Cllr Stephen Fenton has drafted the following ‘simple guide’ to reporting graffiti or other damage done to BT or Virgin Media street cabinets, based on recent experiences in trying to get graffiti cleaned up. Stephen would welcome comments on how this guide could be improved!
Is it a BT or Virgin Media (VM) box?
When you come across a cabinet has been subject to a graffiti attack or some other form of vandalism, the first step is to try to work out whether it is a BT or VM box. This information will determine who to report it to. Whilst the council will arrange for graffiti to be cleaned off cabinets for which it has responsibility (eg traffic lights boxes), it is not responsible for telecoms cabinets.
Some BT cabinets are easily identifiable, either because they have a poster on the front of the cabinet or BT stencilled on the side.
BT box front view
BT box side view
BT fibre cabinet
There is no consistently easy way to identify Virgin Media cabinets but if the chamber lid is marked CATV or NTL it will invariably be a VM cabinet.
Virgin Media box
If you have a fair idea which type of cabinet it is, there are various ways in which you can report damage.
Reporting damage to BT cabinets
The BT web page which contains instructions for reporting damage to cabinets can be found Here . You are invited to call 0800 023 2023 and choose Option 1. You will be connected to an advisor who will ask for details of the location of the cabinet. It’s helpful if you can provide the address of the nearest property and the postcode. You will be given a reference number. The BT cabinet pictured above was reported in mid December 2015 and was cleaned up within four weeks.
Reporting damage to Virgin Media cabinets
The VM web page which contains instructions for reporting damage to cabinets can be found Here. You can choose to report the issue by phone, on 0330 333 0444, or click on ‘Contact Us’ then ‘Something else’ then ‘Reporting an open or damaged cabinet’.
The phone reporting service is automated, so you don’t get to speak to a person but instead answer a number of questions. You should provide as much information as you can, such as the address of the nearest property and the postcode. At the end of the call you will be given a reference number.
Reporting via the website is quite straightforward, but you are not issued with a reference number.
I reported the VM cabinet pictured above in mid December via the automated phone line and got a reference number, but then had to chase up twice via the website route. This did eventually prompt a helpful and attentive e-mail from a representative at the VM Operations Centre who admitted that there had been some ‘minor issues’ with the automated reporting line. He verified the information needed (nearest property and postcode) and undertook to raise an order to have the cabinet cleaned and repainted.
I’d welcome any additions / amendments / improvements to this simple guide.
[…] A ‘simple guide’ to reporting graffiti on telecoms cabinets […]
I work at VM.
To get cabs repainted please email NAM@virginmedia.co.uk
with the cab numbers and locations.
Reporting Graffiti
There are employed telecom engineers going about their daily business all over our cities every day of the week. We have Local Concillors, and Community Councils, Why then is it left to the general public to report such issues, Incluging figuring out which telecom company should be contacted.
Graffiti has become such a problem, bringing down areas. With so such CCTV in cities, why do those who deface properties with graffiti
seldom come before the courts. It’s a pointless crime, but should be
managed by prosecution.
Either the Telecom companies or Local Councillors need to do more to
ensure graffiti is dealt with to ensure the general public who pay community charges can feel proud if the area they reside in.
I recently reported graffiti on Open Reach telecom boxes in the EH7 area of Edinburgh, it was dealt with within 48 hrs. On the same day I contacted Virgin Media, 3 weeks later, still no action taken, and a nightmare getting someone to take ownership in terms of complaint.
Due to negative customer service response, thinking of changing my account.
I am also amazed that council employees walking or driving around don’t see graffiti and fly posting and then think about reporting it to their colleagues.
Leaving it to the residents and taxpayers to care…
i totally agree with Mr Macdonalds comments
I report large amounts of graffiti to the local councils who will remove if not on private land but they must all see this anti social behaviour
Why is it left to resident to report this
Trying to get graffiti removed from Virgin Boxes is a near impossibility
Would i get into trouble if i used green paint to cover graffiti on these boxes which would take about a minute or would be seen as criminal damage removing gang/racist graffiti from Virgin Boxes
I have thought about doing that myself, but need to get correct colour paint .I imagine B.T or Virgin would be happy enough.
Use acetone. Does the trick.
Well done for reporting it. Everyone should. Local residents around my way are also volunteering their time and effort and doing it themselves. A bit like the volunteer litter pickers – and I applaud every last one who cares , and does it., making it a nicer place for all.
Personally also at election time when I meet councillors at the door I stress I will vote only for the party that takes this issue seriously.studies show Graffiti affects tourism, business, shopping habits and jobs,
I totally agree with all of the posted comments.Where I live in London,the council seems to not take tagging seriously at all.You get one mindless idiot trying to make their mark,which I report.You can guarantee that,as it does not get removed,within 2 weeks at least two or three morons will add more graffiti to the wall or whatever,then the wall adjoining it will get defaced shortly after.
Contrast this with my neighbouring council,who when receiving a report remove it within days,consequently having an almost zero reocurrence of the problem,and is therefore where I choose to visit to do my shopping.
Why not add QR codes to all street furniture including media cabinets so that residents can report directly to the utility owner?