I live in a flat for which Brighton Council is the freeholder. As the analogue TV signal is being switched off next year, they’ve upgraded our TV aerial system.
The system is overly complex, massively expensive and includes a ludicrous ‘maintenance contract’ (what the hell do you need to maintain on a TV aerial?). It’s also for Sky as well as Freeview – something that’s not needed as anyone who wants Sky can get it through a dish and we’re all wired for cable. Sky is something which has no-doubt pushed up the cost considerably.
In all, I’m not very happy with the council’s new aerial system – it’s costing me, personally, over £300 in a block of 40 other flats!
Brighton Council’s only response has been “we have to install it, we’re responsible for providing you with an aerial”.
Today, I’ve had a letter from the people who are installing it, as they need access to my flat to put in a socket. They’ve given a week’s window for the installation, which does not include weekends. Helpfully, they can only come between 8am and 6pm, during one particular week, Monday to Friday only.
That’s useful for anyone who has to work, isn’t it?
(Incidentally, I’ve put in a freedom of information for details of the meetings where they discussed the system, and also requested details of any contact between the council and Sky TV. I want to know – and despite asking several times I haven’t been told – why Sky is part of the system, when they could have had Freeview only)