Bt Line Connection for new build (merged)

Heinz

That's BT's standard charge for a new installation at a new property (see HERE).

No way round it - but BT may allow the cost to be split over a number of months/bills.

pricefighter

See here : http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=153124
recent discussion about this.

Tuesnightspecial

Here's a thought, but probably best if you a light user.

Sign up with BT and pay the £74. Then switch to the Post Office Home Phone Scheme. They will pay you £50 for switching, but you have to be with them for 6 mths to get the rebate (which is redeemable against your line rental I believe)! Its got its drawbacks so check carefully. If you use quidco.com to make the switch, you get £30 from quidco!!!! So, if the homephone package is for you, then you end up getting a new line for free and £6 in your pocket, and cheaper line rental for the year!!!

topherxp

Hi, I work for BT and hope I can help.

I terms of the BT sockets in the premises when you moved in, I am assuming that the property is a new build property. Almost all new build properties come with BT sockets fitted by the builders, the main reason being that it helps to sell a property if it means that there will not be a need to start drilling away at the walls as soon as the property is finished.

Now some developers do get BT to wire up you phone line to the exchange when they are building, which does mean you get a free connection, although you won't find out if there is going to be a charge for connection until the engineer comes out and confirms it for you. If the connection charge does appear on you bill after an engineer says you would have free connection, just phone up customer services and they can check the wiring report for the order to see if the engineer put in for free connection. The wiring report is very clear on if you should have had a free connection and the connection charge can be credited back to you on the current bill. If the wiring report says you should be charged and the engineer said you would have it for free then register a dispute of the charge and the relevent department will investigate.

In terms of spreading the connection charge, as mentioned in the previous post, it can be done over 5 payments of £17.21. It does mean you end up having to pay £86.05, but can help paying the connection charge easier.

As mentioned in a previous post, you could switch over to Post Offices Homephone service after getting the line fitted and get £50 cashback. Yes you can do that but it is worth remembering that if you cancel a new line with BT within the first 9 months you will have to pay an £18 cancellation charge.

Finally, if your still not sure, you can cancel any order at not cost to yourself up until the point service is provided. So you could get an engineer out and confirm with him if there will be a charge before the work is done and if he says yes and you don't want to pay you can send him away and cancel the order, without having to pay a thing.

I hope this information helps.

hammy_the_hammer

topherxp wrote:

Hi, I work for BT and hope I can help.

I terms of the BT sockets in the premises when you moved in, I am assuming that the property is a new build property. Almost all new build properties come with BT sockets fitted by the builders, the main reason being that it helps to sell a property if it means that there will not be a need to start drilling away at the walls as soon as the property is finished.

Now some developers do get BT to wire up you phone line to the exchange when they are building, which does mean you get a free connection, although you won't find out if there is going to be a charge for connection until the engineer comes out and confirms it for you. If the connection charge does appear on you bill after an engineer says you would have free connection, just phone up customer services and they can check the wiring report for the order to see if the engineer put in for free connection. The wiring report is very clear on if you should have had a free connection and the connection charge can be credited back to you on the current bill. If the wiring report says you should be charged and the engineer said you would have it for free then register a dispute of the charge and the relevent department will investigate.

In terms of spreading the connection charge, as mentioned in the previous post, it can be done over 5 payments of £17.21. It does mean you end up having to pay £86.05, but can help paying the connection charge easier.

As mentioned in a previous post, you could switch over to Post Offices Homephone service after getting the line fitted and get £50 cashback. Yes you can do that but it is worth remembering that if you cancel a new line with BT within the first 9 months you will have to pay an £18 cancellation charge.

Finally, if your still not sure, you can cancel any order at not cost to yourself up until the point service is provided. So you could get an engineer out and confirm with him if there will be a charge before the work is done and if he says yes and you don't want to pay you can send him away and cancel the order, without having to pay a thing.

I hope this information helps.

you would not request a BT engineer goes out to assess whether installation charges are applicable on a new build site. you are possibly confused about provides where previous service has existed. on a new build site the chances are that all the work including fitting the main socket will have been done by contractors. hence the customer says everything is there already ...records in this instance confirm no previous service

pricefighter

Also see : http://www2.bt.com/static/i/btretail/consumer/lines-reconnections/lines_reconnection_faq/index.html#3

topherxp

hammy_the_hammer wrote:

you would not request a BT engineer goes out to assess whether installation charges are applicable on a new build site. you are possibly confused about provides where previous service has existed. on a new build site the chances are that all the work including fitting the main socket will have been done by contractors. hence the customer says everything is there already ...records in this instance confirm no previous service

The only time you get a provide order entered on a property that has previously had service is when it is an 'apps in situ' provide. Apps in situ is when there hasn't been service at a property for a while and an enginner has used the phoneline going to the property (some where along the network) to connect to another property up, in this instance it is a free connection and the advisor at the time of the order will be able to confirm free connection. Any other order for service at a property that has had service in the past will be a start order.

by the way just to let the person who made the original post. The connection fee is going up to £100 on March 1st.

hammy_the_hammer

topherxp wrote:

The only time you get a provide order entered on a property that has previously had service is when it is an 'apps in situ' provide. Apps in situ is when there hasn't been service at a property for a while and an enginner has used the phoneline going to the property (some where along the network) to connect to another property up, in this instance it is a free connection and the advisor at the time of the order will be able to confirm free connection. Any other order for service at a property that has had service in the past will be a start order.

by the way just to let the person who made the original post. The connection fee is going up to £100 on March 1st.

topherxp i don't understand your point . provide orders ( provisions ) encompass apps in situ , starts , new sites etc in fact any order where bt provides a service even caller display . on a new sites order you would not send out a bt engineer to assess charges . the order lines would contain 'new sites' .
apps in situ are generated because bt have records of previous service but as you rightly say an incomplete routing.
starts are tested and an engineering visit made if test comes back showing faulty

topherxp

hammy_the_hammer wrote:

topherxp i don't understand your point . provide orders ( provisions ) encompass apps in situ , starts , new sites etc in fact any order where bt provides a service even caller display . on a new sites order you would not send out a bt engineer to assess charges . the order lines would contain 'new sites' .
apps in situ are generated because bt have records of previous service but as you rightly say an incomplete routing.
starts are tested and an engineering visit made if test comes back showing faulty

You are right and I do agree that basically a provide is providing service, regardless if there has been service in the past. What I mean is that on the BT computer system a START order is raised for starts and a PROVIDE order is raised for apps in situ, new sites extra. I terms of Caller Display or any other calling features, a CHANGE order is raised. Unless the calling feature is provided when a line is started, in that case it will come under either the START or PROVIDE order, which ever one it is.

Basically you are right and i am right, it just comes down to how you look at it.

Greensprout

I've got a quick question..

I have just moved into a house..

Their is a dial tone when I plug the phone in but I can't call out.
When I ring the house number (The contact number I had for the old owner it says this number has changed to ... [their mobile])

How much will it cost me to connect to BT?