Rented propety phoneline

Phillet

Hello

My friend and I have recently rented a flat. When we rented the flat we were told that the flat was cabled for broadband (we have this in writing on the advert for the flat - I can link any one whowould like to see). However when we went to connect the broadband through Orange they told us they would need to send an openreach engineer to connect the line as it currently has no connection box, thus it is not wired in, which would cost £60

We believe that our land lord should be paying for this as we rented the flat in the understanding the connection was there and all we would need to do would be to set up a broadband account, however this is not possible until the line has been connected. However, our land lord is arguing this is a connection fee, thus is our responsibility, which we disagree with,

Any advice is appreciated.

Mark_In_Hampshire

Your landlord is correct. Utilities are the responsibility of the tenant unless expressly agreed otherwise.


Your flat is connected to Virgin Media's semi-fibre optic network, which is the UK's fastest. So you could have a Virgin cable broadband service, at, say, 30Mbps which would almost certainly massively outperform anything Orange could offer.


For an Orange service you need a BT based phone line plumbed in, which is what the charge is for. They operate on different networks - one part fibre (cable) and the other not (BT).

Cable installation is often free or cheap; BT based lines usually have an installation fee even though the socket is already there.

Phillet

We were told the flat had a BT compatabile line currently into the the flat, which there is currently not. I know for a fact that it is not virgin fibre optic as the area we live in is not a fibre optic area.

Mark_In_Hampshire

In many cases - it does seem a bit hit and miss - the connection fee applies anyway.

So even if there's a socket on the wall with a dial tone, many if not most providers charge the connection fee anyway.

So "compatible line into the flat" does not equal "no connection charges".

chanz4

it may have a socket, but it isnt live this would be the reason for the visit. I doubt they will come out more so to activate it at the exchange.

macman

Why Orange though?

Phillet

Orange do not charge a connection fee, any cost is the cost of BT coming out to physically do the work - There is no dial tone within the flat. After speaking to orange again, they are saying that it appears the line has either been tagged or that BT have discconected the line. In this case, the flat does not currently have a BT compatiable line (unless BT themselfs have tagged the line, which apparently they have been known to do, in which case I would agree that the cost is ours.)

Orange are organising for an open reach engineer to come out and carry out any work required on the line to enable it to be used for Broadband.

steveE2

Phillet wrote: »

Orange do not charge a connection fee, any cost is the cost of BT coming out to physically do the work - There is no dial tone within the flat. After speaking to orange again, they are saying that it appears the line has either been tagged or that BT have discconected the line. In this case, the flat does not currently have a BT compatiable line (unless BT themselfs have tagged the line, which apparently they have been known to do, in which case I would agree that the cost is ours.)

Orange are organising for an open reach engineer to come out and carry out any work required on the line to enable it to be used for Broadband.

Orange do not charge a connection fee for Broadband,however they do charge for line activation/installation,have they advised you how much the charge will be for "Orange are organising for an open reach engineer to come out and carry out any work required on the line to enable it to be used for Broadband"

Phillet

It will be £60, persuming it is just a case of untagging or reactiviting the line.

Cleverley1

I have a land line which is active in my new flat. I don't need to make outgoing calls on this and anyway it won't let me.
Thing is I have an aging mother who lives miles away from me and if she needs to get in touch with me, I'd rather that she didn't have to call my mobile (expensive for her). I rang BT and asked that I may receive calls on this line without a contract being that the line has a dialing tone. They told me that the line isn't active at the exchange, (even though I can hear a dialing tone) and that I would need to pay a monthly line rental even just to receive calls.
I remember a time when, if you did have a dialing tone that you could receive incoming calls.
Problem is, I don't know the number. Does anyone know how I could find out?

Thanks, in anticipation

macman

Plug in a handset, dial 17070, it will give you the number. What sort of dial tone is it? You can't use any line facilities (in or out) unless the line is active, which requires payment of line rental. The usage that you make of the line is not relevant.
You will also have to pay a reconnection fee if the line is inactive.