the article, I caught my attention in the Telegraph because of my experience with TT.
She was crowing that she had done such a good job of turning TT round. Ther was an old saying about never overestimating your customers.  Grin
There's plenty of our weaker brethren and just plain fools to suport TT and their business practices. But five minutes with a search engine to find fora like this one is all it takes to get the lowdown  Cheesy
To do is to be - Neitzsche
To be is to do - Kant
do be do be do - Sinatra
bewick
Grafter
Posts: 79
Registered: ‎04-08-2007

Re: Address problem

Quite right. TODAY my friend finally managed to transfer from Talktalk to Plusnet. The address problem was the VERY reason that he decided to ditch TT. Plusnet promised  to change that but have not actually delivered. Worse is that they cost more. Promises are promises and my friend has the written promises. Undelivered.
Plusnet is a subsidiary of BT. The BT.com site allows change of "residential details"  but, apparently only for those who use the REAL BT side of telephone and  broadband.. Anyone else is effectively told "tough [Censored]"
I DID write to BT directrories on behalf of my friend. They declined to reply.
Are Plusnet now promising more than they can deliver to gain custom. Sad if true
jim:quote
spraxyt
Resting Legend
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Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Address problem

Surely the main point was to get your friend's line released by TT and transferred to Plusnet retaining the number. As I understand it that has been delivered. Now that Plusnet own the line they should be able to correct the address. Give them a chance.
David