Hi Forum / Hi Expert ;)

I'm soon moving flats and had a final viewing for our new property today. When I tried to check whether any of the two separate BT sockets which are installed in the flat were active, I did not receive any signal at all - so I suppose both of them are physically disconnected and dead.

After discussing this with Madasafish, my current supplier, I needed to pay the £115 to install a new line via OpenReach.

However, I was wondering: How can there be two BT sockets in the flat and none of them has a signal on it? When you move out, you tell your phone supplier and they deactivate the line. In this case, when someone else moves in, they just have to reactivate it and no connection fee arises.

So what was done when both sockets are dead? And who and why could such a thing have been done?

What I was wondering is: Does BT physically cut off landlines when people move out of flats, to be able to charge the new line installation fee? If so, why is this allowed?

Hope anybody can enlighten me on this...

Thanks and regards,

Mat

I think you will find all providers now arrange for closed accounts to be disconnected. Something to do with not tying a line to a particular provider.

What if you didn't want a BT line at all or wanted a line from a different provider than the previous tenant?

Same with new builds, the wiring may be there but the new tenant has to be allowed to choose where they get a landline from rather than every house being connected via BT retail.

Incidentally BT are doing a £30 deal for line installations until September.

Hi fnarr,

well, as anybody can change a landline to any new provider for free in case it is connected, there is no real advantage for the customer in disconnecting the lines. In contrary, it even prolongs the setting up process for a new line supplier because OpenReach has to physically connect a new line. And due to all lines are held by BT Wholesale anyways, there's even less supporting that the disconnection of expired lines is done for any other reason than to provoke new line installation charges.

However, thanks for pointing out the special offer on BT. In the end this is what I will be doing, given the considerable amount saved. Insterestingly, BT does not promote this deal via phone or website, and I had to specifically ask for it to be activated for my account. Will have a new working line in two weeks' time - I hope ;)

All the best,

Mat

Yup, free IF line is active but since found out lines are disconnected automatically after a period of time no matter who provides the line.

Probably all to do with money though, who pays rental to BTw for the active line while its unused possibly for weeks?

Anyhow the BT offer seems not to be widely known about and I should have warned you to expect problems. Hope all goes well.

Heya,

everything went well - apart from that I did not yet get a bill, but this is not really harming me ;)

So thanks again for the help and advise!

Mat

Fingers crossed for when the bill comes in!