TalkTalk won’t let us keep our number after switch to BT

MY WIFE and I had our telephone with TalkTalk and broadband with BT. Recently, we tried to switch our phone to BT, so that we’d only have one bill per month and, hopefully, pay less.

This proved to be a total frustration with contradictory information, two days of telephone calls and no headway made.

BT says TalkTalk won’t release our phone number. TalkTalk insists on a written request from BT, but BT says it never does this.

BT also says that even if TalkTalk releases our number, there is no guarantee we will retain it when it takes over.

D. L., Isle of Lewis.

What nonsense. When transferring from one telecoms provider to another, there is no reason you cannot keep your number, unless you are also moving home to a different exchange area.

there does seem to be a pattern of telecoms providers trying to set up new lines for customers, rather than transferring their old numbers.

If a new line and number are set up, you have to cancel your contract with your old provider, otherwise they have no way of knowing you are leaving.

however, if you are transferring your number, then the new provider should simply pick this up from your old provider and that will automatically cancel your old contract.

When you contacted talktalk twice in april, it could not, at that time, see any orders from another provider to take the service, though the line was clear to be taken.

talktalk’s records show that your landline was taken on May 3. however, at that time, you still had a broadband account with talktalk and there were no orders currently to take this over.

talktalk then advised you that the line was free and clear for another provider to take.

Bt admits that the muddle was caused because you received confusing advice when you called about switching. a spokesman says: ‘We apologise for the problems Mr L has had in switching to Bt and the confused advice he received from our adviser.’

Bt has now completed the transfer and, to apologise, has agreed a 12-month deal for phone and broadband at a reduced cost of £23.99 a month.

IN AUGUST 2015, we purchased a Currys Essentials integrated dishwasher. We had to call the engineers out quite a few times and, in March 2016, the dishwasher was replaced.

We’ve had to call customer services many times since — the last time being at the end of July, when it broke down again. On this occasion, the engineer replaced the pump and other units.

It has been so stressful. The local store and customer services keep offering me vouchers to spend in Currys,

but what I want is a product that is fit for purpose.

P. C., Isle of Wight.

Currys appreciates that you have had a torrid time of it over the past couple of years. It apologises that your difficulties have not been addressed faster.

In recognition of this, it has provided an upgraded machine costing £ 279.99. It has also provided free installation and is removing the old machine.

MY WIFE started drawing her teacher’s pension last year.

However, she still works three days a week for a local firm and contributes to their occupational pension. She also contributes to

a private pension, as she has for several years.

I’ve read about a £4,000 limit on how much can be contributed to a pension once you start drawing your main pension. Will this affect my wife?

A. S., Norwich.

you’re referring to something called the money purchase annual allowance. this is designed to prevent people from accessing their pension and then paying into a new pension to get further tax relief.

the short answer is that your wife won’t be affected but, as with everything pensions, the long answer could take up the whole of Money Mail and more.

Briefly, the £4,000 limit only affects those who have money purchase pensions (the Government has for years been calling these defined contribution pensions, so why it uses the old lingo here is anyone’s guess).

Defined contribution schemes are those where you know how

much you pay in, but have no idea how big a pension you will receive, because the money is invested until you retire.

teachers have defined benefit schemes — where you know in advance how much you’ll receive.

even defined contribution pensions are only affected under certain circumstances, specifically when people have made use of their pension flexibly. trigger events include taking lump sums under certain circumstances.

however, there are many ways of drawing a pension that do not trigger this limit.

this area is a minefield, and a specialist pension adviser really is needed to help navigate it.

tom McPhail, of hargreaves Lansdown, says: ‘ Drawing benefits from a defined benefit scheme such as the teacher’s pension doesn’t trigger the money purchase annual allowance.

‘until she starts drawing on her defined contribution pensions, she should be oK to keep on contributing.’