Compensation claim

[egal]

BT engineers called in 2016 and 2019 to advise me regarding a considerable leak of rainwater into my home hallway.

I had to replace the hall flooring and these leaks occurred more and more such that by 2019 the leaks happened almost every time it rained.

I went  to considerable expense replacing our roof and checking drains but still the BT engineer said it was not their fault.

Finally we engaged contractors who found the leak was emanating from rainwater inside the ducting which protects the actual landline wire.

Rainwater was being forced down the ducting and into the socket in my hall.

BT accepted in July 2019 that it was in fact their fault and stopped off the water leakage and re-routed the landline.

BT also said they would come back to find where the rainwater was entering the faulty ducting but no one has yet called.

I contacted BT who said it was the fault of Openreach.

I contacted  Openreach who said it was the fault of BT.

Please  help me and what action should I take to claim compensation?

[Starwire]

Are you just looking for a handout or are you trying to recoup the costs of the damage to your property?

If it’s the latter then your Home Insurer would have to put a Claim in against BT, that’s what you pay them for.

[egal]

Thank you, Starwire

i am looking to recoup my costs in trying to solve the leakage problem which BT said was not due to any BT fault.

i have not really been keen to leave the house when rain was forecast, let alone go on holiday.

is my claim definitely against BT and not Openreach?

thank you again

[Devon_Dave]

You will need to take this case up with openreach. The external infrastructure (ducting and cabling) is owned and maintained by openreach. This forum is for BT consumer. 

[egal]

Thanks, Devon_Dave

Openreach state they are only doing contract work for BT who are the supplier of the service to me and will not listen to me.

If I make a Small Claims Court application I need to know from whom I claim compensation.

Many thanks

[imjolly]

From what you have posted did you not make a claim on your home insurance for the damage?

[egal]

Thanks, IMJolly

Yes, I claimed for the first water leakage but my wife and I caught most of the next 20-30 leakages from spreading too far onto the hall floor both during the day and during the night.

We installed a flood sensor to warn us.

We stayed at home as much as possible when we knew it was going to rain heavily.

Many thanks

[Devon_Dave]

The external duct coming into the house should have a duct seal fitted (bit like a large lump of plasticine) poked in the mouth of the duct., not only does this stop water it stops gas.

To complain to openreach check this link out

https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/damage-health-and-safety

[egal]

I claimed for the initial damage but then believed I could not claim further because it was not until June 2019 that my contractors found the real fault.

Surely BT were at fault and BT accepted it was their fault.

Thanks

[egal]

Brilliant. Thank you so much  for the link.

The rainwater forced it way through the ducting around the landline and up into my hall telephone socket and out into the hall.