BT Mast and trees help?

alm721

Firstly if this is in the wrong place please move. Last week we were informed that BT want to remove the top part of one of the trees in our garden as it is in the way of the signal being sent from their mast. The trees are totally in our garden and I don't think they can insist but they did ask us how much we would want if we let them do it. I was a bit unsure what to say. Don't really want the tree cutting back but equally not massively bothered. Has anyone come accross this before?
Thanks

ormus

why not try 750 quid and see if they will settle for 500 quid?

CashisKing

It depends whether you are expected to maintain the tree at that level and/or if you are expected to pay for the tree surgeon.

alm721

Actually that last idea about free broadband etc has just reminded me that when we moved in I had horrendous rows with BT over their appauling service (after 3 months of having moved they still coul'nt give me broadband as the previous owner hadn't cancelled theirs, (which incedentally was rubbish as I personally witnessed her ring them for about the 4th time to do it). It resulted in me sending them several letters and finally stating something like I would rather remove my arm then deal with them and that they could stuff it and I would go with someone else. At the time it caused me an absolutly massive amount of stress as I needed the internet at home to work. I'm thinking that that I may now be about to get my own back .
Seriously though from what I can gather they will do all the work and want to remove about 3 years worth of growth. There has been no mention of me maintaining this etc. It seems to be a case of 'we want to come and cut some of your tree down, how much do you want to let us do it'. Don't think I could ask for too much though, would feel a bit cheeky.

niamhtra66

I used to work for a large phone company, best not say which one but i can tell you to move a pole cost the company £4.5k. that was 3 years ago so not sure if the price has gone up, i had never heard of them offering money to the public to cut the trees down so can't really advise how much to go for. good luck

alm721

Thanks for that niamh, Was it a pole you are talking about or a mast. This thing with the dish on is more of a tower. To be honest I'd rather say no if it means that they'd have to move it away from the bottom of my garden.

gas4you

Ask them for £1k/year for access and they pay the tree surgeon.

KillerWatt

As above, don't sell outright.....licence it to them.

iamcornholio

If you are greedy they might just boost the signal instead and then you will be glowing in the dark, and not counting £ notes

alm721

Turns out its not bt, its a mobile phone mast which vodaphone and o2 are using. What do you think would happen if I refuse to let them cut down my tree? Can they make me do it?

timmmers

alm721 wrote: »

Turns out its not bt, its a mobile phone mast which vodaphone and o2 are using. What do you think would happen if I refuse to let them cut down my tree? Can they make me do it?

No. In fact they have zero rights to even enter your property apart from the same rights of wayleave that the postman and others have, you can write and recind that and they would need a warrant, unlikely I think they'd get one. They aren't an official organisation after all.

Some trees are also protected so you may not be able to do it anyway.

They have much bad publicity about these masts and probably would have difficulty even finding another site...so take them to the cleaners as others have said, licence it so that it's never going to be a problem again.

Wish they'd ask me lol

t