Tenant cancelled the telephone – What’s now normal practice?
Our tenant has just ended her tenancy and informed BT that she was moving and didn’t need the phone number anymore. BT understandably then cancelled the whole line and now want £60 to set up a new line.
I am sure this was unintentional by the tenant, but her agreement states that she should not have done it and we don’t want to take money from her deposit.
Moving forward, as many people use mobiles rather than landlines these days, we are considering letting future tenants choose their provider and pay this set up fee along with any broadband charge etc.
Is this now normal practice for landlords or is it still possible to retain a line without getting charged between tenancies?
Many thanks
Pam
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Member Since September 2019 - Comments: 251
9:31 AM, 9th September 2019, About 7 years ago
I’m of the belief that any new tenant should be responsible for setting up their own telephone line if they want it. I’ve always paid to have the phone line connected if need be and I see no reason why it should not be the case for any tenant.
To be fair though, the only reason I have a landline anymore is due to it being required to have broadband internet. A necessity in these modern times.
Member Since August 2019 - Comments: 28
9:58 AM, 9th September 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by The Forever Tenant at 09/09/2019 – 09:31
a landline is not needed for the internet. One can use sim cards in a hotspot router. The tenant can then take it with them and they can be used like the Huawei E5XXx range anywhere in the world. You just swap over sims.
Member Since September 2019 - Comments: 251
10:09 AM, 9th September 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by zhorik at 09/09/2019 – 09:58
You are right, there are unlimited mobile data plans out there. I have found though that the connections are inferior to a hardwired line. Poor streaming data, packet loss, high latency. If you just want basic access to the internet to view web pages, then its probably enough.
Still think that the tenants should be arranging their own line if they want it, certainly in a single family accommodation.
Member Since February 2018 - Comments: 627
10:24 AM, 9th September 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by The Forever Tenant at 09/09/2019 – 10:09
This apartment buidling was recently wired throughout for fibre, each tenant/occupier/landlord could then opt for connection, I put in “socket connection” which includes the router, all free. For some utterly bizarre reason the last tenant scarperred not only with some unpaid rent but the router which would have cost him nothing if he needed one but which is useless to him if he does’t.
Member Since July 2018 - Comments: 45
3:36 PM, 9th September 2019, About 7 years ago
Best not to get involved, I find no tenant now wants a line, they just use mobiles. I used to provide many items but now the 10% deduction is gone I provide nothing. Never had any complaints.
Member Since August 2019 - Comments: 28
5:48 PM, 9th September 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by The Forever Tenant at 09/09/2019 – 10:09
true , you get what you pay for, I use the Huawei E5788 which is 4g and get 1 gbs . cost over £300 though, can get cheaper ones at lesser speed. never had a problem streaming videos but then i do not play computer games .
Member Since June 2014 - Comments: 325
6:11 PM, 9th September 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by The Forever Tenant at 09/09/2019 – 09:31
Concur with comments from Forever Tenant, although as an assistance to incoming tenant seek the landline number from previous occupant as this is often a question asked by new broadband providers.
Member Since April 2017 - Comments: 225
7:36 PM, 9th September 2019, About 7 years ago
I agree with The Forever Tenant
“You are right, there are unlimited mobile data plans out there. I have found though that the connections are inferior to a hardwired line. Poor streaming data, packet loss, high latency.”
but I am going to be controversial here. Wifi is really bad for you. It is radio/microwaves going through your body and 5G is going to be a killer! – check it out! A wired connection is a lot faster, more reliable, more secure and could be provided for a lot less money but every telecoms company is intent upon making us think we absolutely have to have wifi to survive and charging us megabucks to have it.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 1434
12:16 AM, 10th September 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Rennie at 09/09/2019 – 19:36
“ It is radio/microwaves going through your body and 5G is going to be a killer!”
It is non-ionising radiation at low power.
Can you point me at any research that shows this is hazardous?
Member Since April 2017 - Comments: 225
10:20 AM, 10th September 2019, About 7 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Michael Barnes at 10/09/2019 – 00:16
Will have a look and let you know!