Full Fibre Install Cost

[Abacus]

Well done on your persistence and getting a reasonable result. I’ve a similar story, where the costs were initially below the USO limit, but then BT - Openreach claimed that I had refused poles so added the £1000 “penalty”, or Christmas party fund money!  Poles were never costed or planned as my site has heavy mature trees in the way. Anyway, it’s now at the ombudsman, but I am disgusted at BT resolutions team who suggested that rather than put in FTTP they would rather dig a trench and put in copper to provide the minimum as required by the USO of 10Mbs. Really malicious and obnoxious attitude from BT.  They sent out another surveyor with the instruction to price poles… again he told me that the site was suitable for poles and he remeasured for duct. BT haven’t provided the latest survey report despite the surveyor saying he would submit it same day.  I hope the ombudsman can see how unreasonable BT is being! 

[mrdaveyy]

@Abacus I'm sorry you're having similar problems! It sounds like they are being very obscure with you also. They also favoured all poles here and then we suggested a solution which amounted to poles half way and 50m of duct, and then they started complaining that the cost of each pole is £600 and that it wouldn't work out even though that's now what they've gone with. We have had so many unneccesary surveys done and they also tried to charge us for a pole and now they've said they shouldn't have charged us for the pole so now the cost is below £3400. It's been so, so confusing.

I'm sorry to let you know the Ombudsman was very little help with my case as they said they have no remit to deal with Openreach. There doesn't seem to be a way for a customer to hold Openreach to account by an external, independent regulator even though they are regulated by Ofcom. The way it's set up is they only consider BT their customer but Openreach's decisions affect us as end customers too and we appear to have very little leverage. The thing that seemed to finally get me towards a resolution is by emailing the CEO of Openreach and explaining the situation, so I'd suggest doing that if the Ombudsman doesn't work for you. 🙂

[Abacus]

Thanks for the update and suggestions. I may also go to small claims court with.BT once the daily compensation rate is high enough, currently six months since order.

[mrdaveyy]

@Abacus I'd say just be careful because the Ombudsman stated to me the automatic compensation only applies up until a point you "refuse their preferred install method" so just make sure you know exactly what compensation you will get as they may try and pay you less than the 6+ months you mentioned.