EE have a web status tool at https://ee.co.uk/help/mobile-coverage-checker where service issues are documented.
I do think CS are sometimes guilty of being far too ready to blame service complaints on "a mast is down" without proper investigation. On the other hand, CS are geared up for users who don't usually care for the underlying causes of service faults, much less the technical detail. They just want phones to work - thus the CS processes are designed to that end.
