How to get line released? 9 September 2021 at 8:45AM in Broadband & internet access 14 replies 271 views

MrRP

Hi,

I have tried twice unsuccessfully to get broadband at my new house which I moved into early August.

I am advised by Vodafone that the line will not be released by the current provider and so cannot activate my line with their service and have ultimately cancelled my order (this has happened twice).

I have no contact with the vendor.  Who do I speak to so that I can get the line cancelled and a new broadband package arranged?  Is there someone at Openreach I need to speak to?

neilmcl

Could try and give the chat facility on the following page a go.

https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/when-to-get-in-touch-with-openreach/complaints-policy

MrRP

Hi Neil,

Thanks although I just get sent round in circles with the automated bot answers.  I can't seem to get through to a real person.

JenB79

MrRP said:

I have no contact with the vendor.  Who do I speak to so that I can get the line cancelled and a new broadband package arranged?  Is there someone at Openreach I need to speak to?

Openreach don't normally deal with end users. They will ask you to get in touch with your CP.

If you can't get in touch with the ex-owner directly, can't you at least try via your solicitor/conveyancer? If the ex owner is still paying for the service, then obviously it's also in their interest to cancel (cease) the service ASAP. They may have just forgotten to cancel the broadband when they moved out

neilmcl

Instead of Vodafone you could consider going with BT, they may be in a better position to get Openreach to cease and release the line, and you can always then cancel within 14 days once it's been sorted.

JJ_Egan

Key is the vendor who needs to sign off the line contract .

JenB79

If copper, another option for the OP is to get an additional line installed which can sometimes be installed free of charge eg through TalkTalk. That way the OP doesn’t have to worry about the previous owner cancelling the existing line. 

Rodders53

If the line is still active, can the OP just use it?
Free calls and maybe broadband (depending if any password is needed by the ISP).

But the vendor's conveyancing solicitors and estate agents are the most likely to have a forwarding address and/or mobile contact details... 

Although they won't divulge them they will probably pass a message on if you ask nicely, OP.

JenB79

Rodders53 said:

If the line is still active, can the OP just use it?
Free calls and maybe broadband (depending if any password is needed by the ISP).

Good point! If the previous owner was using one of the bigger ISPs like BT or TalkTalk then pretty much any router will work with BT's generic login details and in the case of talktalk, no PPPoE authentication is required. But of course the OP doesn't know who the ISP is, so it would need to be a case of trial and error. That's assuming the broadband is still live.

Re: phone line, the OP could always try dialing Speaking Clock 123 from the line for hours at a time (@ 50p/m) and then see how quickly the previous owner cancels the line 

Retrogamer

Is this a new line you have just activated in your name?
If so, it should be free of any broadband orders or assets. 

iniltous

I would use someone other than Vodafone, as it’s clear they don’t know what to do in these circumstances…it happens a lot that someone exits a property without advising their provider that they are leaving, it could be an oversight, it could be they have done a runner, the new provider arranges the migration, the property is ‘sent’ a communication ( addressed to the previous occupant from the previous occupants ISP)  saying ‘someone is trying to takeover the line, if it’s a mistake contact us to stop it’ , obviously that ‘letter’ goes unanswered because the previous occupant has left, the letter continues, if you don’t contact us within 10 days , the takeover will take place and we won’t be supplying service, …the idea is to give customers that are slammed against their will to another provider , the chance to stop it happening, all VF ( or any ISP in this position ) need to do is simply start the order journey, what they shouldn’t do is cancel it themselves, or never raise an order in the first place.
The previous ISP  cannot have stopped  the VF order , because the letter cannot have been responded to, as it was delivered to the OP address and they wouldn’t open post addressed to someone else, and certainly wouldn’t stop the order they raised that was to give them service, if the letter has never arrived, then VF have not even ordered service.
( I would suggest ) it’s time to use an ISP that know processes