ISP Situation with new Property

Associate
Joined
1 Mar 2004
Posts
1,790
Hey guys,

I asked previously about which ISP to go for and it looks like O2/Be gets my final vote. However I have a problem, the property I'm moving to is a rented flat and the old tenants want to keep the connection there live for a few weeks till they move to a property of their own (currently staying elsewhere). However someone they ship off I'll be netless which is bad, so is it possible to have 2 connections on the same line? They're using an O2 connection too so should be ok right? Plus doesn't it take 2 weeks to setup a new connections? May be best to get it up ASAP.
 
1 line - 1 connection.

Not sure why they are keeping the connection there, unless they are doing a kind of migratation and need to keep it live unless the ISP will class it as a cancel and new install, both of which could invoke a charge.

Can you not arrange with the landlord that you could use the connection unless they disconnect it? If you have a date they are moving then you could arrange with O2 for the connection for you to be "reinstalled" on the same day?
 
Phone up o2. i had a similar problem last year with virgin(me being the one moving out) they were ok to switch the names and billing details on the account as long as it was the same package. if not i had to cancel, pay for a months service and a cancelation fee for something i wasnt able to use. they also had to wait for the new account to be setup aswell.
 
Again just phone O2, explain the situation and ask them what's the best way to ensure continuity of service.

Also what's happening with the O2 wireless box? Are the previous tenants leaving it with you, are they taking it with them, do you have your own modem/router you could use, will O2 supply you with a new one?
 
The old tenant has no right to ask to have the line kept live for 2 mths after they move out. That's ridiculous. I know what I'd do.
 
Agreed if its a choice of you being netless or them paying a cancellation charge then since they are the ones moving out you are the one with the right to use the net from the date you move in
 
Thanks for your help guys, does it matter at all whether the packages match or not? Also which is better for a non-O2 customer O2 or Be?
 
If your tenancy contract has started, I'd ignore any request from previous tenants. Its their fault for not planning properly.

Similarly how would you make landline calls? Would they pay for your calls while their line rental contract stays in place?

edit: Also, if you tie yourself into a 12 month contract and you stay there for a single year, you face the same problem at the end unless you start the contract from day 1.
 
Last edited:
I don't get how ***** some people will be just to save a few quid and make life inconvinient for someone else - especially during a house move which is always a busy time.

It shouldn't cost them more than £20/30 to get out of the BT line contract if it is in the last couple of months (I just cancelled one 4 months early and it cost me about £24) and likewise for O2 surely it would just involve paying a cancellation fee of the remaining contract period so again given how cheap their services are circa another £20/30.

I'd tell them to get stuffed (in a nice way ofcourse) and say that you need to get the internet sorted out for work purposes and that you need to use a specific ISP or the like.

RE O2 / Be I'd go for Be - shorter contract term so you can half avoid this situation if you come to move out in a year!
 
If the line is active then you can use it to make calls, make some crazy calls and leave it going all night, that'll learn 'em. ;)
 
Further problems! They want to migrate their BT line so we need a new number AND to contact Be. This is taking too much time and energy.
 
Further problems! They want to migrate their BT line so we need a new number AND to contact Be. This is taking too much time and energy.

Well if they want to take the line with them they should make those arrangements well before they move - BT need a weeks notice to do this anyway IIRC.
 
If the line gets a new number you are going to have to wait while the new number propogates thought BT's systems in order to get a provision for adsl to go through. This can take 10days or more in itself unless things have improved.

From the moment the new number goes active id estimate at least 12-16 days before you get a BB connection up, and thats assuming everything goes to plan. :eek:

My sister in law had a new BT line fitted at a new build house ( but not a new estate just a single build ) and she was nearly reduced to tears trying to get broadband. Every order she made came back saying "address not known" or "no line" etc... this was 6 months after the line had been activated!

Bt kept sending routers and letters to her old address no matter how many times the situation was explained to them. When she did eventually get it sorted she started getting bills for 4Xactivation and routers fees, 3x monthly bills and even 3 engineer call out bills! ( none had ever come to her house ), came to well over £600! the systems for billing and provision at BT are an utter joke.

TBH as soon as you move in phone BT and explain that its a rented house and you are the new tennant. Get a cease order for the BB and a new number request done asap. This will hopefully be actioned on the line in a way that doesnt upset the ordering systems too much, and a few days after the new number goes active and the bb had stopped you can try ordering with O2. Whatever happens try to make sure the BT line itself isnt deactivated, this will cause a lot of delay if you have to get it reactivated. Make sure you get the new number thing sorted as a first priority, as you dont want to say "sod it" and get BB on the same line only to find a month down the line the old tennants have got bt to swap numbers.

Good luck.
 
Last edited:
I've moved house 3 times in the last 4 years - generally it's not been that bad.

Booked the activation / install a week before I moved in so that all went OK apart from one time that BT didn't show.

Took 3 days for it to appear in Be's database of numbers before I could order and then had to wait 7 days for them to provision the service.
 
Thanks for your help and previous experiences guys.

I've spoken to both BT and the old tenants, they have spoken to BT to disconnect the line however BT have told me otherwise so someone is not telling the truth. Either way sooner or later they will disconnect this line so I can have my own re-activated and have Be set up.

My main concern is that I have my placement next week so I hope I don't miss any important e-mails or information from uni.
 
What we did when we moved house was to get a Mobile internet dongle from O2, they had a 50 day trial where you could cancel and get a full refund within that period.
Just as well really as it took Be about a month to figure out they couldn't actually provide a connection from our exchange until it gets some new hardware, we had to go with a different ISP in the end.

Having said that the mobile internet was absolutely horrendous, but at least it allowed us to (sometimes) check emails etc.
 
Back
Top Bottom