telephone lines across neighbouring property

[likeitorlumpit]

Did a site last year, small garden, 43 40' Conifers, all to come out. Stumps, the lot.

 

Very nice job for us, managed to fell 40 of the 43 with no problems, had a subby helping me cut them up while i felled.

 

I had to nip out in the afternoon to price a job (emptied the chip truck at the same time), got a call from the subby to say he'd taken the phone line out!!!

 

On my way back passed a BT chap sat in his truck, told him the story and he came and fixed it there and then for £60 (cash). Asked the subby to pay half and he was gobsmacked !!!!

"Why should i pay for damages on your site"

 

Suffice to say he got no more work from me.

 

 

The kicker was, if the subby had felled the offending conifer in 358 out of 360 degrees, he'd have missed the line !!!!!!!

 

That would be the dream

We found out BT didn't supply the neighbour

It was some other telecoms firm

Waiting to find out the outcome

30metres telecom wire, 1 hours work= ?

[muttley9050]

Dont bt own all the overhead cables, i thought everybody else rents them off them?

[likeitorlumpit]

Dont bt own all the overhead cables, i thought everybody else rents them off them?

 

Thats what I thought

But BT said they didn't supply and wasn't their problem

I too thought it was a bit like power supply.

One firm supplied the facility any other provided the power supply.

[Brownlie1985]

I was a linesman for a power company and we used to drop power lines and have shut downs for tree cutting. We did our own cutting mostly but then it all was sub contracted out.

 

Hit a power line and your bank balance will feel it!

 

 

 

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[Craig Johnson]

BT charge £140 call out to repair lines, it costs £85 for the first line then £60 per line there after if you want the line dropping AND THE SAME TO PUT BACK UP!they require at least three weeks notice if you want to book a date.

[Brownlie1985]

I remember there was a big storm and we had power lines down. Bt came along and put the phone line over the top of our lines which were on the ground ready to be pulled back up. Snip snip snip went the wire cutters and the hv line was back up and we were gone before Bt were back!

 

 

 

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[likeitorlumpit]

I understand about power lines being dangerous. I wouldn't have the the lad who did it loose on those. He's just not experienced enough.

The basic question is can BT or whoever owns the lines legally charge you for the damage as they are crossing another customers land.

I would understand it in the street as this is public land but over someones garden who doesn't even use the lines is surely a different story. Does the customer get rent off BT for the facility.

I wouldn't want someone elses telephone lines obstructing my view and making it difficult to prune my trees.

[muttley9050]

Thats the kinda attitude that would render half the country and possibly you powerless and phoneless, as i said these services run along channels of ground known as easements, power companys are entitled to use them, you cant fight it, but they will pay you peppercorn rent if you have pole on your land. I believe but not certain that if power companies find it absolutely necessary to create new easements, they may, and take you to court if necessary, if you refuse their right.

[Brownlie1985]

There will be a way leave for the line going through the property.

 

 

 

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[Ruskins Trees]

Apparently BT Lines have to 17ft over the highway, watched our hiab delivery driver, pull a line down, outside the house we were planting the tree, he explained to us his load was 16ft something and it wasn't his fault, BT came measured his truck and agreed with him, as I recall.