I know your question was aimed at Walter, but if I may add my thoughts ??
It does indeed sound like a Heath Robinson botch job. However, you have answered your own question regarding paying for a continuous length of Dropwire. If all tests OK, then
you will foot the bill. I appreciate the fewer 'joints' the better the connection (albeit negligible in the extreme in the scenario), but Openreach are not in the business of renewing cables on the whim of the EU. I don't wish this to sound obtuse jeffbb, the opposite in fact, I wouldn't want you to be told different and then be landed with a hefty bill.
As a point of note, we have had recent direction when visiting a 'Line Tests OK' (LTOK) appointed fault. This is called 'Conscious Decision To Appoint' and all SP's are aware of it. If there has been no recent fault conditions recorded against the circuit and when we visit there is no audible noise heard, and the PQT and Eclipse tests pass OK, then we move on immediately and throw in a 'Time Related Charge' (TRC). If there has been fault conditions detected recently, but these aren't prevalent when we arrive on site, we again move on immediately but without the TRC applied. We will not carry out eliminatory work anymore, ie- changing the Dropwire just in case it might be that, renewing older type internal wiring just in case it may be that ...... etc etc .
As an aside .......... Dropwire 12 that you mention would only usually be used if the wire was going through trees. It would either be DW10 or the newer single-pair DW11. HTH jeff.