Is Primus telling the truth?

ov24604

I am 11 months into an 18 month contract with Primus Saver for my phone and broadband. I am moving house in 2 weeks so called them to ask if I could get my contract transferred. They said this is fine, and they are even putting me on their current deal (which is cheaper).

They then said that there is a £59 charge to move because I will need an engineer appointment to install the line (for new customers the charge is waived but not for existing customers moving house). I said that there was already a current phone line in the property and so Primus said if I gave them the current phone number they would be able to 'take over the phone line' without the need for an engineer callout - which would mean no £59 charge!

Can this be right? If I can somehow find out the landline number at the new property this will save me forking this charge? Thanks all :xmassmile

diamonds

Yup correct, I'm moving some one to P from Virgin, £59 connection to keep Virgin number, new number = free install.

bendipa

At the moment they are offering new customers free installation under certain conditions if an engineer is required to visit. If a working BT line is already connected to the new property, then no engineer should be necessary.

http://www.primussaver.co.uk/New-line-installations.aspx

macman

A home move is free. A new line install or reconnection is not-so you need to establish what is already there.
It's not the engineer visit that is charged, it's the connection, whether an engineer visit is required or not (which for a reconnection is usually not needed).

bendipa

Of course it's the engineer's visit that is chargeable. What else would you be paying for? It's like everything else, eg a plumber or electrician is called out. You are charged.

macman

No it's not. BT charge exactly the same rack rate for a line provision or a reconnection (about £130). In the majority of cases with a reconnection, an engineer visit is not required, as the connection is made at the street cab or exchange. But the charge is the same regardless. In effect, it subsidises the more expensive new installs where cabling may have to be to be ducted, strung etc.
The reason you are required to be in on the day is in case of a problem which may require the engineer to need access to your property. In practice this is not often not necessary.

diamonds

"If you are joining from Virgin Media then we can also install a new line for free, but you will lose your existing phone number."#

So you say you left VM

Minksy

I am also moving home but am a new would be Primus Saver customer.

I have been told I will need to pay £59 connection charge. As a previous post has also said, I also called BT, who would charge £130 for a reconnection, and confirmed that one was required. When I asked PS why I was being charged reconnection as I could see the telephone socket in the wall, it was explained that was dependant on how the previous occupant terminated their service.

Primus Saver informed me that an engineer may not need to come to the property as reconnection could take place at the exchange (wherever that may be) however I have been informed that due to the bad weather, reconnection will take place at the end of January, which is well over the 1-4 weeks quoted on the website. I appreciate being told, and despite my disappointment have decided that as it is the most cost effective, (and am just exhausted looking for the best deals on everything for the move!) I'll continue on this contract. There is also a 14 day cooling off period wherein you can cancel, but I would suggest that you try to organise reconnection asap if you are in the London/ South East area!

diamonds

I'm awaiting a connection for a relative its taking forever for OR to confirm a date for connection, Openreach have outsourced alot of 'external to exchange' work so you think they be more OR staff to attend exchanges....apparently not !

I sent P a complaint as the order was meant to be confirmed within 48 hours by email - two weeks ago, got a reply asking to situation & confirm the details to such a few days ago & replied, awaiting reply.

bendipa

Minksy wrote: »

I am also moving home but am a new would be Primus Saver customer.

I have been told I will need to pay £59 connection charge.

You shouldn't have to pay anything as long as the previous occupants had a working BT phone line and the socket wiring and router to the exchange have not been tampered with since. See here

macman

Not so, the wording says we may be able to reconnect for free.