A customer is moving house to another house on the same exchange (not just
the same dialling code). He wants to migrate his broadband service (with
Demon) to the new house. However he is arranging with BT to transfer the
phone number as well, which complicates matters slightly.

How should he manage this?

Presumably he needs to tell BT (phone line) and Demon (broadband service)
that he is moving and keeping the same number, with effect from a certain
date. How far in advance should he give official notification - if he does
it too early, will his broadband be cut off at the old house before he
moves? Do things have to be done in a specific order?

Mortimer submitted this idea :
Depending upon how Demon do things, if he's placed the BT order
already, it may be too late.

So, he needs to ask Demon if they require the BT order number to
arrange a simultaneous provision....or even if they support it.

The approach I take is to first place the BT order with enough time
between the order placement & the required date for the usual 5 working
day lead time for broadband.

Then, armed with the BT job number which is 3 letters, 3 numbers & 2
letters XYZ123AB (not the VOL number) I contact the ISP & arrange the
simultaneous provision, which requires me to pass on the job number to
them (Again, make sure there is at least 5 clear working days between
this point & when the BT line is being connected)

Some providers do it the otherway round - you place the broadband order
first & give their reference to BT (AFAIK)

Unfortunately, I trust neither method to work smoothly, if at all.

Prepare your friend to be without broadband for some (considerable)
time after he moves......especially if the existing occupants have
broadband.

"Jono" <nothanks@blueyonder.invalid> wrote in message
news:mn.34817d833555126e.77298@blueyonder.invalid. ..
Thanks for your suggestions. I'll pass them on to the customer. Let's hope
this is one of those rare times when everything goes smoothly.

To avoid this delay (which happened to my girlfriend) I've suggested that he
gets his solictor to build into the house-buying contract the condition that
the previous owners will have ceased their broadband on or before the
completion date.

Mortimer expressed precisely :
OK.......what makes you think that the line will lose its flag even if
they do do this?

"Jono" <nothanks@blueyonder.invalid> wrote in message
news:mn.349d7d8327e10a01.77298@blueyonder.invalid. ..
That's not relevant. You put a penalty in the contract equal to the cost of
getting BT to setting up a completely new line at the premises, and recover
the cost from the seller ...

-- Graham J

It happens that Graham J formulated :
And how does that make the broadband work on the day they move in...?

Graham J wrote:
Penalty clauses are not enforceable.

Peter Crosland

g6jns@yahoo.co.uk

In article <13t0s1f7f5k2a05@corp.supernews.com>, Peter Crosland
<g6jns@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

Penalty clauses which are called such and are intended as penalties are
not enforceable. However, 'Liquidation of Damages' clauses which impose
a fair assessment of actual damages that would be caused are
enforceable.

Kit

Kit wrote:
The crucial word is fair. A new line would incur installation costs and
almost certainly tweleve months rental. I rather doubt that would be
considered fair. Furthermore most solicitors would advise their client not
to agree to such a clause.

Peter Crosland

g6jns@yahoo.co.uk

In article <13t27qafcma6u54@corp.supernews.com>, Peter Crosland
<g6jns@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

I agree.
I was merely clarifying your one-line blanket statement about penalty
clauses and wasn't commenting on the particular case.

That depends on the business. Large building and other industrial
contracts often have such clauses. The builder or engineering firm will
have to decide whether getting a large contract will be worth agreeing
to such a clause. That is a business decision rather than a legal
decision. So once the solicitor has pointed out the existence of such a
clause his advice on whether or not to agree to it is irrelevant.

Kit