right update:
i've now got a bt line, cant order adsl till 5 days after the install.
ntl have phoned up 3 times this week, asking why we have left them, kept saying the same thing "you cant provide a service, so we're moving to someone who can"
today's phone call came with a 3 months free broadband offer, upon asking weither the problem will be fixed, they couldnt answer me.
i'm guessing they must have one heck of a serious problem in this area and it's not a quick fix. ntl's service status shows other areas probably have the same problem, with no eta.