Moving home - Openreach database issue at new address

[shelduck]

Hi, disregard any post history of mine. New account, new problems...

I've been with Sky at my old address for coming up to 9 months, but now I've moved to a new address.

My new home is a flat in a terrace, in what I assume was at one point a single property. The landlord owns the whole property. There are two flats at the same address - Flat A on the first floor (mine), and Flat B on the second floor.

Preempting the move, I put the postcode and building number into the address checker for Sky Broadband. This strangely then asks me to select which is my address from 4 options...

123, Somestreet, Somewhere, AB1 2CD
1st, 123, Somestreet, Somewhere, AB1 2CD
1st floor, 123, Somestreet, Somewhere, AB1 2CD
Flat B, 123, Somestreet, Somewhere, AB1 2CD

(Of course I've edited these)

Clearly the last option isn't my address, that is the other flat, the one upstairs. However, my flat could match any of the first 3 (perhaps the first one is for the communal area - only a corridor - or from before two separate flats were put in the building; I'm guessing though). The second and third options, both '1st', match my new home. At a guess, I would have thought a previous tenant didn't realise there was already a line in place, so went and got a new one, with a slightly different address name. There is definitely only one flat (my flat) on the first floor.

When using the Sky broadband checker, all of the above address say that whilst I can get sky, there isn't currently a landline in place (ignoring Flat B, which does have a line in place, as expected, as someone is living upstairs).

To further complicate things, I managed to connect a phone into the landline socket yesterday. There is a dial tone, and ringing 17070 tells me the phone number for my flat. Does this not contradict the address checker above that said I don't currently have a landline?

If I put this number into Sky's broadband checker, it tells me that in fact I do have a compatible line. Is there any way I can find out what the corresponding address is to this phone line? (the *exact* address).

I need this, because when I called Sky's moving home dept. the lady asked for my address, which I gave, but she said she needed to know which of the 4 options I've already mentioned it was. She wouldn't accept the landline number I have, saying it needed to be the exact address (particularly as she was wary of cutting anyone else off, despite my assurances I'm the only flat on the first floor).

Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? I'll be asking the landlords later, but I'm not sure they'll be much help, as they just leave their tenants to their own devices when it comes to utilities.

My goal is to have my broadband running as quickly and cheaply as possible. I don't want to be paying or waiting for a new line to be installed if I don't have to (especially given that there is a phone number that sky's checker tells me is compatible, even if I don't know the exact address).

Thanks in advance...

[tenar]

you need to contact post office to get your flat properly registered on their database as this what bt openreach will use to connect the line to

[Isitme]

As a member of the public it is not possible to get an address for a phone number in the UK, comes under the Data Protection Act I think. Only members of the emergency services and police can do it legally. If you know the name of the previous occupants you could look the address up in the phone book.

Is the building 3 stories? If it is only 2 all the addresses could refer to Flat B as the 1st storey is normally the one above the ground floor. Unfortunately, unless you are going to take the phone rental with them, BT will not be too helpful, but it may be the only way to go forward. What you could try is dialling 150 and see if the agent can tell what address you are calling from. Make up some story that you think you might have a crossed line.

[buddbuttocks]

I would double check on the Royal Mail and Land Registry websites if your correct address appears on there. If so, Sky would be best to contact Openreach's addressing team and have their details updated before placing any orders, as it could easily end up with the other flat being slammed.