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Elderly parents with no landline

Swimmum — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 21:51:30 GMT

My parents’ landline stopped working yesterday. They are both in their 80s and in frail health. My father has severe arthritis and as a result cannot hold or operate a mobile phone. My mother can operate a mobile phone, but only with great difficulty as she is deaf and has poor sight. As a result, they rely almost entirely on their landline. My mother has a serious lung condition and as she currently has Covid is extremely vulnerable. She had a telephone consultation with her doctor on Friday (just before the phone stopped working) and was due to have a follow-up call this week. She apparently tried to call BT today to find out what was happening but after getting timed out twice as she struggled to navigate the menus, then appears to have spoken to someone in sales who tried to sell her some kind of fault resolution service for £35 a month (I have no idea what this might be?) She is extremely upset and worried about being cut off. It’s clear she can’t sort this out trying to deal with it on a mobile phone she can hardly use. I’m 250 miles away. Can anyone suggest the best way for me to find out what’s going on and, in particular, know when the fault will be fixed so we know whether she’s going to be able to speak to her doctor? Do BT have some kind of vulnerable customer department I could email? Many thanks.

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

Justin_UK — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:05:52 GMT

OMG that fault resolution service sounds like a scam. Please make sure she calls the right number. I've got similar issue in that parents live with me in their 80s and they cannot use mobile phones and need something they can see and hear with big buttons on. These small hand held dect phones they supplied with DV are useless for them and a waste of space.

I've gone out and got some Decor 2200's and want an extension downstairs and upstairs as well as in my home office. Thought it would be an easy case of just getting the Digital Voice adapters but no. Not that simple and need to get some wiring in.

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

Swimmum — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:14:01 GMT

Hi - yes - I thought it was likely some sort of scam too. My mum says it was BT she was talking to, but between not being able to see properly and not being able to hear properly, I can’t be sure it was BT.

I just want to find a way of sorting things out for her - she’s so anxious and worried and it’s all made much worse because she’s got Covid and doesn’t feel well.

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

RIC9380 — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:08:55 GMT

Hello.

This is a worrying situation for you all so, if I were you, I would call Customer Services (0330 1234 150) at 8.00am and explain the issue to discuss the options.

Are you named on you parents' BT account as Account Manager? That may make things easier. Are your parents registered with BT's Priority Service for the elderly/disabled? Time for them/you to get onto that list if not.

I was in a similar situation some time ago so do understand your concerns. Hopefully you will get the matter resolved today.

RIC9380

From outside the UK

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

imjolly — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:00:55 GMT

are your parents registered here

https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/including-you/BT_Free_Priority_Fault_Repair_Scheme.pdf

I have asked a mod to see if they can help and they will post here

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

Swimmum — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:19:30 GMT

Hi - thanks for the suggestion.

No - they’re not registered. I will get that process started but looking at the requirements for registration (application to be countersigned by doctor/consultant etc.), we’re not going to be able to sort that out quickly, particularly as my mum is still testing positive for Covid and I’m so far away.

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

Swimmum — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:22:10 GMT

Hi - thanks for the suggestions.

No - I’m not an account manager, nor are they registered, but thanks for the helpful suggestions and I will get both processes started, but looking at the requirements for registration (application to be countersigned by doctor/consultant etc.), we’re not going to be able to sort that out quickly, particularly as my mum is still testing positive for Covid and I’m so far away.

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

imjolly — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:27:53 GMT

if the fault is in the home and your mother is testing positive for covid not sure if you will get openreach engineer visit but hopefully fault is external

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

Swimmum — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:32:20 GMT

Yes - completely understand that no-one will be able to visit their home, but we don’t even know if they’ve started looking at it yet so no idea for the reason for the fault. My mum has had Covid for over a week and is testing every day, so hopefully will be negative soon.

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

licquorice — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:42:25 GMT

It's not entirely clear from your posts whether the fault has actually been reported to customer services. Nothing will have been initiated unless it has been.

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

Swimmum — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 07:46:49 GMT

Yes - it has been reported (by a relative who called my parents and couldn’t get through).

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

-Richie- — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 09:31:01 GMT

@Swimmumwrote:
someone in sales who tried to sell her some kind of fault resolution service for £35 a month (I have no idea what this might be?)

There is no such product or service that BT sell to offer or increase 'fault resolution', I think there was a misunderstanding over the phone.

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

Swimmum — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 10:01:33 GMT

I’m sure you’re right but - as I have explained - I am 250 miles away, my mother struggles with using a mobile and I can’t be sure who she rang. I spoke to her this morning - she’s really distressed and she’s convinced she rang BT but who knows? Meanwhile I found a number for the vulnerable customer unit at BT. I rang it, but after explaining the situation, I discovered I had been put straight through to retentions! They couldn’t help or put me through to the vulnerable customers unit because I didn’t have details of my parents last bill etc. - and then the guy tried to sell me a change to my own package🤦🏻‍♀️

Re: Elderly parents with no landline

Swimmum — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 13:55:06 GMT

Just to update. I rang back on the vulnerable customer number again and was again put through to retentions. For future reference, it seems BT don’t have a specific vulnerable customer team, but this time I spoke to someone who tried to help. It turns out there is a major outage in my parents’ street so they’re not the only ones affected. The fault should be fixed within 48 hours or worst case by Friday. It doesn’t help us to be certain that it will be fixed by the time my mum is scheduled to do her telephone consultation with the doctor, but at least now I can contact the surgery and let them know the position and we can get some alternatives set up.