BT Charges for fixing a fault on the line

nathanmcgurl

Arrrgh.

I have just found out that I have been charged £227.35 (+VAT) because there was a problem with the line coming into my house.

Before the engineer came out the lady on the phone advised that I should do all the tests because if the fault was in the house then I would be charged.

Imagine my relief then when the engineer said there was no problem inside and that what had happened was that a branch had rubbed up against the wire causing the problem. Butit seems that because the pole is in my front garden it is considered my fault and so I have to pay.

I can not believe that BT (or Open Reach as it is) can simply turn up and charge without mentioning a word about what it will cost - or without giving me the option to leave it. Afterall I have a mobile and my broadband was fine.

This pole also holds the line to my neighbours so would I have had to pay if they had seen this problem? BT don't pay me anything for the priviledge of having their pole (no one else can carry out work on it) and it seems that all it would be to me is a burden. Good to see that BT have at least managed to maintain a monopoly in one area of their empire.

The dispute resolution people - I had to navigate the automated calling system and go to new products (where a real person answers quickly) and then get transferred - were no help at all.

Is their anyone out their who knows how I might successfully complain about this and who to?

I would be really grateful for any advice.

Thanks


Nathan

Farway

Was the tree also in your garden?

nathanmcgurl

Yes. Both tree and pole are in my garden.

maoleoin

After having a dreadful time with BT, completely inept service, many engineer visits and unfair charges and hours on the phone to customer services and waiting in for engineers to visit, I eventually got a number to ring where I got a human to speak to who could do something rather than saying I need to wait for another 7 days while they investigate the issue and then never phone me back. It is some sort of complaint escalation department based in Cardiff. The number is 0292 0723030, I managed to get an engineer visit charge (completely unfair, engineer blamed my broadband equipment for a noisy line even though four other engineers said it was OK ! ) of £99+VAT dropped and a gratuity payment of £25 (obviously doesn't reflect my time and energy and frustration but to be honest was glad of something, once I had the charges dropped).

Now a very happy Virgin Media customer.

Farway

nathanmcgurl wrote: »

Yes. Both tree and pole are in my garden.

So your tree damaged your phone line & you expected BT send someone out & fix it for free?

I bet in future you keep the tree better pruned or lopped

nathanmcgurl

My tree damaged BT's phone line - no one else can fix it - (which is on my property) and I expect the advice I am given to be accurate (not just if it's in my house) and to be told in advance of a bill what the charge is likely to be and then given the option whether or not to proceed with the work. I would also hope that I were able to source other quotes for comparison. I realise that this doesn't work well with the particular brand of sarcasm that you were tauting, but it strikes me as being fair enough.

By way of analogy; what would you do if a mechanic had put a new gear box into your car without asking you first if you wanted to spend the money with them? I assume you wouldn't be quite so philosophical about the situation.

thegouster

I to have recently suffered these charges from BT, see the thread...... 'Nasty Surprise From BT'...... a couple of pages back.
The manager I spoke to at BT told me it was pointless speaking to anyone in higher authority as her supervisor would only say the same as her !
I am in the process of taking my complaint to OTELO the telecommunications complaints omburdsman.