In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Ah, you meant a block terminal. I thought it was some sort of router or hub. BT is definitely responsible for the wiring from that to the back of the master socket.

Yeah, the line comes into our house into a BT80B (i.e. block terminal) then to another BT80B from there it goes to the NTE5A Master Socket.

Like I have said in another post, the last engineer we had a while back was sent to re-wire the line coming into our house due to our council buried the BT80B junction box in the new window frame, this was down to they wasn't allowed to touch it.

Anyhow the cable was too short so engineer added another BT80B and joined them together so that they didn't have to touch any wiring.

Hence why I would like it relocated.

Paul

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

BT is definitely responsible for the wiring from that to the back of the master socket.

Ah, get this I just phoned BT and got passed onto the overseas team, I explained to them that the cable between the junction box (BT80B) and the Master Socket (NTE5A) had been installed under the carpet back around 2000 when we had Home Choice installed and that due to it being installed and tucked under the carpet it has got damaged due to wear and tear.
The BT Guy said if they send out an engineer and if the faulty/damaged cable is inside our house we will be charged £129.99.

I then tried to explain how can we be responsible for a 10 to 15 year old cable that was badly installed by their engineer, and that is BT's property, I also said all wiring up to and going into the master socket is BT's responsibility and not ours, especially if its wear and tear.
The BT Guy said that he understands and then repeats himself again.

I phoned the direct line to Lee Jones, Executive Level Complaints only number I had access to at the time, I left my details, so now waiting for them to phone back.

This just isn't right that we will get charged for something that we are not allowed to even touch and that was also badly installed in the first place.

Paul

Ultimately it will come down to "did you deliberately, knowingly and wilfully" damage the BT equipment?

For example, if you keep running the vacuum cleaner into a master socket and it breaks - yes they are right to charge you. If you use a bolster chisel to push the cable behind the architrave and it splits, or when using a blow lamp to melt the cable, then yes you should be charged.

However, if in your case, BT installed the cable under the carpet and you have no choice but to walk across it then I believe they should not charge.

Well I have just found out that Home Choice started around 2000 so it was installed then.
We didn't even know they installed it under the carpet at first to a couple of years later when we had an issue on the line and the engineer had to hunt out the cable, strangely they did nothing to rectify the install and just fixed the fault and just left the cable there.

It was only several years later we started to notice the outer sheath cracking to a point where we can see the wires (if I recall there was 2 twisted pairs) and that the twisted pairs are starting to un-twist, so we have tried our best to limit this from getting worse by placing a small doorway rubber ramp either side of the cable, sadly I think the damage is already done.

I have yet to hear anything back from Lee Jones, Executive Level Complaints about this, so tomorrow I will be sending him an email and also sending a carbon copy to my local MP.

BT Need to be correct and not say you be charged if the damage/fault is in our house that they are responsible for, even though I said BT are responsible up to the NTE5A back plate, where they repeat that we will be charged etc..

What is annoying is my mother is disabled and has days where she requires a wheel chair to get about and that my father has not long been released from hospital with septicaemia and also requires operations on both of his knees and has also had to used the wheel chair or a walker, so in my eyes BT are expecting them to bunny hop or jump over the wires under the carpet, I don't think so.

Even the last engineer that was sent here to re-install the BT80B (white block terminal) in our living room (about 3 foot from the floor) and due to the cable not reaching they installed a second BT80B small white box on our skirting board and added a cable between them just so that he didn't have to touch the damaged/warn out cable.

So we cannot risk asking for an engineer visit until we 100% know and has been confirmed by BT that we will not be charged for the repair and to have the overseas quote what they did on the phone makes it more confusing.

Like you said, if it was damaged by the vac banging and breaking the master socket or maybe kids yanking on the cables then yeah I expect to pay for a repair, but this isn't our fault.

Paul

Oh that was fun, just got a call from the manager of the overseas BT Support guy.

Even he couldn't fully answer my question whether we will be charged for an engineer visit to replace the faulty cable resulted by their engineers back in 2000 installing the cable under the carpet.

I asked him a few times if we will be charged and not a clear answer.

I was told that I will be getting a call from BT Complaints some time tomorrow, not too sure if its about this or our issues getting our FTTP install sorted, I guess I will have to wait and see.

The overseas support guys manager said that he will phone back on the 2nd to see what needs to be done, but until I am guaranteed that we won't be charged for that engineers stupidity back then, we cannot risk it, just in case we are charged the £129.99

Paul

In reply to a post by PaulKirby:

This just isn't right that we will get charged for something that we are not allowed to even touch and that was also badly installed in the first place.

Paul

Is it in writing that you WILL be charged. No its a case of might be. Seems to be the norm that they say you could/will be charged. Just to put you off.

Just get the fault fixed and argue the point afterwards.

In reply to a post by JohnR:

In reply to a post by PaulKirby:

This just isn't right that we will get charged for something that we are not allowed to even touch and that was also badly installed in the first place.

Paul

Is it in writing that you WILL be charged. No its a case of might be. Seems to be the norm that they say you could/will be charged. Just to put you off.

Just get the fault fixed and argue the point afterwards.

Well in the first phone call I wasn't told I could be charged, I was told that I would be charged, and in the call back they just wouldn't confirm either way.

But I might just see what happens in the scheduled phone calls over the next couple of days.

I will be taking pictures of it now on how it looks, that way I could dispute that we are not at fault.

But yeah I will have to have a word with my parents due to they are the bill payer of the line and see what they think.

But yeah, this issue really needs to get resolved, its been going on and off for the last several years.

Paul

Well the [censored] word was blood with a y at the end.

..... dear me no , that weren't it at all.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Well the [censored] word was blood with a y at the end.

..... dear me no , that weren't it at all.

Oh, I thought you was asking what the censored word was

It was late and I was tired.

Paul

Edited by PaulKirby (Mon 29-Feb-16 21:29:15)

I guess it was a word the Americans spell differently?