What does engineer do?

[Anonymous User]

My landlord wants to know, if the "engineer has to make any physical change to the property? Like drilling a hole in the wall? Or is it just replacing an existing cable?"

Can someone tell me what the engineer will have to do, when it says "need to install a new line"

Thank you very much 

Jules 

[schnapps]

Hi @Anonymous User 

Difficult to say if going in blind without seeing what is there at the moment.

The BT Openreach Engineer may only have to undertake external works, or re route a telephone cable from the outside telephone pole to the property, replace an existing telephone cable or just replace the BT Master Telephone Socket.

If there is an existing telephone line already in the property then hopefully they can reuse the cable or if not after they remove the old cable they can fish a new telephone cable in any existing hole openings to avoid or reduce drilling to a minimum.

[Anonymous User]

In my experience today. The engineer doesn't do anything. He just comes in and says he can't do anything due to covid. Then leaves. 

[ukbobboy]

@Anonymous User  @Anonymous User  @schnapps 

Guys

What will an engineer do when he arrives?

Probably, as little as possible but practically, neither you nor he will know what work will need to be done until he examines the existing cables to assess whether they will need replacing or not.

A few years back some external cables leading to my home, from the telephone pole, required replacing. Last year, the internal BT Openreach phone box also required replacing. In both cases, no structural work was required on my home.

However, my experience may not equate to anyone else's and only the engineer on the spot can say if there will be any drilling or anything else needed.

UK Bob