Wayleave query

kentcouple

Hi all,

I wanted to ask for some advice. We were recently approached by a company (PCC) offering to help us get payment for overhead electrical wires crossing the garden of our property. We looked into this and saw that this does happen (as I hadn't heard of it before) and that it is also possible to approach directly the power company (UK Power Networks in our case) for payment rather than employing a third party. We have done this, firstly to be told that their cables didn't cross our property and that they were BT wires. We then sent a picture to show this wasn't the case and they sent a surveyor out to assess it and have now agreed the cables do cross our property. They have now said that "due to the statute of limitations we are only able to make a six year backdated payment of £150".

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience of this type of thing? There doesn't seem to be an average payment scale from what I can see online but a figure of 1-4% of the property value (£200k) is commonly mentioned which would be more like £2-8k in our case. It's unclear how we would find out if £150 is correct. One option is employing a solicitor which could eat up the payment / leave out of pocket if it did indeed turn out to be £150. The other option is now trying PCC or a similar company to see if they can find out more.They charge 20% plus VAT but don't charge if they are not successful in securing a payment (but again if we got £150 in the end it might not be worth it).

Also, any thoughts on reasons not to do this? Pros and cons are mentioned about this online too but overall it seems ok to do this unless I am missing something?

Many thanks!

[Deleted User]

This thread may help https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5221457
and the rates are available here http://www.energynetworks.org/info/faqs/who-is-my-wayleaves-contact.html

JC_Derby

imho the 1-4% would be the reduction in value of the property for having overhead lines crossing them.
Now imho as the lines are likely to have always been there, the property was 'devalued' if you like at purchase and will be at sale..
The £150 for 6 years backdated seems reasonable as there is no physical impact to your property...ie no poles or ground to be dug up to replace the poles...just an oversailing overhead line.
Now that's the backdated amount, what are they paying going forward?presume a similar amount for a future period of ten years?

kentcouple

gsmlnx wrote: »

This thread may help https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5221457
and the rates are available here http://www.energynetworks.org/info/faqs/who-is-my-wayleaves-contact.html

Perfect, thanks so much for the links and rates

kentcouple

JC_Derby wrote: »

imho the 1-4% would be the reduction in value of the property for having overhead lines crossing them.
Now imho as the lines are likely to have always been there, the property was 'devalued' if you like at purchase and will be at sale..
The £150 for 6 years backdated seems reasonable as there is no physical impact to your property...ie no poles or ground to be dug up to replace the poles...just an oversailing overhead line.
Now that's the backdated amount, what are they paying going forward?presume a similar amount for a future period of ten years?

ah, ok, that makes sense, thank you.
Yes, the next question we need to ask is how they pay going forward. Appreciate your help!

JC_Derby

kentcouple wrote: »

Perfect, thanks so much for the links and rates

I would suggest this a more appropriate link than the initial one provided for barlows.


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3693507

kentcouple

Hi all, thanks for the links. PCC were also very helpful and confirmed that the £150 I was going to get directly with UKPN was correct for a low voltage overhead wire, which was backed up by the link to rates gsmlnx gave. it turns out, £60 is for the past six years and £90 for the coming 15 years (not sure why the rates slightly different). Thanks again.

retepetsir

Hi, I'm in the industry so have some experience with this. The other option you may have, if you wanted to go down this route, is to terminate the Wayleave/the right for the plant and equipment to be on your land. In that case, the DNO would then need to move their equipment off the land at their cost.