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A new one for me with a debt dispute.
A debt issue. An elderly friend of mine has been getting letters from TalkTalk alleging a debt. No details of what it’s meant to be for and has now been passed to a debt collector. He’s not aware of any purchase or contract. He doesn’t have a mobile phone, or working computer. TalkTalk have just been writing to him, saying “go online to your My Account” when he’s contacted them; so he asked me to help and gave me written authorisation.
TalkTalk will not deal with me at all, they say, unless I have “A Power of Attorney, which is Registered with the Office of the Public Guardian”.
I’m somewhat boggled.
Probably don’t have any solutions you haven’t thought of already.
Might be worthwhile putting him in touch with a debt advice agency, just because they may have useful tools available such as escalation numbers/emails to TalkTalk, or at the very least can send a letter to negotiate a moratorium (I forget what the processes are in Wales).
If you’re just after information you could always send them a subject access request. They can’t legally refuse the info to a mandated third party. Although, they might still try, so unlikely to be a timely solution.
You can send a snail mail to:
TalkTalk (TTR)
PO Box 675
Salford
M5 0NL
https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/How-do-I-make-a-complaint/ta-p/2204670
I got to the complaints level email contact address, in itself not easy, and it’s they who won’t talk.
I’d quote the FCA CONC 7.12.2
“A firm must not:
(1) refuse to deal with a not-for-profit debt advice body, debt counsellor, debt adjuster or with another person acting on behalf of a customer, unless there is an objectively justifiable reason for doing so;
[Note: paragraphs 3.9c of DCG and 3.48 of DMG]”
And lodge an official complaint, works wonders for our agency.
You can complain via http://www.resolver.co.uk - its a super easy process.
The site will remind you when you can escalate your complaint to the next level, if you are not happy with their reply.
I have made numerous complaints against TalkTalk and unfortunately on all occasions it had to reach CISAS.
Good luck.
Are you sure this is not a scam?
Sounds as if they have been learning from DWP.
Are you sure this is not a scam?
I’m pretty sure that it is. He’s a retired BT phone engineer and would never dream of leaving BT.
I’d quote the FCA CONC 7.12.2
Aha. Thanks.
I can imagine why they might cautious, if Talktalk received a letter from someone who is not (I assume?) authorised by the FCA to provide debt counselling, that was only backed up by a written letter of consent, to which they likely don’t have a specimen signature for comparison.
The FCA have a fairly nuanced approach to acting on behalf of vulnerable customers, see para 82 of the annex here: https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/guidance-consultation/gc19-03.pdf
I would be fairly certain that this is a scam, and that somebody has taken out a phone contract with TalkTalk using the client’s personal details.
I say this because someone attempted the same thing with me. I realised from the outset that it was an attempted scam, and emerged unscathed. It would be very easy for someone less vigilant to fall for it.
I recommend making a subject access request to credit reference agencies. Also write to TalkTalk either on your client’s behalf with FoA, or draft a letter for them.