Moved into property - active existing phoneline

Dunks · 12 Jan 2014 at 14:28

Hey guys, just recently moved into a new property which has an active Sky phoneline with broadband from the previous tenants, but is currently restricted due to non payment according to a recorded message if you make out going calls.

I've called Sky and as I'm not the bill payer there is nothing I can do with regards to cancelling the service.

I've ordered my own BT internet and phone service, with an installation date set for the 16th. I'm assuming BT cannot takeover the existing phoneline so will need to install a new one alongside the current one? Or is there anyway I can have Sky cancel the services so BT can use the line?

airwave99 · 12 Jan 2014 at 14:41

Dunks said:
Hey guys, just recently moved into a new property which has an active Sky phoneline with broadband from the previous tenants, but is currently restricted due to non payment according to a recorded message if you make out going calls.

I've called Sky and as I'm not the bill payer there is nothing I can do with regards to cancelling the service.

I've ordered my own BT internet and phone service, with an installation date set for the 16th. I'm assuming BT cannot takeover the existing phoneline so will need to install a new one alongside the current one? Or is there anyway I can have Sky cancel the services so BT can use the line?

I would have thought if the previous tenant is no longer at the property, the service they had would no longer be valid (as it was tied to them, rather than the property). You should be able to get BT to take over the service to avoid needing a second line put it.

Hades · 12 Jan 2014 at 15:51

Phone BT.
Advise the current position.
Ask them for the next steps.

ci_newman · 12 Jan 2014 at 18:21

Hades said:
Phone BT.
Advise the current position.
Ask them for the next steps.

This. Dont just assume that BT will be able to fix it on the day

bitslice · 12 Jan 2014 at 20:15

Dunks said:
I'm assuming BT cannot takeover the existing phoneline so will need to install a new one alongside the current one?

That's BT's line anyway, SKY just rent the line off them

Hades · 12 Jan 2014 at 20:40

bitslice said:
That's BT's line anyway, SKY just rent the line off them

The problem he will have is that BT may not be able to activate the line under them until Sky confirm it is no longer in use. I had a similar issue with Talk Talk who took over my old Nildram account. After they took it over the somehow forgot I was actually with them and didn't bill me. I chased them for a year to either bill me or provide a release code (PAC code?) but they refused to talk to me as according to them I wasn't a customer. I only managed to get it fixed when I involved OFCOM after a year. During that time all the other ISP's, including BT, were unable to take over the connection because there was a marker for another ISP on it.

I had free internet for a year but it was forever failing for an hour or two and was stuck in the old world of 2mb.

I will never buy a Talk Talk product in the future because they showed their utter incompetence to me over the simple matter of taking on an existing broadband connection with a company they were taking over.