Telkom - Quick to take you money, SLOW to refund

<p>Late May I requested my telephone line to be extended to the flatlet in the backyard where my elderly parents moved into.</p> <p> </p> <p>The work was done and a jack was installed on 7 June. Two days later I received an SMS to inform me that I will be billed pro rata for a new line. I contacted Telkom and told them that I never requested a new line and no additional line was installed. I even called the number to make sure that the phone in may parents rooms was not ringing. The lady then said she will confirm with the technician that there was no line installation and I received another SMS a few days later to say that they "regret that I have cancelled the line"</p> <p> </p> <p>And there the problems started. The May account I received, had an installation fee for the line (R701) as well as a Jack installation fee (R610) relating to a new line. The total of the account amounted to in excess of R1800!</p> <p>I called Telkom to query the Installation amount and the lady I spoke to told me that she can confirm that the line was never installed and that the installation fee will be credited on my next account. This was the 23rd of June.</p> <p> </p> <p>To my disgust the next account I received was for an amount of R2262! I had to request the bill to be e-mailed to me as it cannot be obtained from the website. On this June account, I was billed for another Jack installation (R610)as well as 2 months' line rental and subscriptions (R1103). This for something I never asked for and never had... And of cause no credit for the incorrect installation fee. </p> <p> </p> <p>I phoned Telkom call centre again and was told that a dispute has to be logged and there was no dispute logged for the installation fee appearing on my May account. So now a dispute was logged for the installation fee and another for the duplicate Jack installation fee and incorrect rental and subscription fees. </p> <p> </p> <p>On 16 July I received a SMS to inform me that the Installation fee and duplicate jack installation fee was credited to my account. So I phoned back on the 17th of July and the person on the other side of the phone told me that the subscription fees will be credited on my next account. Luckily I went through this before and insisted on a dispute number. Only then did she log the dispute.</p> <p>Today I decided to follow up on the dispute and was told that of the R1103 owing to me, only R691.68 was credited. And the lame excuse was that they cannot credit me for the amount that was billed in advance.</p> <p>I am so frustrated! Telkom is acting like ******, demanding payment of almost R2500 for a line that I never asked for, but to correct this is taking almost 3 months. If I'm lucky I will see the last credit on my September account. I have yet to receive an account with any credits processed.</p>