BT compensation for long delay in broadband upgrade

GrantS69

Hi, I live 6 miles out of a major town and needed "civils" to dig a trench across a farm track. The date set was mid Feb 2024 and delay after delay it was finally done late May.

I get a text from BT next day saying I was due 96 days compensation within 30 days.

I forgot about it and recently chased up and the agent said yes thats right but we need a manager to sign it off as it is a large amount.

I chased it up again today and the agent said no the manager has declined it (never told me) as it was not a "committed" date by Openreach.

I can't find anything on the Codes of Practice on the BT/Ofcom website about "committing". It seems a cop out.

Do I have a case to escalate this? Anyone else experience this sleight of hand?

Regards

G

Eldi_Dos

I would imagine it will hinge on what the hold up was.

1. Where they waiting for a wayleave to be awarded.
2.Where they waiting for landowners permission.
3.Where they waiting for council/HA permission to commence the work on highway.
4. Where they waiting on another utility/ contractor to complete their work before OR allowed to commence.

There will be a raft of other possible reasons why work ran behind schedule, the manager will have had access to more information than the call handler when making decision.

Whether you have a case to escalate this would depend on reason for delay.

Has service been ok since instal, no outages or other problems?

iniltous

Was this delay for an installation of a new line , or a repair to restore service on a  line you were already ‘renting’ ? , 

GrantS69

We had a copper line underground. Scottish government doing a big push to get fibre which was installed last year. We tapped off it with the choice of a pole in the garden or dig the garden. We opted to dig. In other words a new line.

littleboo

I'm not sure how the compensation scheme works when there is already service, so no loss of service, but its a change to the service that is delayed. 

iniltous

With installation, much more than repair, installation dates given are advisory as there can be delays that Openreach have no control over , so in this case , presumably cutting across a farmers  entrance , if that farmer  objects and simply refuses to engage, or seeing an opportunity to fleece those wanting to do the work ,demands a ridiculous ‘fee’ for allowing the work , a delay for these ‘matters beyond out reasonable control’ is  no reason to be given compensation based on failed dates.

southsidergs

I'm afraid to say I can see where they're coming from, you were given 2 choices of install & chose one that was then delayed. That wasn't there choice of how to install it was yours yet you're now trying to claim for a delay caused by your own choice too....