Neighbours BT Openreach cable on my house

[Ian H]

I raised a flat roof extension by 2ft, put a hipped roof over and moved a side window to the front.

My neighbours live in a bungalow and to avoid the need for a telegraph post their BT cable comes from the post down the road, onto our house, then down onto theirs.

I contacted BT to ask them to raise the wire upto the soffit because it now goes in front of a window. They e-mailed saying they would have to do a survey costing £300 then quote for works.

I replied and repeated that it's my neighbours cable attached to my house for their convienience.

They just called and said for £130 they would send a guy to move it. I said I'm not paying so they e-mailed me a complaint form.

The guy that connected our new line said to just pull it off.

My question is, should they move it for free? I even thought should they be renting the wall space off me?

There looks to be plenty of slack on it so I might DIY it

Previously it was under the old soffit

 

[phatboy]

Do you get on with the neighbour? Can they log a fault on it, and just as the engineers arrive it gets snipped?

 

[Ian H]

I get on great with them.

I could pull the fixing out of the wall on the side and let it hang but I wouldn't want to cut it.

If I was going to do that I could just drill a hole and move it up while I'm on the ladder. I wish I did that originally now.

 

[Iamchamps]

There are lots of things which come into effect here I would start by reading the Openreach way leave section. Also the electronics communication code on Ofcoms website

“Under certain circumstances, we’re allowed to "fly wires" over an adjacent property from an existing pole without the need for a wayleave. This permission only applies providing we don’t need to enter the property concerned to do so, that the wires are at a height of 3m or more, and that they don’t interfere with the normal business on the property.”

By purposely cutting or interfering with a live telephone cable you could be prosecuted if it was proven you tampered with it. There is obligation for BT to come out free of charge and move it simply because you did some work.

If you are able I would move it myself and keep quiet.

 

[Ian H]

There is obligation for BT to come out free of charge and move it simply because you did some work.

Do you mean there isn't obligation?

I'm going to fill out the complaint form they sent me and see what happens. The guy on the phone said he would check if they had an agreement with the previous owners of our house.

 

[^woody^]

I'm going to fill out the complaint form they sent me and see what happens

Put something in there about the Freeview pricing from me.

Any agreement to put the cable there would be on your deeds. Otherwise it's informal with a previous owner and not valid - ie can be revoked. You can ask them to move it at no cost, and whether you agree to let them move it a bit further up the wall or completely off your property is up to you.

 

[Ian H]

Put something in there about the Freeview pricing from me.

Sure. Do you want it to be more Free or less Free?

 

[^woody^]

Sure. Do you want it to be more Free or less Free?

I want to be paid to watch it.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Pull it off! "It happened when the windows were being cleaned"

Andy

 

[Diver Fred]

>>snip<< “Under certain circumstances, we’re allowed to "fly wires" over an adjacent property from an existing pole without the need for a wayleave. This permission only applies providing we don’t need to enter the property concerned to do so, that the wires are at a height of 3m or more, and that they don’t interfere with the normal business on the property.”>>snip<<

'Entering the property' means that people have to go onto the land to access - so did they erect the ladder with the foot in your garden? If so then a 'Wayleave' should have been agreed; if the ladder foot was not in your garden then a wayleave isn't necessarily needed. With a wayleave comes a small (annual) payment - that may be rolled up over several years.

 

[Ian H]

There's a 9ft gap between the house and the fence so they must have been in here.

 

[Notch7]

I blame the person that put that dirty great window in the way. The telephone wire was perfectly happy before

 

[Mottie]

Another job for your wife.