Moving Overhead Cable, help!!!

scott1

Please could someone advise. I have recently built an extension on my end of terrace property. Im now at the stage of putting roof on. There is a telephone cable that is in the way, currently it is in the roof space. I have contacted openreach and they sent an engineer out. They said that they cannot move the line and that it may have to go underground, probably at a cost that I cannot afford!! I have checked my deeds and there is no wayleave agreement and I believe the cable could be moved and at no cost to myself.

It is becoming a real issue and I have wasted endless calls to try and resolve this.

please please any advice

cajef

scott1 wrote: »

I believe the cable could be moved and at no cost to myself.

Even if the cable could be moved, which the engineer does not agree with you about, why do you think it should be at no charge, the line rental does not cover work that is not caused by BT faulty equipment, it is not their fault that you have built an extension and the cable needs moving.

scott1

I was hoping for a more helpful reply. I know that it is not Bt's fault that I have an extension, what I do believe is that currently there is nothing in my deeds, agreed with any previous owners to allow Bt to have a line over the land either in the form of rent or a one off payment.

Could anyone offer something a little more positive please....

spike7451

HTH.

https://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Exch_Lines_boo/1294_d0e453.htm#1294-d0e453

Jemma-T

The cable was there before your house extension.

If it were me I'd pay a local installer/engineer to do it but you really aught not to have bothered OpenReach expecting anything less than a large bill (set at whatever they fancy they can get off you).

Your info you posted is very poor too because the cable may have nothing to do with OpenReach at all ie it was installed by the houseowner previously.

cajef

Jemma-T wrote: »

If it were me I'd pay a local installer/engineer to do it

Your info you posted is very poor too because the cable may have nothing to do with OpenReach at all ie it was installed by the house owner previously.

If the OP is talking about an overhead cable into his property across his land and telephone cable in his roof space it sounds like BT property which it is illegal for anyone other than Openreach to change or tamper with unless it is after the master socket in any property.

If it is his phone connection I cannot understand why he is talking about wayleave agreements and payment for a line because it crosses his land, if he wants a BT phone line then the cable has to cross the property otherwise no phone.

scott1

The line is not for my own private connection. It is for a second line of a printing works that is behind my house. The printing works already has a main line and I thought that openreach would simply remove the line and re route it where the printing works already has a line.

Are there any open reach engineers out there able to offer advice?

spike7451

Scott.
If the first main line has any spare pairs (the are 3+ pairs per drop) in the drop,then I cant see why BT cant use one of them & do away with the drop you're on about.
That'd be the cheaper & easier option,re-jumper in the exchange & cabinet & install a new NTE5 Master in the office.
Simples!

DVardysShadow

cajef wrote: »

If the OP is talking about an overhead cable into his property across his land and telephone cable in his roof space it sounds like BT property which it is illegal for anyone other than Openreach to change or tamper with unless it is after the master socket in any property.

If it is his phone connection I cannot understand why he is talking about wayleave agreements and payment for a line because it crosses his land, if he wants a BT phone line then the cable has to cross the property otherwise no phone.

But it also appears to be on the OP's property without any legal right, which is more the point than the rather useless reiteration of 'illegal to tamper'

cajef

DVardysShadow wrote: »

But it also appears to be on the OP's property without any legal right, which is more the point than the rather useless reiteration of 'illegal to tamper'

The OP did not give all the facts in his original post, it was not until post #7 of the thread that it was explained that the cable was not actually his phone line.

I have recently built an extension on my end of terrace property. Im now at the stage of putting roof on. There is a telephone cable that is in the way, currently it is in the roof space.

It sounded as though the cable was in his existing roof, if the OP had explained initially that the cable was not actually connected to his property then he may have got different answers, reading his original post there was no mention that the cable passed over his property to get to another.

Also if you had read the thread 'the useless reiteration' as you put it was to the poster that advised him to 'get a local installer/engineer' to do it.

DS-2

If you have Legal protection on your house insurance policy, call the free Legal advice line that usually comes with it.