SP - I cut my neighbours mains cable!!

rgwhunter

Whilst cutting out the old copper pipes in my loft i cut through a pyro cable (copper exterior, 2 core cable). After a bit of investigation i discovered that it's my neighbours mains power cable. I live in a four in a block ex-local authority flat.

The background:

2 pyro cables come from the street into 2 100 amp fuses in my downstairs neighbours flat. From there they are split twice again, 1 fuse feeds myself and the downstairs flat. The 2nd feeds the woman through the wall from me and her downstairs neighbour.

Called out Scottish Power as they own the cable. They, in turn called out a contractor to re run a new cable (pvc sheath not pyro). The engineer said i will be billed for this, i am waiting for it dropping through my letterbox!

It took 3 men, 2 hours and about 16 metres of cable to complete the job.

Does anyone know if i am resposible for this, or if i can counter claim against them?

1. Cable runs through my property.
2. Cable runs over my joists.
3. Cable has no markings to indicate that it is a power cable
4. Does pyro cable even meet current building regulations?
5. Is a 100Amp fuse for two flats adequate?




Any help would be greatly appreciated!

P.S I got a nasty shock!!!! I believe 100 amps is more than enough to kill anyone!!

carefullycautious

I would have thought if you were not informed that this cable ran through your property and it very nearly killed you that the Local Authority will be falling over themselves to pay for this.

I would write a strongly worded letter to them with the invoice included. Might be worth getting legal advise on this also

4$£&*(£$&*(!

Is it definitely your loft rather than a communal loft? In some buildings of that type of configuration the loft doesn't belong to any one tenant.

If it definitely is your loft then I agree with the other post, get legal advice.

magpiecottage

I you are liable it will probably be covered by your household insurers. Claim on to them.

babyboomer49

If they try to bill you, then surely on reflection, it was a different cable that you cut through and nothing to do with your neighbour's supply. A rodent had probably chewed through the cable as they frequently do, and you discovered the problem when you were up there looking for the source of the scratching noises in the night. And to prove it, there are no longer any nocturnal noises so the intruder must have been destroyed when biting through the cable.

By the way, you can be killed by milliamps - it depends on the path the current takes through your body.

It's the volts that jolts, its the mills that kills.

dogshome

Pyro cabling was the latest fad back in the late 50's, early 60's but later sank without trace as it proved unreliable, particularly where joints were concerned.

When I bought a new semi house back in 1969, I found the overhead cable power supply was fixed high up on the Gable End of my house, then split at this point to feed my meter, with loose cables drapped across the 30' floor length of my loft which then passed through the firewall to run across the entire length of next door's loft to feed their meter.

Alarmed at this set-up I contacted the supplier, (The old Eastern Region), who's own surveyor condemned the installation as a Fire hazard that did not meet Building Regs, and arranged for an entirely new overhead street cable to supply next door, which was free to me as they had installed it the first place.

gazfen2279

Its The Volts That Give Ya The Jolts
Its The Amps That Put Out Your Lamps

cing0

babyboomer49 wrote: »

If they try to bill you, then surely on reflection, it was a different cable that you cut through and nothing to do with your neighbour's supply. A rodent had probably chewed through the cable as they frequently do, and you discovered the problem when you were up there looking for the source of the scratching noises in the night.

So what sort of squirrel or other rodent can chew through MICC ? This type of cable is designed to be resistant to fires and other sorts of damage in critical applications.

energysavingexp

cing0 wrote: »

So what sort of squirrel or other rodent can chew through MICC ? This type of cable is designed to be resistant to fires and other sorts of damage in critical applications.

I had left a small hacksaw up in the loft after doing some plumbing work.
and this mouse found it and used it to cut the cable thinking it was a water pipe as he and his family was thirsty and wanted to quench his thirst.

he was glad he was wearing his little wellies as he did not want to get wet feet, as this turned out this saved his life from getting fried:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Premier_2

rgwhunter wrote: »

Whilst cutting out the old copper pipes in my loft i cut through a pyro cable (copper exterior, 2 core cable). After a bit of investigation i discovered that it's my neighbours mains power cable. I live in a four in a block ex-local authority flat.

The background:

2 pyro cables come from the street into 2 100 amp fuses in my downstairs neighbours flat. From there they are split twice again, 1 fuse feeds myself and the downstairs flat. The 2nd feeds the woman through the wall from me and her downstairs neighbour.

Called out Scottish Power as they own the cable. They, in turn called out a contractor to re run a new cable (pvc sheath not pyro). The engineer said i will be billed for this, i am waiting for it dropping through my letterbox!

It took 3 men, 2 hours and about 16 metres of cable to complete the job.

Does anyone know if i am resposible for this, or if i can counter claim against them?

1. Cable runs through my property.
2. Cable runs over my joists.
3. Cable has no markings to indicate that it is a power cable
4. Does pyro cable even meet current building regulations?
5. Is a 100Amp fuse for two flats adequate?




Any help would be greatly appreciated!

P.S I got a nasty shock!!!! I believe 100 amps is more than enough to kill anyone!!

You damaged SP property; you will probably be billed for the repair.

As to the original installation method used, you should perhaps ask the surveyor you used to inspect the property before you purchased it as to why this was not pointed out.

(SP may well not be prepared, based on your description, to simply repair the damage you caused to their power lines, but want a totally revised installation. I suggest you seek legal/specialist advice over this as to how the costs should be apportioned)

rgwhunter

Thanks everyone for the replies & advice. I'm still waiting on the bill arriving but as soon as it does i will seek legal advice.

Passing the invoice onto my insurance company has been suggested by a number of people I've spoken to, but i would rather fight it out with Scottish Power rather take the easy option of passing it onto the insurers - i'm in the mood for a fight! ;-)


Thanks again!

BTW - that rodent must have some teeth on it!