Shielding couple battle with after service cut

ASHIELDING Castlemilk couple were left without internet access and a £121 bill, after provider TalkTalk cut their service short. John and Isabel Cuthbert, both 66, were notified in early April that the service with TalkTalk would be cut off, despite the couple only just taking out a new contract.

John said: “We had been with them for years, and we were very happy with the service and we had just renewed a new contract so we didn’t know why they were getting in touch to say ‘sorry to see you going’.”

The couple claim they made numerous attempts to get in contact, even being left on hold for three hours on one attempt, before the service was cut off on April 14.

John said: “We tried over and over again to get in touch, through the phone and on their live chat but as we no longer had a TalkTalk phone number, we were told that they couldn’t look into it.

“I ended up writing letters to them and the response I got was that there was nothing they could do until June because of the coronavirus. It felt like we were getting nowhere.”

The couple, who both have health conditions including diabetes and heart conditions, have been shielding during the lockdown and rely on the internet service to order supermarket deliveries.

“Shielding is hard at the moment and we relied on the phone and internet to keep in contact with family.

“We also weren’t able to make supermarket orders while the we were cut off. We have mobiles but we’re not 100% sure about technology and it uses up my data to order it through my mobile.”

TalkTalk has also charged the couple a £121 bill for “early breach of contract”.

“They were asking £121 for something that we had never asked for,” John said.

“I understand it’s a difficult time for everyone but I think that this would count as an emergency. We were loyal TalkTalk customers but I don’t think we would ever go back to the service after this.”

TalkTalk apologised for Mr and Mrs Cuthbert’s experience, saying that an error led to the request being cancelled.

A TalkTalk spokesman said: “We are waiving all outstanding balances, as well as providing a gesture of goodwill in recognition of our error.

“We received a transfer request, which we are obliged to process in line with regulation.

“However, we should have stopped that transfer when made aware that it was erroneous and that Mr Cuthbert wished to remain with TalkTalk.”