Moving Home - Should I Be Paying to Move Home Phone?

stevesmiff

I am with Toucan for my home phone paying something like £10.99 for my line rental. I phoned them to tell them I am moving home at the end of the week and they advised that they would need to check out the phone situation at my new home with BT before they could come back to me and advise the cost of moving?

They said it would be one of two costs. I can't remember the exact figures but they were something in the region of £40+VAT or £88+VAT.

The £40+VAT quote was if there was a functional BT line installed and all that needs to be done is to switch me on.

The £88+VAT quote was if there needs to be some kind of work done by a BT engineer.

I've never moved home before but I can't see why they need to charge this fee? I'm not even moving my number! When I moved into my current home (my first home) 6 years ago I'm sure I just phoned up BT and they switched me on and started charging me line rental (i.e. no setup fee).

I know the current owner is with TalkTalk so there is an active phone line (at least until they cancel when they move).

Any help on this would be appreciated as I have no experience with phone lines and moving home. Thanks.

BexTech

If the line was with TalkTalk and not BT then it's likely the £88+VAT charge you are going to be seeing.

One of the big problems with not leaving line rental with BT.

stevesmiff

If Toucan come back and say £88+VAT I won't be a happy bunny!

Is there another solution? If I just cancel my Toucan account when I move out then when I get to my new house I can start up a new account. I don't care who it's with, just need a home phone.

Toucan - I assume whether I start with Toucan as a new customer or move home with Toucan they are going to charge me this £88+VAT (or £40+VAT) fee?

BT - I keep reading about this £125 connection fee that is charged but refunded if the line is in place and functional. The current owner is on TalkTalk which needs a BT line. Surely this means that I will be refunded the connection charge? Also leads me to think that Toucan shouldn't charge me the £88 fee. In fact, if BT wouldn't charge a fee then nor should they?

TalkTalk - I don't mind going on TalkTalk if this is the cheaper option. Surely if TalkTalk was in place last, it's just a matter of switching it back on for free?

Is any of what I'm saying right ???

P.S. What about the £29.99 connection thing going round at the moment - is that something I could do? I would be happy with that!

stevesmiff

***UPDATE***

Toucan have said following their investigations it would be the higher £80 charge as an engineer would have to come out. They say this is the same as the £130 fee BT charge but they have reduced rates.

I still don't think this is right. The phone line is currently active so what exactly is the engineer going to do? On the spare of the moment I told them I want to cancel and they put me through to a different department who said they would reduce my line rental to £6.99 p/m to help me with the costs. I was only paying £8.99 as it was so not a huge saving but compared to what BT would charge it's quite a bit less.

Shall I risk it with BT (higher line rental but possibly no charge) or stick with Toucan (lower line rental but definate £80+VAT charge)???

deklan99

Phone line may be active but it's a Talktalk line if connected to their equipment. Unless you can get TT to arrange a swap over of contracts with existing tenant, not easy, the line will be de-activated. Talktalk do not activate even their own lines so whichever route you take an engineer will have to attend the exchange and connect line up to BT's network.
No harm trying to get the £29.99 offer.

stevesmiff

Thanks dek,

BT at £29.99 fee + £189.00 (£10.50 x 18 months) = £218.99
Toucan at £94 fee (£80+VAT) + £125.82 (£6.99 x 18 months) = £219.82

As there is basically nothing between these two prices I think I might as well stay with Toucan as it saves going through the hassle of trying to get BT to do this and the 10 calls a month thing. Also if line rental stays at £6.99 it will save me more money the longer I'm with it.

Heinz

stevesmiff wrote: »

As there is basically nothing between these two prices I think I might as well stay with Toucan as it saves going through the hassle of trying to get BT to do this and the 10 calls a month thing.

BT Openreach will do the work anyway.

olathe

stevesmiff wrote: »

If Toucan come back and say £88+VAT I won't be a happy bunny!

Is there another solution? If I just cancel my Toucan account when I move out then when I get to my new house I can start up a new account. I don't care who it's with, just need a home phone.

Toucan - I assume whether I start with Toucan as a new customer or move home with Toucan they are going to charge me this £88+VAT (or £40+VAT) fee?

BT - I keep reading about this £125 connection fee that is charged but refunded if the line is in place and functional. The current owner is on TalkTalk which needs a BT line. Surely this means that I will be refunded the connection charge? Also leads me to think that Toucan shouldn't charge me the £88 fee. In fact, if BT wouldn't charge a fee then nor should they?

TalkTalk - I don't mind going on TalkTalk if this is the cheaper option. Surely if TalkTalk was in place last, it's just a matter of switching it back on for free?

Is any of what I'm saying right ???

P.S. What about the £29.99 connection thing going round at the moment - is that something I could do? I would be happy with that!

May I issue a warning about moving home and Toucan? I notified Toucan nine days prior to moving, and was informed there would be a connection charge to my new address. I decided against this and said I would cancel my account with them, and decided to go with BT who made no connection charges. I was advised by the Toucan agent to call to cancel just 24-48 hours prior to moving. This I did!!

The crux of my problem is this: - Toucan did not close the account, and subsequently monthly service charges were still ongoing, until I noticed the line was still active. Toucan are saying I did not make the final call to cancel, which I am adamant I did and therefore refuse to issue any credit. As both phone calls were on a 0800 number, they do not show up on my phone records