Electricity pole wayleave downsides

Johnlovessaz

I have an electricity pole on my property. I have been offered £7 a year or £150 as a one off settlement by Scottish and Southern Electricity. I find the legal wayleave document they have asked me to sign incomprehensible but the amounts are too small to engage a solicitor.

NB the wires from the pole to my house pass through the top branches of a fast growing fir tree and I wonder if they have the right to cut down that tree either now or if I sign.

My questions are.

1) What rights do Scottish and Southern have already about the pole and the wires crossing my land
2) How do those rights change if I receive a yearly payment for it
3) How do those rights change if I receive a one off payment
4) What would you do and why?

Lucky_Duck_2

Can't answer the questions directly, but my parents have have a similar pole in their back garden.

They get a modest cheque every so often and the 'electricity board' trim the trees when the branches get too close to the power lines.

davidmcn

Johnlovessaz wrote: »

4) What would you do and why?

If the pole carried my electricity supply (rather than merely somebody else's) I'd gladly sign and take the money. What would be your objection to them cutting back the branches if they're jeopardising your supply?

AdrianC

davidmcn wrote: »

If the pole carried my electricity supply (rather than merely somebody else's) I'd gladly sign and take the money.

If the pole was solely for your supply, you wouldn't be eligible for the money.

Trees and power lines don't play nicely together, and are better kept apart... If trees are within a certain distance of the lines, they can apply for a court order to cut them. It's not a big distance for 230v - IIRC they can enforce 1m, but they prefer to cut to 3m. For 11kV, if the transformer's on your land, it's 3m but they prefer 5m. They can also enforce removal of the risk of falling branches or trunks, if you've got any taller that are further away. We had about 25-30 very tall Xmas trees removed for free - they even left the wood, cut into manageable lengths.

The rights to enforce trimming/removal don't change whether you sign or not, or whether you get a one-off payment or annual. They are legal rights to secure the National Grid.

Davesnave

They will cut any tree that they deem too close to the lines. Inspection is normally by helicopter. You won't be charged.

Power companies like to work amicably with land owners, but when push comes to shove they have the strongest hand. I think they have statutory powers not available to you or me.

The chances are that if you are being offered a wayleave, the line is serving more than you. Perhaps someone else has joined the line with a new connection?

sheramber

Our electricity line passes over our garden and the electricity people cut back any trees getting too close.
They do come and ask first. We always agree so I don't know what happens if you don't agree.

G_M

I get an annual fee. A few £.

I also get several trees trimmed periodically for free as they have to keep the wires clear.

The company will have the right to come onto your land for maintenance purposes. In my case, they've always written to me first though I imagine in an emergence (power outage etc) they'd just turn up.

I doubt those rights are any different either way.

I'd take the annual fee - no particular reason! But if I was broke and needed to replace my washing machine I might take the £150!