Bt credit checks

Not really broadband related but seems like there is people in the know here so thought I'd ask. Moving homes next month to a non cable area so I'm having to get a bt phone line n I'm pretty sure they do credit checks. Anyway as a victim of the credit crunch I'm worried they will turn me down.. How likely is this? Is there any alternatives as I knw a few phone companies u can go through to get a phone line. Also out of curiousity why do bt do credit checks when they aren't giving you credit?

They will charge a £50 deposit if you fail the credit check, and they'll add it to your balance at a later date. Saying that though, I'd recommend avoiding BT for line rental altogether and trying the post office instead, way cheaper.

Yeah I'm thinking the post office how does tht work then do they use bt lines n then pay bt so much for line rental? Also do they have their own engineers or do they play the middle man?

They buy the lines from BT wholesale in the same way that BT retail do, so BT are not acting as a middle man. As for engineers, all of the work is done by BT wholesale and openreach, however I'm not sure if there's a difference in costs passed on to the customers if a line fault is reported between BT and PO. I would not of thought so though, as I'm sure OFCOM would collar them on it.

I'll also add that, if this is a line that has been tagged as disconnected, then sometimes BT will waive the £100 reconnection fee, because they tie you into a year long contract, whereas the PO will charge you to have the phone reconnected because they do a one month contract. If the line is actually physically disconnected at the exchange, then they will both charge.

Also out of curiousity why do bt do credit checks when they aren't giving you credit?

they give you credit on your calls expenditure. You pay rental up front and calls in arrears, which may be 3 months.