I know exactly what you mean Spymaster.
Recently, a friend of mine 'downed' a phoneline to my house. This happened on MOD property, therefore BT classed it as being on 'private' land.
The situation was as follows.
[1] I lost my armourey phone [police] line, my BT landline and my broad band connection;
[2] BT said an engineer could not survey the damage for 5 working days;
[3] Surveyor came out, [after my being on hold for 55 minutes and stating the police would be involved], surveyed the damage, measured the height of
other cables and announced that they were below the 'legal' height requirement of 6.8 metres.
[4] My boss threatened to intervene and the engineer was told to put in a new line - below the legal height.
[5] Nothing was heard from BT until 3 months later, I received a 'bill' for £480.
outrageous!
[6] I refused to pay, as the line 'dropped' from their junction box, it was the old twin core and that it was below the legal height.
[7] BT responded by saying as the line 'dropped' on private land, I would have to pay all costs.
[9] I refused and told them I would see them in court.
[10] Another 2 months later, I received a frantic phone call saying that if I paid for the labour (£280) they would forgo the rest of the bill.
[11] I told them - literally to
off or I would take them to court for harrassment.
[12] Last month, BT phoned my mobile and said they were dropping all charges!
Fritz
1 - BT
0!