£65 charge.......for what

[#1]

Signed up with PlusNet for broadband 0n 15.04.18.

After an afternoon off work to allow a BTOE engineer to attend my flat, he left saying the line was now connected (and I did have a dial tone). When I returned to the flat 4 days later (the activation not having been completed same day as line activation) NO DIAL TONE. Reported fault and after a number of weeks of BT saying the problem was at the exchange or distribution box PlusNet advised the corrective work would be carried and no access would be required at the property. Amazed then to receive ,at work, texts from BT engineer saying he was "attending the job" 2 days before I had been advised, but not specifically asking for access to the property. At end of the day received a text from BT engineer saying he was unable to correct the problem and another engineer would come the following day. Called him to ask what the problem had been and after initially and rudely telling me I shouldn't be calling him now, I managed to get out of him that he had gained entry to the block of flats but was unable to access an electrical cupboard in the communal area. My property management company informed me that they would expect "tradesman" to carry an FB2 (fir brigade access) universal key which would open this cupboard. PlusNet then confirmed with BTOE their engineers don't carry these keys. My property company suggested I go out and buy one so I could give access to the cupboard for the next BT visit. The came the email from PlusNet saying at the next visit the BT engineer would show me the problem was inside the property and I would then be charged the additional £65.

Forgetting the ridiculous situation of my property company, not willing to send out a maintenance man with a FB2 ket, not providing residents with an FB2 key and expecting me to buy one (as that is another battle to fight, let us examine why PlusNet considerI am responsible for the required additional  visits.

At much inconvenience to myself, I provided access to my flat in the first instance and no communal cupboard was ever opened. The engineer left having signed off the job as completed. My end of the contract was completed.

The subsequent loss of this connection was initially described by BTOE to PlusNet as an external problem and PlusNet advised me no further access to the property would be required.

BTOE then initiated a visit to the property and only contacting me the same day with a cryptic text "the engineer would attend the job". PlusNet at no point informed me that property access was required.

The BT then reluctantly and not formerly informed me about the locked cupboard and said another engineer would attend.

So the questions are:

How could I have known the BT engineer needed access to the property before the day of his visit (in fact I was told the opposite by Plusnet0

Without calling the BT engineer on his mobile how could I have possibly known there was a locked cupboard on the premises that it was my responsibility to open.

Did the BT engineer complete the job correctly on the first visit.

Did he know he needed access to the property before he "attended the job" and if he didn't know how can I be expected to know.

Conclusion:

What this seems to come down to is:

BTOE will charge PlusNet for work.

If PlusNet can get £65 a time out of their "valued customers" they will and not bother to argue with BTOE whose responsibility the failure of their engineers to correctly complete a task when  all they say they need (access to property) is provided.

If as the customer I was dealing directly with BT for line provision, and they said they had completed a job in one visit, but then said they subsequently had to comeback, then I could argue this is their problem and I should not be charged for subsequent visits. However my supplier is PlusNet and PlusNet's supplier is BTOE and I only have an opportunity to query with my supplier why I should be charged for something that is DEFINETLY NOT OF MY CREATION and would expect my supplier to ask their supplier who is responsible for the line problems experienced, but they do not seem willing to do that as it is easier just to blanket bill their "valued" customers for any disturbance to their costs.

Now look at todays date and the date when I signed up.

AND I STILL DON'T HAVE BROADBAND

[#2]

Hi fradge, welcome to the forums.

That sounds like you have misread/understood the email.  It sounds like the standard warning that everyone needs to agree to (with any ISP) before an engineer appointment is made, that if the engineer can not gain access to your property during the appointment or if the engineer finds the issue is with your internal wiring or equipment, then you would be liable for the £65 fee, not that you will be have pay it regardless.

[#3]

Hi there.

Sorry to read about your experience.

We'd only pass on to you a call-out fee for an engineer visit under the following scenarios

(Apologies that the ticket on your account advised slightly different, that was an old version of the statement and something I'll arrange for feedback to be passed on to the adviser as we should be using the below statement):

If the engineer finds the problem is with your internal wiring, your equipment, the condition of your property or the Openreach network has been damaged within the boundary of your property by things like building or garden works or if no fault is found, you will receive a charge of £65 to cover the cost of the engineer. This charge will also apply if you miss the appointment or you cancel without giving us 2 working days' notice.

We are very stringent on accepting and passing on these charges from our suppliers. As such, if an appointment is chargeable we would add the charge to your account within 90 days of the appointment date.

Ideally this is something we'd like to avoid entirely and the checks here should help you eliminate any potential problem with the internal wiring within your property.

I can see we've got an engineer visit booked in for this afternoon.

Can you let us know how it goes?

Anoush

[#4]

The installation was completed on Friday and the BT engineer required both access to the cupboard (FB2 KEY) and my flat.

My point is :

I payed £50 initially and gave BT engineer access to the flat at this point and at no point did he ask to access the communal cupboard. He let me witness a dial tone and said the job was complete. But weeks later  (after being advised by PlusNet no access was required I receive another visit only announced by BT hours before arrival and this is unsuccessful because of lack of access to the cupboard. How could I possibly be expected to provide necessary access when I had such short notice of the visit and no mention was made by BT of cupboard access. I then needed to provide access again on Friday not only to the cupboard but also to the flat.

So are we saying I would be charged £65 for the initial BT visit because the problem was an internal connection?

Does the second visit warrant another £65 because the problem was an internal connection?

If the line goes off again tomorrow, and requires another BT visit could this warrant another charge?

This scenario could go on forever if BT fail to correct the problem (as they did the first time).

If my contract was with BT I would argue they should have fixed the problem in one visit and not charge me again for the second visit but my contract is with PlusNet so I would need PlusNet to put the same argument forward, have the future charges waivered and therefore not put the charge for multiple visits on me.

So pls state clearly, what installation charge will PlusNet be applying in my case?

[#5]

As the issue wasn't internal you won't be charged the £65.

The new line installation charges still apply I'm afraid