Hi Locutus, Thanks, I'll try a few different networks to see if I can improve the signal. You're right, the walls are quite thick - 3 ft in places, it's a nightmare for mobile reception. With regards to the DACS, we do have other neighbours that want it but whenever I mention that to BT, they just say that each case is dealt with on an individual basis. This seems crazy to me as you would think it would be worth their while doing the work if there's a few of us that want it. Thanks for your help, I'll keep battling on and let you know what happens.

Thank you both, Locutus and Touche36 for your help. I will try those contact details and let you know what happens. The problem is I never actually signed anything, it was all dealt with over the telephone. I should really have recorded all of the conversations. I know they record them, but I'm sure these could be conveniently lost. I would be interested to know if a legally binding contract starts when they send the equipment out and they give you a going live date? I know that other neighbours are getting between .5 to 1 meg, this would be a lot better than the dial up. I have tried the mobile broadband but the connection speed was still quite slow, I even tried an external aerial for the dongle but even still it wasn't much faster than the dial up. Just too many hills in the way I guess! Thanks again for your help.

I'll try to keep it brief..... About 4 months ago I moved to a new barn conversion in quite a rural location. The property needed a new phone line connecting to the property and I tranfered my talk talk account (telephone calls) and moved my free broadband account (provided by Orange as part of my mobile package) over to the new property. I waited a few weeks and still I had no broadband. After many telephone calls to chase it up I was told that there was a DACS issue (basically I was sharing my line with someone else) and that cabling work would have to be carried out to upgrade the line. Orange said that they had contacted BT wholesale and the total bill would be £13,500.00 for the work. After a few more calls Orange very kindly offered to pay £10,000 towards it if either I, or BT paid the other £3,500.00! Obviously I didn't want to pay all this money so I contacted BT. BT said that they wouldn't pay the money as it wasn't in there interest to do so as I was getting my phone and broadband from other providers. Fair enough I thought. At this point I asked that if I was to go back to BT for my phone and broadband would they do the work for free. I was told 'yes, we will upgrade the line as necessary to ensure that you get it. Incidentally, other people in my area already have a broadband connection, although it is only half a meg. I also mentioned that I knew that there were no more phone lines available in our area and that there were other renovated properties which would soon be needing phone lines anyway, so it was inevitable that the work would have to be carried out at some point anyway. They said they understood that, but once again if you come back to us, all the work would be carried out. I contacted Orange to reluctantly give up my free broadband. I then contacted Talk Talk and got charged £70.00 for ending my contract with them early. I then contacted BT to transfer back to them and took out a land line phone package, broadband and even the BT Vision service. The woman on the end of the phone didn't want to hear about my previous problems but guaranteed that I could get up to 6.5meg broadband at the present time!!!! Oh dear, I'm starting to come to the end of my tether! I told her that there would have to be cabling work done before I could get it, but she insisted to promise me that I would be up and running on the 22nd of May, a week later......We'll see! Well, the road hasn't been dug up and I haven't seen any BT vans in the street and guess what???! The broadband didn't work on the 22nd May! I contacted BT again and was told that I hadn't set it up properly. Argggggh, the frustration! After further telephone calls and more review dates I was a further 2 weeks down the line and still no broadband. They've just told me that there needs to be cabling work and that I need to wait another 10 days to see if someone contacts me. That's enough I thought, I contacted Ofcom and got a reference and phone number for the BT Chairmans Office. After speaking with a lady and waiting a few more days. I have now been told that Orange were right all the way along, I would have to pay the extra money for the cabling works! Back to square one! They lied to me to get the business! This can't be right??! After all these promises, can they really do this? Does the 18 month contract that they signed me up to not count for anything?? BT were keen to tell me that I couldn't back out of it without a penalty. Can anyone help??? Please........

Dear All, I have been pursuing my bank charges case through a no win no fee firm of solicitors and have just had confirmation of my S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) from NatWest. I'm going to try and go down the route of a hardship case, well, can't we all????! The interesting thing is that, the same day I received my acknowledment from Natwest I also received a letter from them. This letter is titled 'Helping you to manage your money' and to 'Reduce the cost of unarranged overdrafts'. Is this just coincidence? They are actually offering me the opportunity to pay a standard monthly fee of £10 and in return, any fees applied to the account will only cost me £17! Do the banks know something that we don't with regards to the outcome of the test case? Is this now the end of free banking? Are they admitting that the charges are unlawful and un-reasonable by offering this jesture? Bearing in mind that the Judge has not yet given his ruling. Any opinions would be welcomed and I hope this has been of help.

Forgot to say.... There may still be a chance to claim back your charges, even though the banks and OFT are awaiting the final decision from the Judge. It is possible to claim that you are a hardship case, these are still being dealt with. This is the route that I'm going down, as I'm now 'self employed' and on a 'lower average income', they still have to process my case. Worth a try....

Hi there, I think the address you need is:- Customer Relations Manager, FREEPOST NAT 12685, Borehamwood, WD6 1BR. I know exactly how you feel, I was mis-sold a consolidation loan on two different ocassions. The purpose of these loans was purely to cover the charges which had been applied to the account (by the way, be careful of the interest rate, they seem to make them up as they go along and certainly bump them up if you're a "high risk"). They even approved the loan, had me sign all the paperwork before I went on holiday, then when I returned the loan hadn't gone through! More charges had been added and there only explantation was that it had been declined at a late stage. They're unbelievable, and I know how frustrating it can be. The only thing we can do, is not let them get away with it. Write to customer services in Borehamwood about the initial complaint then start a claim for the return of your charges. Also try to claim for any mis-sold PPI, nformation about how to do this can be found on this website. Good Luck!

I like it, kick ass!

I should of kept copies, but there were just that many of them. I think I've still got my own copies which have been sent monthly anyway, just need to drag them all out. Thanks for your help.

Firstly, what a great website! Can anyone help? I recently sent a standard letter to my bank asking for unlawful charges from the last 6 years to be refunded, £4,395.96!!! NatWest replied, then 2 weeks later sent copies of statements. I highlighted the charges and returned them along with the LBA. NatWest have now replied only 1 week later, they have said that they are assessing the claim and this may take 6 - 7 weeks but maybe sooner if they are able. Do you think they are just trying to delay things and that I should just go ahead with the court action? I keep thinking that the longer they drag it out, things may change and the bubble will burst. Thanks in advance for any help.

Firstly, what a great website! Can anyone help? I recently sent a standard letter to my bank asking for unlawful charges from the last 6 years to be refunded, £4,395.96!!! NatWest replied, then 2 weeks later sent copies of statements. I highlighted the charges and returned them along with the LBA. Natwest have now replied only 1 week later, they have said that they are assessing the claim and this may take 6 - 7 weeks but maybe sooner if they are able. Do you think they are just trying to delay things and that I should just go ahead with the court action? I keep thinking that the longer they drag it out, things may change and the bubble will burst. Thanks in advance for any help.