Problems with getting connected

Shiggaddi

I recently bought a house, and the previous people had SkyTalk on the BT landline.

At my old place I had Post Office homephone, and on the agreed date, they disconnected my old phone, but couldn't connect my new service.

They said it because there was a live line still at the house, and Sky had blocked the takeover of the line. Upon plugging in my landline, I found that the previous people still had their phone connected. I got in touch with SkyTalk who couldn't do anything, as I'm not the account holder.

I phoned the Estate Agent 2 weeks ago and they got back saying the previous people are aware, and they can't get through to sky, which seems strange seeing as I can always get through with very little waiting time.

Yesterday, I phoned the Estate Agent to chase things up again, and when I got back yesterday, I found that the line no longer has a dialing tone, but if I call the number from the mobile then I get a ringing tone from my mobile, and eventually into voicemail, but the landline phone doesn't ring.

When I got the Post Office Homephone disconnected, I found that I had a dialing tone, but when I called the number, there was an "no longer in service" message. When I tried to call any number from the Post Office line, it wouldn't connect, not even 1471.

Does anyone know what has happened, and whether the previous residents have now acted. It seems strange that one disconnection gives me a dialing tone, and a message to callers that the number isn't in use, but another disconnection gives no dialing tone, and people can still ring the number and think it's in service.

Also, to clarify, the previous residents had said they won't be taking the number with them, and I didn't take my previous number with me.

I'm hoping this is a sign that I can order my landline, and broadband, and not have to rely on a mobile dongle for broadband.