I wonder if anyone can shed some light on a phone call I had with BTs customer 'Options' team (otherwise known as retentions).

I've been looking around to move my phone and broadband (non-fibre) to another provider to reduce costs. A quick comparison check gave me a few options at half the price so I decide to phone BT for my MAC code. I got through to a girl who in all honesty was very open and friendly, but after a few minutes of not being able to get a word in edgeways I started to wonder whether I was being rail-roaded into renewing my 12 month contract (with a discount of course). We got right up to the point where she was reading the disclaimers without me having made much of a contribution when she asks if I'm happy with the price, to which I reply that the Post Office can do it £4 a month cheaper and with more features (evening and weekend calls as opposed to BTs weekend only). Then the girl says that the Post Office doesn't have a 'Service Guarantee Scheme'? Whereby if there is any fault with the line and, I quote, 'Openreach have to dig up the road, your new provider will charge you for that.' (Note the word 'will').

I argued the toss for a few minutes but I'm not sure whether I'm right. Is this really the case? I can fully appreciate if any part of my property or anything that was my doing damages a line or telegraph pole outside the house then I would indeed be liable, but I couldn't help but feel I was being given some scare tactics here.

I phoned the Post Office and they agreed that any repairs to issues outside of the property would be their jurisdiction.

Can anyone clarify on this for me? Many thanks in advance.

I have never contacted the phone company I have been leaving! It can all be driven by the new one!

BT sound to be using definite scare tactics. OpenReach have prices they will charge each Telco BUT no-one I have ever heard of would normally charge the customer for anything downstream of the user's Master socket. I suppose if one of the users trees damaged the overhead line to the house there might be some tiny possibility of some extra charges!

I would have loved to have done everything through the company I'm moving to, however I still needed my MAC Code from BT so had to bite that bullet!

That's what I thought though, far as I was aware they were responsible for everything up to the socket in the wall and then anything beyond is my responsibility.

I'll be calling them back with bulls**t confirmed.