This topic

M J Quinn Damaged My Property

Andrew4444 — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:34:55 GMT

Hi all,

M J Quinn sub-contractor damaged my property when installing full fibre recently.

External rendering was broken, and shoddily filled with mastic, and a hole in an external wall was left unfilled.

But the worst damage was a burn to the bottom step of an almost new stair carpet, adjacent to where he'd been working. The damage is consistent with a hot drill bit coming into contact with the carpet. We noticed it immediately after the 'engineer' had gone, and reported it straight away to Openreach.

Openreach have passed the claim to M J Quinn.

Despite the fact that the damage to the carpet can only have been caused by the 'engineer', M J Quinn are refusing to accept responsibility for the carpet, demanding "proof". I've provided photos of all the damage, but of course I don't have film of the engineer dropping his drill on the carpet, just a photo of the damage it caused - you don't expect to have to supervise someone to ensure they do their job competently.

Any ideas to whom I might escallate this? There doesn't seem to be an Ombudsman for Openreach of M J Quinn.

Many thanks in adavance.

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

imjolly — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:41:16 GMT

there is no connection from this community forum to openreach

were you getting BT broadband installed?

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

Kimberlin — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:44:49 GMT

@Andrew4444 Perhaps consider taking them to the Small Claims Court. You’ll need to research it and Citizens Advice might be able to guide you. You can submit a claim for up to £10k using this process.

https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

Andrew4444 — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:11:27 GMT

Hi,

Many thanks for the quick reply.

It was a full fibre installation for a PlusNet broadband service.

I did see an earlier post on this community re. damage to property by M J Quinn, but didn't realize that this community is for BT Broadband only, and doesn't include BT Openreach (which, I believe, provides the infra used by most broadband service providers).

Thank-you anyway for replying.

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

Andrew4444 — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:12:56 GMT

Hi,
Thanks for the suggestion. It's a few hundred pounds' worth of damage. I'm not sure I have the energy to go to the Small Claims Court which, of course, is what M J Quinn will be hoping.

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

Kimberlin — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:23:58 GMT

@Andrew4444 Clearly, if you can afford to just write off a few hundred pounds in damage, then I wouldn't worry about it any more. Obviously, you have to back up your allegation against the Company. If you're not prepared to do that, then yes, they've won. I wish you well.

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

gg30340 — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 12:19:56 GMT

Your contract is with PlusNet to supply and install broadband.

Your contract is not with who PlusNet contract to install the broadband on their behalf. Their contractor is Openreach and they have sub contracted Quinn to do the job. You do not have any contract with either of them.

You complaint should be directed to PlusNet and it is up to PlusNet to resolve the problem.

It may be that PlusNet will need to contact Openreach who in turn will need to contact Quinn to establish their side of the story but none of that should concern you or be up to you to chase them up.

After you have complained to PlusNet, if the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction or within eight weeks you can request a Deadlock letter and then take the issue to the Ombudsman.

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

Andrew4444 — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:22:25 GMT

Thank-you, that's helpful. I'll pursue that route.
(Although it seems odd, then, that Openreach has a public web page where you can report poor workmanship, damage to property, etc. Whatever, it would make sense for it to be PlusNet who pursues Openreach, who do whatever they choose re. their sub-contractor.).
Thank-you once again for a helpful answer!

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

iniltous — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 17:09:54 GMT

The fact that Openreach isnt contactable for consumer issues is by design (Ofcom the regulators design) , CP’s (Communication Providers like Sky , Vodafone, Talk Talk , as well as BT ) were asked if Openreach should be in touch with consumers in some circumstances, Sky , VF etc said absolutely not, only BT said it had some merit .

There are some issues that clearly don’t involve CP’s , a telegraph pole leaning over at a dangerous angle or a cabinet with doors open to the elements for example have nothing to do with any individual CP , what’s more the person reporting it , won’t necessarily be a customer of a CP of Openreach , that’s why OR have a way to report these type of things , but if it’s an individual problem to a single account , it’s the CP not Openreach that’s the consumers point of contact .

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

36ULW — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 06:49:23 GMT

I know there’s this whole, your contract is with Plusnet, whose contract is with Openreach, whose Sub Contractor is MJ Quiffs but you’ve no need to fall into that he said, she said game.

As part of MJ Quiffs Contract with Openreach they take ownership and deal personally with any damage claims subs make against their guys.

Quiffs as long as I’ve know are notorious for doing their best to get out of paying for damage caused by their Installers.

You’ve just got to be persistent with them and don’t let it go. If one person says no, demand to go to their Manager and if they say no, ask for theirs as everyone answers to someone!

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

Andrew4444 — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:01:04 GMT

Thanks! The process / relationships between the CPs and the infra provider and its sub-contractors does , unfortunately, seem to lend itself to evasion of responsibility, and though it may not be specifically by design, outfits like M J Quinn will cynically take advantage.

Thank-you once again for most helpful comments.

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

Andrew4444 — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:07:30 GMT

Hi,
Many thanks. I'm in e-mail communication with Quinn, who of course are trying to evade responsibility by claiming that I don't have proof. I have pretty strong circumstantial evidence but do not, of course, have video of the 'engineer' carelessly allowing a hot drill but to scorch the carpet.
I'm trying to persuade them to act with integrity, and will escalate via their management chain. Quinn seem to have a pretty dismal reputation, though, and probably won't care if I put poor ratings online.

I will also now raise with PlusNet, which I'd previously considered but thought, wrongly I now believe, would stall at the first hurdle.
Thanks once again for helpful comments and encouragement.

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

iniltous — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:20:03 GMT

The way these things should work , if the contractor is reluctant to accept responsibility, you complain to PN , they complain to OR about reputational damage, OR complain to Quinns about the same thing , eventually they concede, it’s a pain that these things need perseverance considering Quinns no doubt have insurance for these things anyway, (although it’s also true some consumers will try it on and make ludicrous claims ) what you can’t do is complain directly to OR , you are not an OR customer, and to labour the point BT have no involvement whatsoever, making posting here here somewhat pointless.

Re: M J Quinn Damaged My Property

gg30340 — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:43:01 GMT

The OP has did not have contract with Quinns. He did not pay them anything or ask them to do any work nor did he have a contract with Openreach he also never asked them or paid them anything to do any work.

Openreach who sub contracted to Quinns only did the work because PlusNet contracted Openreach to do the work and ultimately will pay them for the installation.

It is solely the responsibility of PlusNet who is the company that the OP took out a broadband package with which included the installation who should compensate the OP because it was their contractor that messed up.

Openreach and Quinns can fight it out with PlusNet whether or not they will compensate PlusNet for any compensation that PlusNet is required to pay the OP because of the damage that the installation contractor caused.

As for Openreach and Quinns trying to pass the buck it does not matter a jot. The OP should never have been in this position. He should have been told by Openreach/Quinns to lodge a complaint with PlusNet who will deal with the matter.

The OP will no doubt have to submit a claim for compensation and proof of what has been damaged. He obviously can not prove that the damage was caused by the contractor but the balance of probability, which is what would be used in a civil court case such as the Small Claims Court would most probably find in his favour.