NTL want access - what to do?

D

DevilBoy

Registered User
Messages
17
Hi,

First post - looking for advice.

Had NTL in about 18 months ago when we moved into new house. Had (what I found to be) the usual nightmares dealing with NTL.

When the NTL had finished doing bodge jobs on a multi-room install, and running a poor excuse for a fibreoptic cable from the next house. They didn't come out to fix the bodge job, and I left multiple mesages for them. The list goes on and on :-(.

I got a dish from Sky - and it was painless.

Anyway - a guy from from UPC (the new NTL) arrives last night and explains that our house is sitting on the main cable and they need to run a riser (thing that holds a cable) around our house (it's on a corner) so that they can access the rest of the estate.

Has anyone had any experience with this? I'm woondering about the best way to deal with this.

Thanks,

DB
 
You could start by referring to your previous woes and see it they can offer some compensation re same..I'd use your position to your advantage. Friend of mine gets free NTL because they need to run a cable across the front of her house....
 
Ask NTL to ring you, put them on hold, force them to listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons for twenty minutes, and then hang up. Why? Because that's exactly what NTL does to its customers.

Clearly you have no confidence in NTL, based on your previous experience, so you don't want them near your house.

Therefore, tell NTL that you insist on your being there when they do the work, but that NTL will have to compensate you for the time you will have to take off work. That'll put them off and eventually they will find another solution.
 
There is at least one other (long?) thread on this issue which might be worth rooting out for info/comments.
 
Did they offer you the half price basic package etc. If they did, haggle. This is just the base point. If they need access via your property bad enough they will give you more. I think the compensation they offer is relative to what they put on your property. They wanted to put a signal booster on the side of my house. We agreed the spot they could put it and what I would get in return. Needless to say they came when I was at work and put it in the wrong place. I ran them up and told them I wanted to see them as this wasn't what we agreed. I found out others were offered more than I was so when they came back I told them I wanted the box moved to where we agreed and the same deal as others in the area.

I wasn't greedy. I was happy with free basic service, and no rental on my extra TV points. I don't think they would of given me free broadband etc but then again I only have a signal booster and a wire (which has always been between the side of my house and the side of the house on the street next to me). If your house is critical to them it might be worth more to them.
 
I had NTL knock on my door about a year ago - end house - needed to run cable up the side of our house to link with the remaining houses in the row. I don't see the problem. It is a very discrete greyish line running up at the corner of the building - not really noticible and hardly inconvenient! They also have a large box thing (junction box) attached to the outside garden wall at the back. There was always one there but they replaced it with a new one - again no problem. Don't see why I would deserve inconvenience money - no digging in my garden or anything, house is still standing and besides, I think people are far too quick to jump on the 'compensation' bandwagon these days.
 
ophelia said:
I think people are far too quick to jump on the 'compensation' bandwagon these days.
Click to expand...

It's not just about the 'compensation bandwagon'. NTL have caused so much pain and frustration to so many of their customers over the past few years that it's not surprising that people want to give a little of that back. If it was any other company, I'd let them straight in but in the case of NTL, it's a different matter.

Let me suggest you giving them a time to come, say between 9am and 5pm on some Thursday late in January. Tell them that you might be there at some time during the day and they'll just have to wait and then when you do turn up, you won't have the right key to get in so they'll just have to rebook for another day 6 weeks hence.

How I'd love to be in your boots
 
I have to add, my neighbour across the road refused the wire up the side of their house, and now has this massive telegraph pole type-thingy out on the grass verge, bringing the wire over his house; in my opinion, alot more obtrusive and ugly and 'no negotiations' regarding offering inconvenience money.
 
Ophelia, there is a big difference between having the normal cable running across your fascia boards and tacked down the side of your house and having a metal box about a foot in size drilled into the side of your house with additional cables running into it.

If anything goes wrong with the signal they may need access to my property. There is a greater risk of them damaging my property than your's as they have to get up on my extension roof etc for repairs. If I want to build a second storey onto my extention in a few years I will have the additional hassle of getting them to remove the wires, box etc which even the rep I dealt with admitted was easier said than done. The wire I have going from my house to the next road is a thick steel cable. It is highly noticeable as it is out in the open.

I entered into a contract with them. They made me an offer, I made a counter offer, they accepted. I asked for what they offered other people in the area and they were happy to give it. I wasn't excessive, I was reasonable at all times even though they a) entered my property without notifying me, setting off my alarm. My neighbours rang my Dad who had to come around and check on my house. Then b) they put the box in the wrong place and had to redo it. c) They disconnected a bracket on a downpipe which they didn't reconnect. d) They messed up the discount on my phone bill forcing me to chase them. I have been inconvenienced and I feel NTL have acknowledged that.

If you are happy to allow it free of charge on your property that's up to you but I for one don't there is anything wrong with accepting a discount.
 
mbo5, obviously each situation may vary, what suits me might not suit you. I've probably been very lucky or very silly, but so far so good.
 
It is not the compensation circuit in my case. If other ulilities (mobile phone cos) want to place an aerial on ones property they pay a rental. In this case the cables have been run over my properties without any prior consulation or wayleave agreement. All they have done is confirmed that the cables are theirs. To any doubters (and in this case including me), if I ceased paying for the service provided by UPC, it would simply be disconnected. The cables that are run over my property provide service to hundreds of homes. The least thay could be done is an admission at this stage. They will have two weeks in the new year. -- Then the cables will be cut. Remember if they are achieving approx €30 k per month for the cables in question, the very least that they could do is offer one apartment service in a different location FOC. Watch this space.
 
I had a similar experience about 2 yrs ago with NTL. No problems since. I dread having to deal with them again, but its the only way I can get Broadband.
 
Hmm, I was with Chorus at my old house, they are now Chrous NTL and I have to say, Chorus are suffering the worse end of whatever NTL do to make their service so rubbish. I used to be able to call Chorus and never waited more than a minute and anything I needed I got in a reasonable timeframe and with no hassle.

When I rang the new crowd to request service to my new house (MMDS system I believe) I was told that the builder needs to sort this out by requesting the service for the estate, builder says no (as there is no cabling), just ariels and just to round things off I got a bill from their fancy new billing system billing me at my old address for 2 months service even though I wrote to them to tell them I was leaving and adding insult to injury a fee for not paying by Direct Debit -which I was never told about. I am to pay the one month, as I didn't tell them within 30 days (which they neglected to tell me when I called to cancel).

They have lost my custom and I am onto to Sky now.
 
Sorry to bring up this subject again. I am in a similar position with NTL wanting to run a cable through my back garden and under the fascia board etc. to connect with neighbours' houses. They have offered a free basic package. However, I am just as concerned with any possible works, repairs etc that may arise in the future and what I might be agreeing to if I let them go ahead. If I agree, do they automatic rights to enter my garden at any time? Are there wayleave documents signed regarding right of entry, indemnities, or cessation of agreement I would appreciate any advice from people who have been in a similar position. Thanks.
 
You probably saving them thousands of euro, and enabling them get a bunch of customers who otherwise would go to sky, but will now get them a few hundred a month. So for that they are giving you €24 a month. From experience having them use you for access still won't get you decent support if you have a problem with their services.
 
We said no to NTL on a similar proposition- they save tonnes of money by using ure garden and you're forever obliged to let them have access - no way!
 
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