BT Free Priority Fault Repair Scheme
Vulnerable people living at home with disabilities or health issues may be supported by life safety monitoring devices like smoke or fire alarms, CO detectors, fall aids or call for assistance devices.
Such monitoring devises are most likely linked to a 24-hour call centre via a phone line. Regular testing of devices every month is essential as is maintaining the phone line 24/7.
BT say keeping the telephone line open is very important, particularly if the phone line is used to connect life safety monitoring devices and it is more important when you rely on it for health or mobility reasons.
BT offer a Free Priority Fault Repair Scheme
Under the scheme, BT give registered customers priority over standard faults by dealing with them as soon as they can, every day of the year, including Christmas Day.
Please note: BT prioritise registered customers repair over standard care levels but there may be circumstances beyond their control that mean they can’t. For example, inclement weather conditions like floods or storms can stop engineers carrying out repairs to overhead cables or working down manholes.
It’s important to make sure that the service reaches the people who need it most. So BT have a rigid set of criteria and all applications must be countersigned by a doctor or hospital consultant, with an official doctor’s
or hospital stamp also included. The doctor will also need to confirm their General Medical Council (GMC) number.
BT assurance
In September 2017, Martin made representation to BT on behalf of his mother who suffered a degraded BT line. Lee Scothern of BT Extra Care Team, Doncaster told Martin:
“Whilst this does not guarantee that any future faults will be attended to within 6 hours it means that should the criteria on the form be met, we are able to ensure that any future issues are attended to more promptly than the standard 2 working days lead time”.
What to do next
MB Fire recommend carers of all vulnerable persons reliant on life safety monitoring systems apply to register for the Free Priority Fault Repair Scheme
See more information in the links provided here, ask BT for the application, get is countersigned by a GP and post back to BT in the envelope provided having added a stamp.