- Openreach maintains the physical phone network in most of the UK and carries out weather-related repairs on behalf of the retail provider you pay.
- Overhead lines on poles are the most exposed to wind, falling trees and flying debris, while underground cables are more vulnerable to flooding and ground movement.
- Faults are reported to your own provider, which then raises the repair with Openreach rather than you contacting Openreach directly.
- Ofcom's Automatic Compensation scheme can still apply to a weather-related total loss of service for signatory providers, subject to the scheme's limited exceptions.
- During a major named storm, providers may declare a matter beyond their reasonable control, which can affect compensation timing but does not remove the duty to repair.
Report storm or flood damage to your own provider, which arranges the repair through Openreach; overhead lines suffer most in high winds and underground cables in floods, and Ofcom automatic compensation can still apply subject to limited exceptions.
Last reviewed: June 2026
How storms and floods damage phone lines
Weather affects overhead and underground lines in very different ways, and the type of line serving your property largely decides which risks you face. Overhead lines, strung between poles, are the most exposed part of the network. High winds can bring down a pole, snap the dropwire that runs to a house, or whip a line against a branch until it fails. The most common cause of weather faults on these lines is falling trees and large branches, which can take a span of cable down with them. Coastal and exposed rural areas, where overhead lines are most common, tend to see the heaviest storm-related fault numbers.
Underground cables are sheltered from wind but face their own hazards. Prolonged flooding can saturate joints and chambers, and water entering a cable degrades the signal or cuts it entirely. Ground movement after heavy rain, riverbank erosion, and the collapse of a flooded duct can all sever an underground connection. Lightning is a further factor for both types, as a strike near the network can damage equipment even where the cable itself survives. Knowing whether your line is overhead or underground helps you understand the likely cause and the kind of repair that will be needed.
Who is responsible for the repair
In most of the UK the physical network is owned and maintained by Openreach, which carries out the actual repair to poles, dropwires and cables. The relationship that matters to you, though, is with the retail provider you pay each month. You report the fault to that provider, and it instructs Openreach to attend. This holds true even when the damage is plainly on Openreach infrastructure such as a fallen pole. Contacting Openreach directly is generally not the route for a residential customer, because the repair has to be raised through the provider that holds your account.
Responsibility for the small section of line within your own property boundary can differ, and damage to internal wiring or to equipment inside the home may fall to you rather than the network operator. There is also a safety dimension. A cable brought down across a road or footpath, or a leaning pole, is a hazard that should be reported promptly so it can be made safe, and you should not attempt to move or touch a fallen line yourself. The provider and Openreach coordinate the make-safe and the permanent repair.
Weather damage landline repair responsibility
The table summarises who deals with what for the common types of weather damage.
| Damage type | Who you contact | Who repairs it |
|---|---|---|
| Fallen pole or dropwire | Your retail provider | Openreach engineers |
| Flooded underground cable | Your retail provider | Openreach engineers |
| Line down across a road | Your provider, plus emergency services if unsafe | Openreach make-safe then repair |
| Internal wiring damage | Your retail provider | May fall to the property owner |
| Lightning-damaged equipment | Your retail provider | Openreach for network, you for home kit |
Typical timescales in major weather events
In normal conditions a single line fault is often resolved within a few working days, but a major weather event changes the picture because the number of simultaneous faults can be very large. After a severe named storm, thousands of faults may be reported across a region at once, and engineers work through them in priority order. Lines posing a safety risk and faults affecting vulnerable customers are generally addressed first. Access is also a constraint, since floodwater, blocked roads and continuing high winds can delay an engineer from even reaching a damaged span.
It is reasonable to expect repairs after a serious storm to take longer than an isolated fault, and providers usually publish updates on restoration progress during a widespread event. The sequence is often a make-safe first, to remove any immediate danger, followed by a permanent repair once materials and access allow. There is no single fixed timescale for storm repairs, because it depends on the scale of the damage, the terrain, and how many properties are affected, so the most reliable guide is the estimate your provider gives once the fault is logged.
Compensation still applies after weather damage
A common misconception is that weather damage automatically removes any right to compensation. For providers signed up to Ofcom's Automatic Compensation scheme, a weather-related total loss of service can still qualify, because the scheme is concerned with the loss itself rather than its cause. The scheme does contain limited exceptions, and during an event genuinely beyond the provider's reasonable control the timing or applicability of payments may be affected, but the existence of bad weather is not on its own a blanket exemption. If a credit does not appear, it is reasonable to ask the provider to explain which exception it is relying on.
Even where the automatic scheme does not apply, the provider's duty to repair the line remains, and you can pursue a line-rental refund for the period without service through the complaints process. Keep the same evidence you would for any outage: the date the loss began, the fault reference, and the dates of any engineer visits. If the provider rejects a reasonable claim, the matter can be escalated to an Ofcom-approved alternative dispute resolution scheme once eight weeks have passed or a deadlock letter is issued. The weather may explain the delay, but it does not by itself end your rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who fixes my landline after storm damage?
In most of the UK, Openreach carries out the physical repair to poles, dropwires and cables, but you report the fault to the retail provider you pay rather than to Openreach directly. The provider then instructs Openreach to attend. Damage to wiring inside your own property may be your responsibility rather than the network operator's.
Does weather damage trigger Ofcom compensation?
For providers in Ofcom's Automatic Compensation scheme, a weather-related total loss of service can still qualify, because the scheme focuses on the loss rather than its cause. The scheme has limited exceptions, and an event beyond the provider's reasonable control may affect the timing, but bad weather is not on its own a blanket exemption from compensation.
How long does landline repair take after a storm?
An isolated fault is often fixed within a few working days, but a major storm can generate thousands of faults at once, so repairs take longer and are prioritised by safety and vulnerability. Floodwater, blocked roads and high winds can delay access. There is no fixed timescale, so the provider's estimate after the fault is logged is the most reliable guide.
What if many lines are damaged at once?
During widespread damage, engineers work through faults in priority order, dealing with safety hazards and vulnerable customers first, often making a line safe before a permanent repair. Providers usually publish restoration updates during a large event. Your individual repair may be slower than usual, but logging the fault still records the start date for any later compensation claim.
Is my landline insured for weather damage?
The phone network itself is repaired by Openreach on the provider's instruction, so you do not insure the line. Equipment and wiring inside your home may be covered by home contents or buildings insurance depending on the policy, and that is a matter for your insurer. Compensation for lost service is handled through Ofcom's scheme or the provider's complaints process, not through insurance.
