Anger as OAP left without phone line

Jonathan Schofield

A DAUGHTER has criticised a communications giant after her elderly mother was left without a phone line in her new flat.

Ninety-year-old Sarah Wade moved to a flat in Lydgate Court, Bury St Edmunds, earlier this month to be closer to her family.

Her daughter Gayle Wade wanted her mother to have a phone straightaway for safety reasons and organised with the Post Office - which guarantees a five day turnaround - to set up a connection to be installed on November 18.

Despite paying for the service and being guaranteed a phone line her mother is still waiting to make a call and has been told the next available time for the work will be on December 4.

“You think dealing with a major communications company would be quite simple but this has been nothing but stress, hassle and poor service from the off,” said Mrs Wade, who works for West Suffolk College.

“It took eight calls to set up in the first place, then the Post Office said Openreach engineers, who install the line, could not do it until November 24 which was 10 days not five.”

Despite pleading with the Post Office to get the connection sorted the family waited in the flat in Lydgate Court on Tuesday for engineers to turn up - but no-one arrived.

“I phoned again on behalf of my mother to be told the engineers could not gain access to the flat even though my mother was there and they couldn't contact me on my mobile because Openreach had taken the number down incorrectly from the Post Office,” said Mrs Wade.

Mrs Wade said she was told by the Post Office that it was now logged as a “missed appointment” and engineers would not go back until next Friday.

“My mother is living alone in the flat, it is not safe for her to be without a phone and also it is not acceptable that they won't retrieve the situation since it is their fault.

A Post Office Ltd spokesperson said: “We are concerned at the issues raised by our customer and are currently investigating the complaint.”