Possible telephone line problem in windy weather ?

I'm not sure which section to post this in so my apologies if I've posted it in the wrong section.

I've just had my guttering replaced and new PVC fascia boards fitted (as the old wooden ones were beginning to rot and needed replacing)

This was done today when I was at work (I had to work today as it wasn't in my contract to have the day off but I was paid double time so it's not that bad) and the job was finished by the time I finished work at 2pm.

Last week I paid a deposit for the work and have to pay the balance on monday, he is coming to the house to collect the money.

I am concerned as the telephone line may get blown about in windy weather:

[IMG]http://i55.tinypic.com/2s1aqab.jpg[/img]


From my street it doesn't seem too bad (above) but when viewed from my upstairs window it does seem bad (below)

[IMG]http://i55.tinypic.com/332vsox.jpg[/img]


Am I worrying over nothing ?

I rang him around half an hour ago and he said it would be fine but I am not sure if he's just fobbing me off ?

I don't want to pay him in full if the line does need seeing to as I would probably stand little chance of him coming out to correct it once he has my money.

Thanks.


By the way, I suppose I could correct it myself but I'm not that keen on going up ladders on a steep hill besides I don't have a ladder long enough.

Anyway he should leave the telephone line as it was before he worked on the job !

Edited by deleted (Fri 29-Apr-11 16:30:38)

Hi Curly,

I've replied to your post in Kitz' forum, so I won't repeat myself here!

How high is it? If they have dropped the height, it's not the wind you need to worry about, it's high vehicles taking it down and bringing your fascia boards with it.

In reply to a post by RandomJointer:

How high is it? If they have dropped the height, it's not the wind you need to worry about, it's high vehicles taking it down and bringing your fascia boards with it.

Good point. There's not much clearance when a tall sided lorry goes underneath it perhaps 3 or 4 ft.

If there's any safety concerns (i.e. the wire being "low") then you might be best off reporting this to BT as an observed low wire.

They'll send out an engineer to retension it and possibly a cherry picker too if it's very low.

Safety is most important, like RJ said, you don't want a high load vehicle stripping off your facia and smashing some passer by!

Maybe no need to even mention to BT about the work you've had done. Just the important facts: low wire, possibly dangerous. Better safe than sorry!

In reply to a post by polemonkey:

If there's any safety concerns (i.e. the wire being "low") then you might be best off reporting this to BT as an observed low wire.

They'll send out an engineer to retension it and possibly a cherry picker too if it's very low.

Safety is most important, like RJ said, you don't want a high load vehicle stripping off your facia and smashing some passer by!

Maybe no need to even mention to BT about the work you've had done. Just the important facts: low wire, possibly dangerous. Better safe than sorry!

Well I would prefer the contractors to fix it and they said they will do so tomorrow.

They had better or they won't get paid !

I am sure I would be charged by BT Openreach if I called them out as they could see that the telephone line has been altered as the contractor used black tape to tape the telephone line to the hook (or whatever it's called)

You can just about make out the black tape on the hook if you look closely !

[IMG]http://i53.tinypic.com/9lcvm9.jpg[/IMG]

and now days the fix should not as a rule be on to fascia boards.

lol see what you mean... botch job.

Mind you if it came to the crunch you could always lie and tell the Openreach engineer and say it had always been like that
He might believe you.

But, yeah, your builder really should sort that out, it's a 2 minute job at the most.

In reply to a post by btbert:

and now days the fix should not as a rule be on to fascia boards.

Are you serious?

Where else would the telephone link 'hook' be fixed ?

All of the houses on my street use the fascia boards !

The only difference between mine and most of the other houses is the fact that my fascia boards are PVC as opposed to being wood.

In reply to a post by polemonkey:

lol see what you mean... botch job.

Mind you if it came to the crunch you could always lie and tell the Openreach engineer and say it had always been like that
He might believe you.

I doubt it !

Last year I had rising damp and I requested that my line be moved aprox 12 ft (where it enters my home) and was charged not far off £200 so I would not like to risk it !

In reply to a post by polemonkey:

But, yeah, your builder really should sort that out, it's a 2 minute job at the most.

I've requested that he use plastic table ties to tie the telephone line to the 'hook' as using tape isn't ideal especially if the tape isn't weatherproof as it could work loose with rain, etc.

That's how the other lines in my street have been fixed, using table ties.