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Will I have to pay for a phone line relocation?

SatiivaaBreathaa

Casual Member
First of all, I hope everyone is well and staying safe.

An issue has recently arisen since my housing association has scheduled to replace my living room window when the current situation calms, the problem is my phone line passes through the frame of the window, I pointed this out and was told they can't touch the line, understandably.

My next door neighbour had her windows replaced a few month ago as all the windows are failing of age around the same time, the statement "if it ain't broke don't fix it" has never been so boldly presented, I asked her what they did and she said they just cut the line without saying and once she realised she had to arrange with her isp for bt to come and re run it through the wall.

Although they did this free of charge the downtime would be a major issue for me, If I contacted my isp (post office telecoms) and explained the circumstances could the line be moved free of charge before the window is replaced? that way I don't have to wait for the wire to be spliced then my isp to drag their feet "fault finding" or will I be charged for a master socket relocation?

The fact that everyone's phone line on the street passes through the window tells me it was done by BT, the only reason I can see this being a good idea is saving time which doesn't justify the ugliness of cables passing through window frames and junction boxes on window cills.

Also does the same apply as for line faults where its down to BT if its before the master socket? I haven't a clue when it comes to BT, last December my roof was replaced and the scaffolders somehow snapped my drop wire taking down their gear, they took off without saying leaving my cable coiled up in a neighbours garden, I was dreading paying out an unexpected bill around that period as I expected to be billed for it but I wasn't, they work in mysterious ways.
 
Generally if you request a move, there is a standard charge for the visit and then per hour of work thereafter.

If there is a genuine fault before the master socket, these are generally done free of charge. Exceptions to that will be due to user damage, or that of a third party working at the property.

Essentially though, for you, if you are changing your windows and need the line moved; it's going to be chargeable as you need this done and the line isn't genuinely faulty.

I personally wouldn't risk cutting the line as the charges for an engineer visit where damage caused by someone is determined; the costs are generally far more.

Matt
 
If you ring in advance then you pay, if you leave it until the line is cut then the visiting engineer may just report it as a faulty line and repair FOC or as damage and you pay.
 
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Thanks for taking time to reply, So it would be treated as a relocation then? It annoys me as its a half backsided job done by the same people who will charge to put it right.

I won't be waiting around for the window fitters to splice through my cable, I may have a jab at it myself as OR rates are extortionate, I'm familiar with punch tools as Ive wired ethernet to faceplates throughout my house, it can't be much different?

I've looked inside the white junction box on my cill and it's just 2 of the 4 cables being used, I believe this cable is Cw1308 which I know you can get genuine BT manufactured cw1308 off ebay for cheap so if I used that with the existing original BT master socket whose to know it wasn't OR who did it if in the future there was a fault on that part of the line.

Just out of curiosity, is there any reason for them to go through the window frame other than saving time when it was installed, I've never seen such a thing until I moved into this property last year, even houses round the corner on a different street have theirs go through the wall.
 
On older properties it used to go through door and window frames as engineers didn’t carry drills, this was changed once battery drills were available and they then went through walls.
Chances are you won’t get your provider to raise a task for it now due to the limitations of working around CV-19, but you may get one once OR go back to business as usual.
Explain to the PO that the council are removing the windows and have requested the line be moved prior to them starting the work.
 
If your Housing Association is the one replacing the window on their property, wouldn't it be reasonable to ask them to either move the cable themselves or pay for it, if they're going to break it?
 
On older properties it used to go through door and window frames as engineers didn’t carry drills, this was changed once battery drills were available and they then went through walls.
Chances are you won’t get your provider to raise a task for it now due to the limitations of working around CV-19, but you may get one once OR go back to business as usual.
Explain to the PO that the council are removing the windows and have requested the line be moved prior to them starting the work.

I didn't think of that, it seems right as both the windows and cable are old I can't remember when but I know they stopped using the colour coding of my cable a while ago and my windows are the type with the beading on the outside, early versions of double glaze, theyre not doing the window until after the limitations are lifted anyway, I have seen OR and Sky still visit homes but wearing protective gear, until the replacement is in full swing though I'm in no rush as they will give me a date we'll ahead of the replacement.

That seems a better approach too, as it's not me wanting the line moved but the housing asking, they my take that into consideration, I just can't justify having to pay for such a thing when you consider why.
 
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If your Housing Association is the one replacing the window on their property, wouldn't it be reasonable to ask them to either move the cable themselves or pay for it, if they're going to break it?
When I first reported to them that the window needed replacing I pointed out to them that the phone line passes through it, they said they don't own the line they can't mess with it, which surprised me when my neighbour told me they cut hers, if you can't re wire it who said you can cut it?
 
My neighbour's gardener accidentally chopped my internet line and when I called BT they said there would be a charge to re-run it, sadly. Fortunately, my neighbour was kind enough to get someone to come and fix it who did a brilliant job and had the time of day to re-run it through the route that I asked, it ended up being a blessing in disguise (despite the few hours of downtime). Since then I always check beforehand if an issue will incur a charge and if they do I always contact an independent engineer (Telkev) to do the job. I find engineers who work for the large providers are often under a lot of pressure not to waste the company's time and money :(
 
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