Phone line (paid through SKY)

gingerhairs · 18-03-2014, 21:44

Hi

I am new to this forum and am not sure if the people reading will be best to advise, but if not may be able to point me in the right direction! I will try and give detail be keep it short so here goes....

Strong winds over the winter have damaged (and exposed some rot) to pvc facial boards and the wood underneath on my house. 1960's property.

The telephone line is connected to the facia board, and is approximately 44m(+or-4) from the telegraph pole.

Every time the wind blows, and the cable sways, I can here creaking from the cable attachment to my home.

The cable passes over 2 residential roads from my house to the pole.

I am currently in 2 minds, and each will in turn have its own set of questions, but for now.

1) Should I relocate the positioning of the cable attachment to my property onto the brickwork (where I think it should have been already, given the span). Going to be tricky I know, heavy cable, suitable temporary cable fixing to the property required (don't want to be pulled of the ladder)

2) How or what way is the best to contact BT? and ask them to relocate the cable. (is it BT's fault or my own that the wood is rotten and the point of attachment needs to be serviced?, they attached it to wood that will in the end rot!). (maybe if I tell them its a safety concern they will have to do it, with it being their cable, but who gets billed, what is the minimum height required when attaching a cable to a residential property? will they take out my phone and only agree to putting it back when I get a new roof on

)

I don't have 2 pennies to rub together to be perfectly honest, and cant cope with any sort of bill from BT. I don't have enough cash saved up for the facia boards yet, and don't have any insurance.

Any help will be much appreciated.

(by the way, I am a time served fitter, now a stress/design engineer, have tools, (have a degree, so I know what I don't know, but I know how to learn), and understand any advice given here is simply that, and it needs consideration and understanding prior to action been taken)

nodrogd · 18-03-2014, 22:19

If you pay line rental to BT, then contact BT. If it's Sky then contact them, as they may use a separate contractor to do their line work. As it's not a "fault", there may be a callout charge. Obviously, it's your risk if you try DIY alterations, & if it results in damage to the cable, you will have to pay out anyway.

gingerhairs · 18-03-2014, 22:42

From reading other forums, the connection to the property is the problem of BT.

If they are advised there connection is potentially dangerous, will they just move it to a more suitable position (ie brickwork)?

In Short... I could do it myself.... (time, over engineered solutions to compensate for the lack of equipment, and working at height, to name a few put off's, this is not my desire)

BUT.....

If there is a chance of being charged by BT, that's what I have to do.

(being a ex council house, maybe the council are responsible for agreeing a unsuitable phone line attachment in the first place?)

I think this is a mine field of specific points to height and key words to say during contact with BT, but understand there is no going back once contact is made regarding this matter...

---------- Post added at 23:32 ---------- Previous post was at 23:28 ----------

thanks nodrogd

The phone line is owned by BT, it doesn't mater who your line rental is with.

Maybe I am looking at this to in depth. The function of the line is OK, the safety of the line is not.

Would I be charged for calling them out to rectify a safety concern?

---------- Post added at 23:42 ---------- Previous post was at 23:32 ----------

I have been down the road of Chinese whispers before. Key words is what's needed for the human computer of call centre staff.

I know the communication to BT has to start through SKY (my line "rental" provider, not the line provider (they rent it of BT)), and I need the KEY words for it to get past the gate keepers trying to pass it to chargeable work.

(I need a chill Pill, or something. Sorry, I just get all vexed at all this stuff)

progers · 19-03-2014, 07:46

Don't even try and do it yourself, the cable is heavy if it's a long length. Call whoever you rent the line from, i.e. SKY. They will get their subcontractor, BT Openreach to sort it.