Active Line Takeover Issues

Hi All,

After people thoughts on this if you'd be so kind.

We completed on our new home on the 18th and have been trying to sort TV, Phone, Broadband. Everything is organised, but Sky have told us that we cannot get our phone line and broadband up and running until the 2nd of June as the line at the property is still active from the previous owners. Apparently, there is a cancellation outstanding, but the contract does not end until June 2nd so our provider cannot legally do anything unitl then.

Anyhow, what should I do about this? Is it my fault that the previous owner left it so late to cancel their contract? No. So why should I go without phone/broadband for a month and a half?

Presumably the seller doesn't want to pay the cancellation fee and so is just letting the contract run down but at our expense?!

Any thoughts greatly appreciated!

Comments

  • Pincher
    Pincher Posts: 6,552
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    So he is paying for your phone calls? :T


    If I was to leave the house like that, I would be sleepless until 2nd June.
  • macman
    macman Posts: 52,992
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    You should be able to take over, but if the outgoing occupier has failed to cancel, then the existing provider has to be asked to write to them and confirm that their service will now cancelled-this is to prevent malicious disconnections by third parties. Normally this delays things by 2-3 weeks; then reprovision by OR might take another 7-14 days.
    Not your fault, but not Sky's either.
    It would cost the outgoing occupier less to cancel than to complete the minimum term, so why don't you contact them?
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • sacphil
    sacphil Posts: 37 Forumite
    Have just spoken to the Estate Agent to try and get them to contact the outgoing occupier. According to them they discussed all this a fair while ago and at the same time as contacting other utilities suppliers etc. I know they've done this because I've already had a letter from the water company.

    They are going to speak to the vendor and see what they can find out, although I would have thought that if he had cancelled his contract as he should have then the line would have been available for takeover immediately?
  • macman
    macman Posts: 52,992
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    It would be, but clearly he hasn't if what you have been told is correct. He'd' normally have to give 14-30 days notice.Who is the current provider? The reconnection can still take 7-10 days from the date of your application.
    In the meantime, if the line is still active, enjoy your free calls.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
  • sacphil
    sacphil Posts: 37 Forumite
    The current provider is Talk Talk and we are instructing Sky to take over the line. Fortunately, we're not actually in the new property yet, but will be moving middle of next month so thought we would have plenty of time to sort this out....apparently not!

    Of course, I'm presuming that it's to do with the previous occupier cancelling their contract and not that Sky are making a hash of taking it over....I suppose it could equally be either!
  • macman
    macman Posts: 52,992
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    You may well have a problem if that is an LLU to LLU transfer. Usually problematic. The workaround is to get Sky to provision a new line rather than take over the old. In practice, the same physical line is used.
    No free lunch, and no free laptop ;)
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