BT Connection Charges (merged threads)

bbb_uk

Thesquire wrote:

I have just moved into rented accomodation, its an old flat and has a line, and there is a tone on the line when i pick up the phone. I've just spoken to BT and was quoted £125 for connection, the customer rep stated that i could go elsewhere for connection- does anyone know who?

As Heinz pointed out dial 17070 and it should begin with "This circuit has been defined as ..." (then tells you your number). If you don't get this then the number could be withheld so dial 1470 17070.

Post back with whether you were successful or not. If not, could you dial the number or was it not recognised?

macminiuser

Heinz wrote:

There's a dialtone - no 'switch flicking' involved!

Switch flicking was a figure of speech - I understand that given there's a dialtone, all that needs to happen is for a customer service representative to press a button on a screen to allow outbound calls.

The examples given were to illustrate that in recent conversations with people in a similar situation, the £124.99 charge appears to be being quoted for anything from no work involved at all (i.e. flicking a switch), up to weeks worth of work with diggers and hard physical labour (i.e. three mile trench)!

I'm guessing Thesquire can receive calls OK on this line?

The best option is definitely to negotiate with BT and try and get them to make the line useable for free.

macminiuser

Heinz wrote:

I don't understand that BT reply. £124.99 is their new installation charge.

As there's a dialtone on the line, it should be a free reconnection.

Just had a thought... if the previous occupants had moved the line to an LLU provider like Bulldog or TalkTalk, then BT would class this as a cease and new provide because an engineer would have to go to the exchange, physically unplug the line from Bulldog/TalkTalk's equipment at the exchange and back into BT's equipment.

bbb_uk

macminiuser wrote:

Just had a thought... if the previous occupants had moved the line to an LLU provider like Bulldog or TalkTalk, then BT would class this as a cease and new provide because an engineer would have to go to the exchange, physically unplug the line from Bulldog/TalkTalk's equipment at the exchange and back into BT's equipment.

True but surely this *may* come under free reconnection because anyone else rejoining BT may also have to have their line reconnected to BT's equipment as we did. Even if it couldn't be classed as free reconnection then if it is just physically unplug and plug into BTs own equipment then that would surely be standard 1 hour labour charge which I think is around £75.

gt94sss2

Thesquire wrote:

Similar Question.
I have just moved into rented accomodation, its an old flat and has a line, and there is a tone on the line when i pick up the phone. I've just spoken to BT and was quoted £125 for connection, the customer rep stated that i could go elsewhere for connection- does anyone know who?

Make sure you are talking to the 'right dept' at BT and not 150 (and ask for a reconnection not a new line install..)

Regards
Sunil

bbb_uk

gt94sss2 wrote:

Make sure you are talking to the 'right dept'

Excellent advice as I had a similar problem when we wanted to move back to BT. I had rung the reconnections number after a while it diverted to another dept (you can hear the rings interrupted) and the person I spoke to first time around didn't seem to really care that we wanted to move back to BT and didn't really know the answer to the few questions I had.

However, I rung a couple of hours later (same number) and it answered pretty quickly but this time my questions could be answered and the guy seemed knowledgable.

I can only assume that if reconnections are very busy then an 'overflow' operates that will divert some calls to other depts in order that they're answered quicker (I assume).

skintas_2

i went with cable corpation as they stupid person who lived at my Address before me cut all the wires and bt wanted £99 to connect me, the engineer said someone could do it for me, my partner is a elerctrian , he would have doneit i went with cable, at my new flat he has put a extra socket in my bedroom with proper phone cable and a box.......

skintas_2

bulldog my neighbour is with them as she owes bt money

ahrimaniac

Congratulations! That's really terrific.

KoolCat_2

insomniac wrote:

I've just rented a flat which happens to be in a new building, BT want the 125 to move my account to the new flat and it seems there is a 9 month contract as well. It puts me in a position because I'm probably only going to be there 6 months. Like others I don't want a landline but need broadband. BT have quite a good scam going here.

I'm in exactly the same situation as Insomniac (and sorry to join in half way through this debate).

I think the issue for people in rented accommodation is not so much BT's fee, as the fact that the Landlord refuses to pay it, even though only one tenant will ever have to pay it. Am I right?

And do we as tenants have any rights to get the landlord to pay for the installation?

I know that my tenancy agreement states I'm required to pay any telephone charges for the period of my agreement. The argument I'm using with my landlord at the moment is that the installation fee goes beyond the period of my agreement and I shouldn't have to pay. Doesn't seem to be getting me very far though.