potential re-connection charges in rural area

bigadaj

good evening,
my parents live in rural wales and after having spent a few months in hospital are now in a care home. their property is empty with neighbours keeping an eye on it and us visiting every few weeks as well. The landline obviously isn't getting used and i was looking into cancelling it, they are paying £30 ish a month, but wondered if anyone knew if the reconnection charges might be excessive. its a farmhouse with its own line for say 200m and maybe a km from the nearest rural exchange. 

Neil_Jones

Realistically if it isn't being used its pointless paying £30 a month for it.  Are your parents likely to be coming back to the property?

bigadaj

Yes we were planning to cancel but wondered if there would be large reconnection charges if and when it was reoccupied and/ or sold. Theres a new mobile mast been installed not far away which makes data and reception very good. installing or replacing a new line with costs could run into thousands, and basic connection charges can be high so just wondered if maintaining the line might be the cheaper option in the long run.

J_B

I *think* that disconnecting the line just involves disabling a switch in the exchange - the physical line will still be there.

Reconnection will be a simple switch again and a standard fee ... probably.

bigadaj

yes that's what i thougt but wondered if anyone knew with more certainty. 

mwarby

You can get a new phoneline installed for around £100, so wouldn't be any more than that. If they have broadband there will probably be a fee to cease it, this is around £30