My brother is just about to get a BT line activated in his house (there was one there previously) but would like to get on to TalkTalk ASAP (Don't ask).

When my friend had to get a line activated for Homechoice, BT said there'd be a 3 month minimum contract before he could move anywhere else with the option of paying a £33 fee to get away sooner but Homechoice actually said they'd absorb the Line Rental fee for the first 3 months in order to get him on the books there and then.

Do BT still insist on 3 months line rental for new activations?

Yes - and 12 months for new installations (but I believe you can buy yourself out of either contract).

Not a good idea IMHO.

Buggers.... Thanks Heinz.

Or if an engineer has to be sent out because the cable has been cut (as BT do after a line has been inactive for a certain length of time)or the master socket removed.

Sounds like a good omen to avoid the useless TalkTalk.

Although it is a 3 month contract you can buy yourself out by paying a cancellation fee.

It is £13 if cancelling in the first month, £8 if cancelling in the second months and 14 days rental if cancelling in the third or subsequent months.