Openreach abortive charges range from £99 to £295 (excluding VAT) per visit, depending on the reason for the charge and the amount of work carried out by the engineer during the investigation and attempted fault resolution.

A visit will be chargeable in the following circumstances:

• Fault on the End User’s Side: If the fault is found to be on the End User’s (EU) side of the network, charges will apply. This includes any issues beyond the master telephone socket, such as faults with the customer’s router, cables, filters, extension wiring, or any internal non-Openreach wiring (for example, wiring installed by an alarm engineer).
• No Fault Found / Line Right When Tested: If the engineer concludes that no fault is found or that the line is “right when tested”, the visit may be chargeable. This assessment may differ from the customer’s perception, even if the customer can demonstrate an issue; the engineer’s professional judgement determines the official fault status.
• Access Not Gained: If the engineer is unable to access the premises at the time of the appointment, the visit will be chargeable. Engineers are not required to call ahead. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that someone is present and available during the booked time slot.

A visit will not be chargeable if:

• Fault Identified in the Openreach Network: If the fault is traced to the Openreach network infrastructure — including the external copper line, street cabinet, or exchange equipment — no charges will apply.

To avoid incurring a ‘Right When Tested’ charge, it is essential to ensure that the engineer will observe the connection in a clear fault condition. It is important to note that what the End User (EU) considers a fault may not align with the engineer’s professional assessment.

Scenario 1: Broadband Offline

When the engineer disconnects the End User’s equipment from the master socket and connects their own testing device, they will check for synchronisation (‘sync’).

• If the engineer’s equipment also fails to achieve sync, a fault will be confirmed, and no ‘Right When Tested’ charge will apply.
• However, if the End User’s equipment cannot connect, but the engineer’s equipment can connect without any changes to the wiring, the visit will be chargeable.

Tip: Thoroughly test all End User equipment before booking an engineer visit.

Scenario 2: Broadband Connection Dropping

It is normal for ADSL and FTTC connections to experience occasional drops. The frequency of disconnections determines whether the engineer classifies it as a fault.

• A connection dropping once or twice a day is typically not regarded as a fault.
• Openreach guidelines suggests that a connection would need to drop approximately 10 times per day to qualify as an intermittent fault.

Important: Bear this in mind when considering whether to request an engineer.

Scenario 3: Slow Speed Issues

For a slow speed complaint to be considered a fault, the actual sync speed must be significantly lower than the predicted speed.

Go to https://citycommunications.co.uk/speed-test

• If the sync speed is greater than 70% of the predicted speed, the engineer may determine there is no fault, and a ‘Right When Tested’ charge could apply.
• If the sync speed is satisfactory but the End User experiences slow throughput, the issue may be due to congestion at the exchange rather than a line fault. Be cautious in these instances when considering an engineer visit.
• Only if throughput is significantly lower than the sync speed — and this can be demonstrated to the engineer at the time of visit — should you proceed with booking an engineer.

Important Note on Upload Speeds

Engineer visits booked solely to investigate slow upload speeds (where download speeds are unaffected) are almost always chargeable.

Upload speed performance is not guaranteed, and engineers will generally only address faults relating to slow download speeds.

We are sharing real examples of engineer charges and the associated engineer notes to provide insight into how easily charges can be incurred — particularly when an engineer is able to demonstrate that the service is functioning correctly, or when a fault is traced to the customer’s equipment.

We occasionally receive criticism regarding the number of questions we ask prior to booking an engineer visit; however, these questions are intended to help avoid scenarios like those shown below:

Example 1 — £180 + VAT
Engineer notes:
The engineer attended the site and identified a fault in the internal wiring before the NTE5 master socket. Faulty extension wiring had been connected to the internal wiring, causing a loop fault. The engineer disconnected the faulty wiring to restore service.

Example 2 — £120 + VAT
Engineer notes:
The End User (EU) reported slow upload speeds when uploading data. A throughput test via our City Communications speed test, using the engineer’s laptop and a direct Ethernet connection to the router, recorded speeds of 0.36 Mbps upload and 15.25 Mbps download. These speeds are consistent with expectations for the connection and no fault was found.

Example 3 — £295 + VAT
Engineer notes:
The EU reported loss of broadband connection on their internal system. An Openreach modem was located behind a desk, with a patch cable routed through the floor to a Netgear system. The modem was in sync and achieving maximum speeds. All diagnostic tests (Closeout, Fast Test, and PQ Tests) were satisfactory.
The issue was resolved by replacing the router, confirming the fault lay within the EU’s equipment. Connection was restored — Right When Tested.

Example 4 — £175 + VAT
Engineer notes:
A fibre broadband fault was reported. The engineer found that the End User had entered an incorrect password into a third-party, shop-bought router. The engineer provided a demonstration to the customer, confirming that service was functioning correctly.

Our Support Team’s thorough diagnostic process is designed to minimise the risk of unnecessary engineer visits and avoidable charges. If no external fault is found, it is highly likely the issue lies with internal equipment, such as routers, wiring, or other connected devices.

Abortive visit charges from Openreach can range between £99 and £295 (excluding VAT), depending on the work carried out and the nature of the fault identified — or if no fault is found at all.

Charges typically apply in the following cases:

• Faults found on the customer’s side of the network (beyond the master socket),
• No fault found or ‘Right When Tested’ outcomes,
• Lack of access to the premises during the appointment.

To avoid a ‘Right When Tested’ charge, customers must ensure that any connection issues are clearly present and reproducible with the engineer’s test equipment. This involves careful pre-visit diagnostics, particularly when dealing with intermittent broadband drops, slow speeds, or offline connections.

Real-life examples show how easily charges can be incurred — from simple internal wiring faults to configuration errors on third-party routers. This highlights why we ask detailed questions before booking an engineer: to protect you from unnecessary costs.

By working closely with our Support Team to conduct thorough checks, you significantly reduce the chance of facing an Openreach charge.