Unfair BT Charges

johnw13
johnw13 Posts: 3 Newbie
in Phones & TV
When changing my broadband supplier from BT in April due to poor connection speeds and an increase in price, they offered to match the price of my new supplier and send out an engineer.
They did warn me that if there was a fault with any of my equipment there would be a charge of £129.99
As I knew that I had no equipment directly connected to my hub I agreed to the engineer visit.
When he arrived he ran a test an miraculously my broadband speed had greatly increased. He said that he would change my socket anyway.
He was there about 15 minutes in total.
2 months down the line I have a charge for £129.99 for the visit.
When I questioned BT about this they say the engineer removed some "star wiring" and this is chargeable
Has anyone else had this issue and what was the outcome

I will be grateful for any advice
Thanks
John

Comments

  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    edited 12 July 2018 at 1:15PM
    Difficult to know but reads as you had faulty wiring your side of the box .
    Your side is why they charged .


    <When he arrived he ran a test an miraculously my broadband speed had greatly increased. >


    He would have connected direct to the line by passing your wiring .Proving its not a BT OR fault .
  • DoaM
    DoaM Posts: 11,863 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    JJ_Egan wrote: »
    <When he arrived he ran a test an miraculously my broadband speed had greatly increased. >


    He would have connected direct to the line by passing your wiring .Proving its not a BT OR fault .

    Which is why people are always told to test their connection from the Test socket (the one behind the Master socket faceplate). That way all internal wiring is (or should be) disconnected - if the fault still exists then it's (probably) external to the property. (I say Probably, because the modem/router could be the cause of the fault).
  • Carrot007
    Carrot007 Posts: 4,534 Forumite
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    There are stories of this happening a lot.


    And a much as I understand the engineers do not like confrontation they should be required to leave a copy of their report. But of cause openreach just want them to move on the the next job while they are out and write up the report later after they have forgotten all the points.
  • johnw13
    johnw13 Posts: 3 Newbie
    When I first logged the fault I did a test using the point inside the box and had very poor connection that's why they suggested an engineer.
    I suppose I'll just have to live with it but will never go with BT ever again.
    I just hope they do their usual price rise soon so that I can leave without penalties
    Thanks for your replies
  • DoaM
    DoaM Posts: 11,863 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    You mean you haven't had the letter/email yet? Their prices are rising in September.
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    johnw13 wrote: »
    I'll just have to live with it but will never go with BT ever again.


    As it was not your ISP but Open Reach who dealt with your infrastructure you are only left with Virgin Media as a non Open Reach serviced ISP in most areas .
    Open Reach bill the ISP who called them out be that SKY Talk Talk or BT .
  • brewerdave
    brewerdave Posts: 8,507 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    johnw13 wrote: »
    2 months down the line I have a charge for £129.99 for the visit.
    When I questioned BT about this they say the engineer removed some "star wiring" and this is chargeable


    Star wiring is the old way that BT used to connect extensions - presumably one of them had a fault so he has just disconnected it -have you tested to see if other extensions in your property are still working?
    I had an engineer's visit for an external fault-after curing that,the BT man couldn't get a pass on his tests -turned out that one of my extensions was waterlogged -he disconnected as it wasn't in use but I didn't get charged because the original reported fault was underground outside my house :T !
  • steviebuk
    steviebuk Posts: 146 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    I get the impression it wasn't a fault and it was just old wiring setup. That he's now disconnected. I don't know if its the same as Bell wiring. That was how ours was setup because it was old but I just disconnected it myself.


    BT engineers don't always do proper tests. Where I worked we supported an out station. I called BT out to it to check the BB connection as they were reporting frequent disconnects. I'd already been there and checked the PC. That was fine, the VPN line was fine.


    So 2 engineers later and BT claimed "Both engineers have said there is no issue". Eventually got them to send a 3rd who did his job properly. Said it was showing fine in the bungalow but he'll double check the box its connected to on the street. A secluded street with a pub opposite. He found the cause of the issue. He said a lorry must of backed over the box at some point partly crushing it. Someone has come to fix it but done a cowboy fix. He said they'd spliced it together just enough that it would come back with a good signal if tests but he knew but the state of it, that it would be unreliable.
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