utility pole in garden of house we're looking to buy

[Deleted User]

Hi,

have the present owners had any problems with the position of the pole during their occupancy?

Are they willing to get pole moved for you to guarantee a sale, or give you a considerable price reduction?

moneyistooshorttomention

This thread just had me studying the pole that supplies my house. Conclusion "....and I wouldnt accept the wires going to it being put over my garden either".

Have just decided if the neighbour concerned ever wants that pole removed - the wires WILL be put underground and the fallback position is that the pole would be moved to someone else's land (not mine).

Davesnave

JP1978 wrote: »

At least its just a pole that is routing cables, its not got a transformer on it. I would be more concerned if it had a transformer on it.

Whoever the lines go to would be a bloody sight more concerned if there wasn't a transformer there somewhere in the line!:rotfl:

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

This thread just had me studying the pole that supplies my house. Conclusion "....and I wouldnt accept the wires going to it being put over my garden either".

Have just decided if the neighbour concerned ever wants that pole removed - the wires WILL be put underground and the fallback position is that the pole would be moved to someone else's land (not mine).

People sometimes don't get to make those sorts of choices, unless they pay for the difference between what the utility company want to do, and what they want.

Obviously all things are possible, at a price, but utilities are profit-driven.

A few years ago, when a telephone surveyor was discussing the relocation of a pole with me, he had to be persuaded not to spoil a distant neighbour's only decent view with it. We found a compromise position which was acceptable and within budget, but he made it abundantly clear that, if push came to shove, he could put it where practicality dictated.....or someone else would have to foot the bill.

moneyistooshorttomention

Davesnave wrote: »

People sometimes don't get to make those sorts of choices, unless they pay for the difference between what the utility company want to do, and what they want.

Obviously all things are possible, at a price, but utilities are profit-driven.

A few years ago, when a telephone surveyor was discussing the relocation of a pole with me, he had to be persuaded not to spoil a distant neighbour's only decent view with it. We found a compromise position which was acceptable and within budget, but he made it abundantly clear that, if push came to shove, he could put it where practicality dictated.....or someone else would have to foot the bill.

So - if the neighbour wants it moved off their land - then they will be the ones at risk of getting a bill then - ie for altering the status quo to suit them? It wouldnt be me - because my status quo is that I dont have it on my property?

JP1978

Davesnave wrote: »

Whoever the lines go to would be a bloody sight more concerned if there wasn't a transformer there somewhere in the line!:rotfl:

Yes, a transformer will be on the line somewhere, and I would be concerned if that somewhere was my back garden - they are known to explode when a fault occurs.

smallholdingsister

When the pole was removed from my garden the wires were attached to another pole nearby. That was electricity. The phone lines went underground.

teddysmum

There are scare stories (true or false?) about various power supplies, including substation housing and power lines being a health risk, particularly regarding cancer, and there are some people who will have read these and be very wary.

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

So - if the neighbour wants it moved off their land - then they will be the ones at risk of getting a bill then - ie for altering the status quo to suit them? It wouldnt be me - because my status quo is that I dont have it on my property?

Well, yes, but my point was a general one.

Poles are sometimes moved for all sorts of practical reasons, so while the utility companies will try to work with householders to find acceptable locations, they have powers to locate them wherever efficient distribution and safety require.

The pole I referred to was rather unusual, having been sited illegally, so I'd used my rights under the Telecommunications Act to insist they move it, but I couldn't simply dictate to them where it should go.