Rented Flat, Listed Building, Sky Tv? How?!

lawtz04

Hi guys

If i explain a bit of my situation I'm hoping someone creative maybe able to help with a suggestion.

I have just moved into a rented flat, on the top floor of a listed building. I was going to get Virgin Media's phone/broadband and tv channels deal, but cannot now as my area is "non-cable" (so apparently we can't get the tv channels).

I can't see a way we can get a sky dish on the building as its listed. I also can't see anyway we can attach it to a fence post anywhere as the only bit of garden is quite well boxed in by buildings.

A freeview box appears to be the only option at the moment.

Anyone any suggestions?

Also, forgot something - BT wanted £124 to connect us to the phoneline! Is there any companies that do this for free!?

comedy_dave

We live in a rented flat in a conservation area, we got our dish installed on the roof of the building by a local installer (sky wont go above a garage roof)
This cost £65 (between 3 of us this wasn't too bad)

The BT thing requires more thought tho. Sky require the box be connected to a fixed, operational phone line. And with no cable in your area, BT are your only option as they are the only ones who can get you connected to the telephone network.
Was there a line in the flat before you moved in, coz then it should be a case of free reconnection!

kitchen_buff

I live in the historic Port Sunlight Village (Lever brothers)
Every house is a listed building, over 500 of them. Most have sky dishes. However you have to contact your local planning office for approval, also need to speak with landlord to tell them. Sky wont install a dish any higher than a normal 3bed semi height, not even on the roof, they need extra permission and it costs more. However if you say you live on the top floor and roof access was ok, they might consider this normal, but will need to check with sky.

Dinah93

Hi lawtz04

I'm a planning officer, specalising in listed buildings and conservation, so maybe I can be of a little help.

To place a satellite dish on any part of a listed building will require planning permission, however as long as the dish is under 90cm then this would normally be permitted development, and therefore your application would be free of charge. You would need to either serve notice on the landlord, or ask him/her to apply on your behalf. It can take up to 8 weeks to get a decision however, and there is no guarantee you would get permission granted.

One option you should consider is getting a plate put in the roof, this is most common in blocks of flats, as planning law generally dictates no more than 2 dishes are allowed on any one building, therefore most flat developments have sky install a special plate, which does the same job as a dish, but which is placed inside the roof void. I gather this can cost a bit to install, but if you are planning to be there a while, or your landlord is willing to split the bill, 150 pounds (ish) might be worth it for you.

On your second point, my partner used to work for BT, so I know a bit about this too! If the line has not previously been used, for example your house is a new conversion from a house to 2 flats, and you have the new phone point, or has not previously had a phone line then the only way to activate it is through BT, bit of a monopoly they have going on there! :mad: As comedy Dave says, if it has previously been used, they may quote you 124, but in fact, they won't charge you that, it will be free. We moved into a new build flat 2 years ago, and the line had obviously never been used. We had to pay the 124 upfront, however it took over 4 months for them actually to activate the line, as they missed a vital stage of the process, and we were able to get 80pounds back for inconvenience caused.

Hope some of this is of help to you, Dinah93

lawtz04

thanks guys

the problem with the phone thing, is there is a little phone box thing on the wall you plug your phone into, but no dialing tone. BT seem to say as the line wasnt theres before an engineer needs to come out and thats 124 quid.

I spoke to the previous tenant who said they never bothered have a phone line put in but we'll need one for phone and broadband

on the tele thing, i think we're just going to have a freeview box now!

what do i say to bt to get it done and connected for free??

Dinah93

We couldn't find any way to get it free, and I'm well accustomed to getting service charges dropped, we could only get a discount as it took so long. BT claim the charge is there because they have to send out an engineer, but we finally managed to get it sorted over the phone, with some bloke just typing in a code, and it worked! It was like knowing you're going to be robbed, and not being able to do anything about it