Cables buried in the garden!

C_Mababejive

It is common for utilities to be buried in peoples gardens and on their property whether they know it or not. It is almost always perfectly legal as the relevant way leaves will have been obtained. The rules is that if you damage,you pay.

Unfortunately members of the public generally have no way to search on line for utilities.

Just ploughing ahead and possibly damaging something could prove dangerous and costly.

moneyistooshorttomention

C_Mababejive wrote: »

It is common for utilities to be buried in peoples gardens and on their property whether they know it or not. It is almost always perfectly legal as the relevant way leaves will have been obtained. The rules is that if you damage,you pay.

Unfortunately members of the public generally have no way to search on line for utilities.

Just ploughing ahead and possibly damaging something could prove dangerous and costly.

I would guess that is so - basically.

But the corollary to that is is the home-owner being responsible if the cable is the normal depth beneath the surface, but I would say cannot reasonably be held responsible if the supplier couldn't-be-arsed to make sure it was and, as a consequence, then its too close to the surface.

If the cable probably coming into my own garden is the right depth down then my workmen and I will sort out any problems between ourselves. If its too close to the surface and that is the reason for the problem, then I will be going after the supplier.

Suppliers know many of us will be digging in our gardens and using them as gardens...so on their heads be it when we choose to do so.

force_ten

C_Mababejive wrote: »

It is common for utilities to be buried in peoples gardens and on their property whether they know it or not. It is almost always perfectly legal as the relevant way leaves will have been obtained. The rules is that if you damage,you pay.

Unfortunately members of the public generally have no way to search on line for utilities.

Just ploughing ahead and possibly damaging something could prove dangerous and costly.

yes it is very common for utilities to be buried in gardens but they have to meet a minimum depth requirement which is set out in BS 7671

if the cable has been laid by a previous owner as a feed to a workshop or out building then it needs to be dealt with by the new owner, but if the cable is owned by and is part of the utility network then it needs to be sorted out by the utility company and due to substandard installation and shallow depth of the cable then it should be at no cost to the land owner

Justicia

force_ten wrote: »

yes it is very common for utilities to be buried in gardens but they have to meet a minimum depth requirement which is set out in BS 7671

Added for discussion reference:

From BS 7671:

522.8.10 Except where installed in a conduit or duct which provides equivalent protection against mechanical damage, a cable buried in the ground shall incorporate an earthed armour or metal sheath or both, suitable for use as a protective conductive conductor. The location of buried cables shall be marked by cable covers or a suitable marking tape, Buried conducts and ducts shall be suitably identified. Buried cables, conduits and ducts shall be at a sufficient depth to avoid being damaged by any reasonably foreseeable disturbance of the ground.

In addition, from the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations (ESQCR) 2002:

Excavations and depth of underground cables
14.—(1) Every underground cable shall be kept at such depth or be otherwise protected so as to avoid, so far as is reasonably practicable, any damage or danger by reason of such uses of the land which can be reasonably expected.
(2) In addition to satisfying the requirements of paragraph (1), an underground cable containing conductors not connected with earth shall be protected, marked or otherwise indicated so as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that any person excavating the land above the cable will be given suYcient warning of its presence.
(3) The protection, marking or indication required by paragraph (2) shall be made by placing the cable in a pipe or duct or by overlaying the cable at a suitable distance with protective tiles or warning tape or by the provision of such other protective or warning device, mark or indication, or by a suitable combination of such measures, as will be likely to provide an appropriate warning.

lstar337

Still no pictures?

retepetsir

Joanthebone wrote: »

espresso, I don't know why you are finding this so hilarious, I have been crying my eyes out.


I have (carefully) uncovered a bit more, the cables are only about 1" below the surface when they reach the bottom of my garden, and I can only assume they then go under the driveway of the bungalow at the end of my garden (I am on the corner). There are three cables with a very thin wire twisted round, I suppose to keep them together.


I am sure there was no shed there, the garden is small, but there is a garage which the previous owners used as a shed, as I do.


I don't know how to put photos on here. I am waiting for Openreach to get back to me, but they have told me it will cost £199 just to look at the problem and lots more if the cables have to be moved. I am so angry, I have to pay because they did a bodge job I will have to have them moved, I bought this place because I wanted to have a garden, and at the moment I can't use it at all.


I have only been here a week and I am now beginning to wish I had never bought the place.

Did you see my post? I work for a utility company and would be happy to have a quick look for you.

retepetsir

espresso wrote: »

The replies to this thread are hilarious.

Please get some gorm!

What was that in reference to? We've had a lot of instances where unknown cables have been dug up/damaged and caused serious problems.

espresso

retepetsir wrote: »

Did you see my post? I work for a utility company and would be happy to have a quick look for you.

You obviously have not read the forum rules:

The safety of our forum users is paramount. For this reason, we can't allow anyone to exchange their personal details either on the open forum or via private message, however honourable the intention.

retepetsir wrote: »

What was that in reference to? We've had a lot of instances where unknown cables have been dug up/damaged and caused serious problems.

Did you even read the first post where it was stated that an electrician had seen these "cables" that you certainly haven't seen!

retepetsir

Fair enough. I'd rather that than someone get killed. In that case they can call their local DNO who shouldn't charge the Openreach prices of £199. This is a money saving forum after all.

Just because you are an electrician doesn't mean you can identify any type of cable - They've already stated that they 'may' be comms cables but with no confirmation!

Christ alive.

C_Mababejive

Doesnt BS7671 only apply to installations beyond the DNO supplier fuse?