Residents of a new Aberdeen housing development have criticised BT for leaving them without a phone line – for three months.
Carol-Ann McKerron, who moved into her home at Den of Pitfodels in May, said it was “diabolical” that she and her 11 neighbours were still waiting to be hooked up to a telephone line.
Although the properties were built by Barratt Homes, it is up to Openreach – the infrastructure arm of BT – to connect residents.
Mrs McKerron – who was left with no way of contacting her family at home when she was in hospital a few weeks ago – said that anytime she tried to contact the firms to resolve the issue, nobody seemed able to help.
She said: “It’s a disgrace. They are meant to be a communications company but don’t communicate with one and other. It’s pathetic, we’re told one thing and then told another.”
Mrs McKerron’s niece, who lives with her, has also been forced to traipse to the library to check her daily work rota online.
“In this day and age the situation is just ridiculous,” Mrs McKerron said.
Another of the new homeowners, Malcolm Hirst, said he and his wife Christine were spending an “arm and a leg on mobiles” – while another resident had been unable to move in as they need an internet connection for their business.
The Den of Pitfodels residents have now been told they will not receive further updates until August 29.
An Openreach spokesman said they had faced engineering issues delivering the services, and had 12 orders on the books.
He said: “Extensive off-site engineering works are needed to create new infrastructure between the local street cabinet and the new estate.”
This will involve installing about a mile of cable under the road. The spokesman added the firm were currently seeking permission to close Pitfodels Station Road for the works, along with consent to carry out works on North Deeside Road and Garthdee Road.
A spokeswoman for Barratt Homes said the firm had raised the issue at board level with BT and Openreach and shared their “customers’ upset”.