topic Openreach contractors won't go into loft in Broadband

Openreach contractors won't go into loft

KingBernard — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:24:56 GMT

Hi everyone,

So MJ Quinn on behalf of Openreach simply won't go into my loft space due to health and safety - even though this is the best solution for my house and office upstairs.

They told me everything up to the house is fine, box on the outside where the house meets the pole cable etc is all fine. However they won't simply go into the loft space directly from that point and would prefer to run cables around the house into a room I don't wish to have the router in - I want it in my office. All of this due to in part to "Health and Safety" and insurance coverage.

BT put in an old copper line about 10 years ago with no issues whatsoever into the loft with a master socket in my office.

If tomorrow I can't get them to install the way I want it and BT are unwilling to send their engineers - what are my options?

Tried to be as clear as possible, any help is welcomed

Thanks

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

jab1 — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:46:05 GMT

@KingBernard Is the loft fully boarded, with power, and easy to work in? H&S, and insurance rules and regulations have been tightened quite a lot in the past 10 years, but most installers will work with you - within the regulations.

The router does not need to be in the same room as the ONT - if you can run Ethernet cables to your office, it can still go there.

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

bmc — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:07:16 GMT

@KingBernard

To add to @jab1 does the loft have easy access?

Brian

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

KingBernard — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:22:24 GMT

The loft is fully boarded, clean and tidy albeit a bit small. It is a new build bungalow only 15 years old with access from a loft hatch in a room - no ladder needed just crawl in.

The problem with running ethernet cables inside, is I have to drill a lot of holes and run at least 2 cables into two seperate rooms, not something I want to do ideally when the solution is so simple from the end of the installation. Not to mention more cables outside if they run it around the house.

BT (10+yrs ago) and more recently Virgin Media installed it and ran cables through the loft, hence why I find it ridiculous they won't.

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

Baldrick1 — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:22:49 GMT

@bmc

To reinforce what @jab1 wrote your easiest solution may be to bring the fibre in to the house in a convenient position. Then install your own Ethernet cable between the ONT and office.. As long as you use Cat 5e or better Ethernet cable, this can be up to 100m long.
If routing Ethernet cable externally just make sure that it is either fully ducted or specified as outdoor grade.

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

jab1 — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:27:47 GMT

@KingBernard Where is the CSP (outside box) in relation to your office? I'm just curious to understand why they can't run cable externally to that room? NOTE: There must be a power point within 1m of the ONT.

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

KingBernard — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:42:49 GMT

CSP would be on the far right of the house nearest the pole on the ground floor - this fine and makes sense. My office is at the back of the house in a loft room. So they would have to run a cable outside around the house and through the loft anyway if they were to do that - might as well run the cable through the loft on the nearest point next to the CSP through the loft in that case.

The way they would want to do it is to just drill a hole into living room and have internal wiring and box there (Ugly) or in the hallway - around the side of the house.

The old copper cable that did exactly that and Virgin Media did the same, an arguably harder job.

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

jab1 — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:05:36 GMT

I am a little confused here - if your office is in a loft room, what is wrong with running the cable from the CSP externally to your office and installing the ONT there - or am I missing something obvious?

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

Townman — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:59:52 GMT

ONT to CSP is run from the ONT to the CSP, not the other way around. These fibre 'cables' are preformed and of limited length - usually 10m.

Has the installer seen the space and refused to work there or is this cautionary fear?

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

bmc — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:28:51 GMT

@KingBernard

The CSP needs to be at ground level to allow the installer to join cables. However, it is possible to get a CSP installed internally - in your case the loft floor would be the ground level.

The attached picture (when released) shows an internal CSP and ONT install (though not in a loft).

Brian

Re: Openreach contractors won't go into loft

KingBernard — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 21:00:04 GMT

All sorted now, came to a compromise with the Openreach engineer. Not the most helpful company ever but we got it done.

I entered the loft space myself to drag the wires together then he attached and connected them all.

Outside looks a bit iffy with an cable running across the front but it's the best I could do with Openreach.

Installed in the office / loft space.

Thanks for the replies