Bt callout charges (merged threads)

Alias_Omega

Sorry, you will have to pay the charges.

If you removed the front from the master and the phone worked then that would tell me that the fault was within the house.

If the extension sockets were not installed by BT, then you will be liable for the fault diagnosis & remedial work.

Im going with £145...

nickcardwell

i thought it was £180 for call out charge?

simpleguy_blr

Thanks all,

Its turning out to be a real expensive lesson.

I being the dumb head I am, would not have know how to identify or disconnect the problem extension, so if not for BT would it have been any cheaper to have called some local handy man?

If I happen to face a similar situation any suggestions on who could help me deal with the problem other than BT as now that I know BT simply burns a big hole in my pocket.

I still have this extension socket that he has disconnected, to be fixed

Cheers

BritBrat

Its not hard to DIY.

Only 3 wires (2, 3 and 5) and as long as you do not have old phones, you can just use 2 wires (2 and 5) as 3 is the ring wire.

http://www.wppltd.demon.co.uk/WPP/Wiring/UK_telephone/uk_telephone.html

10 min job at the most, even if you have never done it before.

I would buy a new extension faceplate to make sure it was not that at fault.

As he made no repair, you may get away with the bill, but don't hold breath but worth a try.

rockin_plumber

I am quite miffed with BT as well......
I had a fault yesterday... did all the checks they advised and then they wanted to arrange a home visit... I wasnt aware of the call-out charges but I said I would ring and make an appointment as I didnt know when someone would be in...

I checked my master socket last night and it was quite corroded inside
I spoke to an electrician mate of mine today and he warned me of rip-off call out charges and said he would call round tonite to have a look......

Well an engineer called today and changed the master socket, the missus was in but wasnt aware that I was gonna make an appointment.. she rang me to check summit and I told her to tell him go go away but he had finished the job anyway :rolleyes:

So I rang BT when I got home and they said I may be liable, but if I didnt book the visit how can this be correct

Then she hit me with what the call out charges would be :eek:

When charges do apply, they are: £99.00 plus VAT, (£116.33 inc VAT), call-out charge, then £85.00 an hour (or part of) plus VAT, (£99.88 inc VAT). This is a total of £184.00 plus VAT, (£216.21 inc VAT), for each minimum visit period, which is an hour.

I did suggest that my direct debit would be cancelled if these appeared on my August bill :rolleyes:
It appears I will still have to ring up and contest this.....
Even though I didnt book the damn visit :mad:

BritBrat

If the fault was on the BT side you should get no bill.

If you do ask for a copy of the enginners report.

Don't tell them you or any other person was going to remake the main box connections as that is illegal.

rockin_plumber

BritBrat wrote: »

If the fault was on the BT side you should get no bill.

If you do ask for a copy of the enginners report.

Don't tell them you or any other person was going to remake the main box connections as that is illegal.

Should I also tell them that the engineer left us the instructions for the main box, and that he said if it happens again that it is easy enough to get hold of and change yourself

Also my issue is
1) I didnt book the visit, it was left until I rang back and booked
2) I wasnt told of the prices for Call-Outs

BritBrat

rockin_plumber wrote: »

Should I also tell them that the engineer left us the instructions for the main box, and that he said if it happens again that it is easy enough to get hold of and change yourself

No don't metion it, it sounds like you had a good enginner so don't get him in trouble as he may not have raised a charge anyway.

I have moved my box in the past but I did not tell BT that I did.

Scottydoggy

Please help and advice, new to this!
I have had a BT landline for less than a year, used for broadband only.
Few weeks a go it stops working, I check connections before contacted BT and eventually get through to a human! She runs through the same checks and asks me to ensure that I simply have not left the phone of the hook etc. as if an enginner was to arrive and find such a thing I may be charged. She make no other mention of a charge and in fact the BT web site says most are free
Engineer arrives tells me I have been struck by lightening blowing the line and repairs it within ten minutes. Again no mention of a charge.
Today a bill arrives for £216.20, for the call out.
I have emailed the main man as per somebody else on the site suggested and he has replied, however, its still being looked into.
Do I need to pay this, I have to say if I had known it would cost I would have never agreed!
Thanks

normanmark

For stuff like lightening striking the customer could be liable, i say could as i recall reading something about charges that occur due to an 'act of god'.

As for the 'if you had known it would cost that much' line, unfortunately it would still be broken as the only people that can fix that line is BT, no one else unfortunately.

Best of luck.