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£125 for soldering two wires together?
ghostmadlittlemiss
Posts: 1,788 Forumite
in Phones & TV
About 4 months ago, I moved to a new house which already had a phone socket but no phone connected. I called up BT to see about having a phone connected and they insisted there had never been a phoneline connected to the property by them and if I wanted a phoneline putting in, I'd have to pay the connection charge. I thought this was a bit strange since there obviously was a phoneline fitted but presumed it must have been either put in but never used or put in by another company. So I went ahead with it, a man came out to connect the line, stuck a little beepy thingie (technical stuff is not my thing. 
) into the phoneline to check it, went out to the exchange and then came back and told me the line was now connected. I paid the connection charge and all was fine.
However, I found out later off my landlord that when he bought the house in about 1989, there was a phoneline connected and used and he even gave my a photocopy of the phonebook to prove it. And of course, in those days, BT was the only phone company in existence so they lied to me when they said they'd never connected a line. I rang them up and spoke to a very nice Indian gentleman who told me that because two wires had come loose at the exchange and needed soldering back together, they were justified in charging me £125. The landlord rung them too and got the same line. Now, I could probably solder two wires together from what little I remember of A Level Design and Tech so I can't help but feel I was a little ripped off. I know it's been 4 months since I had the line fitted but I've only recently found this site and the phonebook page again and wondered if I have any kind of case for getting my connection charge refunded. I'm guessing not, but hey, it never hurts to ask.
Kayleigh
) into the phoneline to check it, went out to the exchange and then came back and told me the line was now connected. I paid the connection charge and all was fine.However, I found out later off my landlord that when he bought the house in about 1989, there was a phoneline connected and used and he even gave my a photocopy of the phonebook to prove it. And of course, in those days, BT was the only phone company in existence so they lied to me when they said they'd never connected a line. I rang them up and spoke to a very nice Indian gentleman who told me that because two wires had come loose at the exchange and needed soldering back together, they were justified in charging me £125. The landlord rung them too and got the same line. Now, I could probably solder two wires together from what little I remember of A Level Design and Tech so I can't help but feel I was a little ripped off. I know it's been 4 months since I had the line fitted but I've only recently found this site and the phonebook page again and wondered if I have any kind of case for getting my connection charge refunded. I'm guessing not, but hey, it never hurts to ask.
Kayleigh
0
Comments
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Did you miss this sticky.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=211879
You only normally get Free Connection if your home has had telephone service from BT in the recent past, and the wiring all the way between your property and the exchange is still in place and the socket is undamaged.
Shame you did not find site earlier or you could have tried for £29.99p connection offer(18 month contract).0 -
Im afraid not, its the standard fee for any installation that involves any engineer work. It is an absolute rip-off 99% of the time, but BT continue to get away with it quite simply, because there is nobody there to regulate them or offer an alternative service (certainly if cable isnt in the area, the only option most people have is BT's network).
However, basically, on some install's, it can cost a LOT more than £125.00 to connect the line, so they set that fee, and it covers any shortfall they have from more expensive install's.0 -
There are lots of threads discussing alternative installers to BT - search here, or use google
Here's one: Post office charge £107.66 and no minimum contract.0 -
Quentin, you beat me to it by 30 secondsOld Faithful we roam the range together,
Old Faithful in any kind of weather,
When the round up days are over,
And the Boulevard’s white with clover,
For you old faithful pal of mine.
Giddy up old fella cos the moon is yellow tonight,
Giddy up old fella cos the moon is mellow and bright,
There’s a coyote crying at the moon above,
Carry me back to the one I love,
And you old faithful pal of mine.0 -
You complain about the £125 fee, however you are clearly overlooking all of the other activities that are involved in connecting your phone line.
Sitting in a van smokin fags and reading the Daily Star for 7hours 50 minutes of the day waiting to do your 10 minutes work is a very expensive operation you know...British Ex-pat in British Columbia!0 -
Oh well, it was worth a shot. You never know unless you ask. Thanks to everyone who answered and thanks to withabix for the laugh.
Kayleigh0
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