Openreach installed a new phone cable (from the pole) into the shop next door to mine but anchored it onto my building without asking me. Even worse their line runs in front of our flat roof which we regularly have to access and it's very much in the way because have to climb under or over it to get up there.
I am tempted to just cut it down but that would then mean our neighbour would have no phone or internet! I have asked them to try and get it moved but they do not seem that bothered about doing anything.
I tried to contact Openreach directly but it is very difficult to even get through and when one does they have effectively just fobbed me off three times.

Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do ?

5 minutes ago, Justin Smith said:

Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do ?

Just wanted to add my support! OpenReach did a horrible interior installation of a fiber cable to a friends house which I ended up 'neatening up'. They don't care, their primary objective is just to get the job done, aesthetics/practicality don't enter in to it. Keep at them and don't let them away with it...

20 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Just wanted to add my support! OpenReach did a horrible interior installation of a fiber cable to a friends house which I ended up 'neatening up'. They don't care, their primary objective is just to get the job done, aesthetics/practicality don't enter in to it. Keep at them and don't let them away with it...

The problem is that I have no sway with them.

I even tried the nuclear option of telling the guy at Openreach (at a call centre in India...) I would rip the cable down if they didn't come and move it, but they still did not seem bothered.

I am assuming I would be within my rights to rip it down as it is on my property without my permission ? TBH I am more bothered about falling out with the neighbour but I am running out of options here. Has anyone got an alternative phone number or E Mail address for Openreach ? I used 0800 023 2023 (option 1 then option 1 again).

39 minutes ago, Justin Smith said:

I have asked them to try and get it moved but they do not seem that bothered about doing anything.

 

39 minutes ago, Justin Smith said:

I am tempted to just cut it down but that would then mean our neighbour would have no phone or internet!

You've answered your own question.

It's on your property, move it👍

Hi Justin

Report it as a health and safety issue as you need access to the flat roof, to BT,s CEO.

[email protected]

What solution are you hoping for?  If there's enough slack on the cable to move it across to their property then probably easier to do it yourself than waiting for someone to come out or upsetting the neighbours.

18 minutes ago, eddie eastwood said:

Hi Justin

Report it as a health and safety issue as you need access to the flat roof, to BT,s CEO.

[email protected]

I may use that E Mail address to report the issue.

Some businesses take E Mails to their CEOs office seriously, it is a test of BT's professionalism as to if they do*. I can remember having an issue with Evri and getting no where with them until some guy on the E Bay forum gave me the CEOs E Mail address. His "personal office" sorted it out immediately.

* I shan't hold my breath though.

9 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

What solution are you hoping for?  If there's enough slack on the cable to move it across to their property then probably easier to do it yourself than waiting for someone to come out or upsetting the neighbours.

Doing it ourselves, even if there is enough cable, may raise all sorts of issues if anything goes wrong at some point ion the future. Plus the engineer used a catenary type arrangement which would need to be re-tensioned if the anchor was moved.

2 hours ago, eddie eastwood said:

Hi Justin

Report it as a health and safety issue as you need access to the flat roof, to BT,s CEO.

[email protected]

As stated above I did write to  Ms Kirkby and have had this acknowledgement :

Thank you for your email to Allison. She has asked that I get this reviewed. 
I am extremely sorry you are experiencing problems. I am passing your email to our executive guides to pick up, investigate and respond directly to you. 
Please note the team will do their absolute best to reply to you within the next 48 hours. 
Thanks 

We will see.....

Yes, you can't beat contacting a CEO - Aviva (NOT my insurance company) kept saying they were waiting for info from their client for weeks and weeks and weeks - e mailed the ceo and loads of apologies - claims dept had the info they needed weeks ago - ceo offered lump sum as gesture of goodwill, ha ha.

Here is a list of CEO's https://www.ceoemail.com/index.php?s=F

 

It's looking good so far. I have had another E Mail which even includes a reference number.

It must be said that this type of error in installations must happen fairly often and so Openreach should make it easier for people to report stuff like this.....

All done !