Moved a BT master socket

[Gavin John Hyde]

Had a call this morning, customer come back from visiting family and during the recent up and down weather it appears rain has got in and damaged the BT master socket. they had no phone/broadband I moved it from one corner to underneath the built in shelving in lounge. outside the wall where the BT cable comes in is mud, debris plants etc.. the water had pooled in the area and found a way in as the hole is very low down and not sealed. the floor inside is below ground level by around a foot inside.
Called me as the open reach engineer was going off on one telling them they will have to pay for the call out as quote 'somebody has moved this and its not allowed, it is open reach property' you know the usual script they stick too.
I actually moved it to the other side of room around 18 months ago and have now moved it back owing to redecorating.
they said nobody has touched it (its in exactly the place originally fitted and same plastic fittings)... in any case its the cable and hole openreach/bt drilled that allowed water to get in!
They are refusing to pay the call out charge that the engineer is trying to bill them, they have told the person on the phone that if they issue a bill then they will issue small claims proceedings for the water damage caused by BT drilling a hole in a stupid place and allowing water to enter the property damaging the plaster and wall etc.. apparently somebody will call them back on Monday to discuss it.

Anybody else had issues with the openreach lot being a pain in the backside!?

I have moved loads of bt points and dont see what the problem is myself... it wasnt my handywork that caused the issue but the inability of a bloke to drill a hole and seal it!

 

[buzzlightyear]

now this how it goes ,did a job for a customer the master in back room ,added a new socket in the front room ,customer rang BT I cannot get any thing on the phone in the front room ,BT engineer turn up yes you have a fault in the front room .can you fix it
engineer to customer no ,this what I'm going to do I'm going to disconnect it. the master in the back room belongs to open reach.

 

[buzzlightyear]

now this how it goes ,did a job for a customer master in back room ,added a new socket in the front room ,customer rang BT I cannot get any thing on the phone in the front room ,BT engineer turn up yes you have a fault in the front room .can you fix it
engineer to customer no ,this what I'm going to do I'm going to disconnect it. the master in the back room belongs to open reach.

 

[pirate]

"It has nothing to do with having the skills or the difficulty of moving it, it ain't yours to move."
It ain't mine...agreed.
Can I move it?
Yes, I can.
Rent your TV? Not yours, but I think you can move it...
Lease your car? Not yours, but useless if you can't move it...
It's down to degree, methinks...
Got a gas meter? Not yours. Can you move it? Nope, it's different, it needs skills, equipment, and there is a risk to life if you make a mess of it...

 

[westward10]

That is a pretty ignorant way of looking at it.

 

[pirate]

You are entitled to your opinion...
I to mine...
I do feel that a BT master socket is in a different and minor league though...
Oh, and I find the use of the word "ignorant" somewhat annoying and falling outwith the forum criteria, but as it matters not to me, I'll just ignore it...
see what I did there?

 

[Dillb]

"It has nothing to do with having the skills or the difficulty of moving it, it ain't yours to move."
It ain't mine...agreed.
Can I move it?
Yes, I can.
Rent your TV? Not yours, but I think you can move it...
Lease your car? Not yours, but useless if you can't move it...
It's down to degree, methinks...
Got a gas meter? Not yours. Can you move it? Nope, it's different, it needs skills, equipment, and there is a risk to life if you make a mess of it...

So knowing that openreach wont allow you alter their install, they basically own that part of your house. So if I wanted to knock down or alter wall which they have installed a cable or phone point on I cant with out their permission?

 

[pirate]

Interesting analogy
Also, as I have a shareholding, that makes the socket partly mine anyway...albeit, alterations to common property normally require consent of all owners...however, a socket, by virtue of its minimal degree of annexation to the property, makes it moveable not heritable...so move it if you want, just don't remove it from the property.

 

[westward10]

You are entitled to your opinion...
I to mine...
I do feel that a BT master socket is in a different and minor league though...
Oh, and I find the use of the word "ignorant" somewhat annoying and falling outwith the forum criteria, but as it matters not to me, I'll just ignore it...
see what I did there?

I chose the word ignorant for its meaning of lacking knowledge or awareness of the situation. People feel the moving of a master socket to be feasible due to its low risk of danger, this risk is totally irrelevant to the fact of interfering with property which is of no concern other than the owner, Openreach.

 

[Dillb]

Why is it I can purchase a master or slave phone socket from a wholesaler then?

 

[westward10]

So knowing that openreach wont allow you alter their install, they basically own that part of your house. So if I wanted to knock down or alter wall which they have installed a cable or phone point on I cant with out their permission?

So you wouldn't consult your gas provider in a similar situation.

 

[westward10]

Why is it I can purchase a master or slave phone socket from a wholesaler then?

I can purchase an electrical service head.

 

[Dillb]

So you wouldn't consult your gas provider in a similar situation.

Of course I would as I dont the first idea about gas regs. As I would also consult a stuctural engineer as i wouldnt know about supporting walls etc.

 

[Dillb]

I can purchase an electrical service head.

So youd be happy to swap one while its still live?

 

[pirate]

It's not the same, clearly. I am aware what ignorant means, and I lack neither knowledge nor awareness....when it comes to a BT socket.
I lack knowledge when it comes to a gas meter, but not awareness, therefore I am not ignorant in that scenario either...I make a judgement.

 

[westward10]

So youd be happy to swap one while its still live?

I wouldn't consider it I am merely stating I could purchase one. People seem to gave a disregard for telecoms services because it is deemed low risk but the fact remains it is not your privilege to move it.