BT cable across my property

Jodielocks

Can anyone answer my question about a cable to a neighbouring house that runs across my property please?

We are in a row of 4 houses. A cable was installed from a BT box on the front of the end property, up the wall and across the front of the middle 2 houses to the house at the other end. (as an aside, the property is a student HMO and they have several services running into each of the bedrooms, but this BT line is my concern).
The cable has been laid along a ledge which runs the whole way along the houses (all private freehold) with no fixings. The wind has blown the cable down so it is now waist height across the front of the 2 middle properties.

I have had a nightmare trying to get in touch with Openreach, their phone just gives recorded messages about websites to visit and when ive tried that, im asked for my account number (which i dont have as not a BT customer).

Surely i should have been aked for permission for this cable to be run across my house? Im really tempted to cut it.... does anyone know where i stand with this?

JJ_Egan

OR dont deal with customers .
Contact your service provider.


Dont cut it the bill will land on your doorstep .

[Deleted User]

Jodielocks wrote: »

Im really tempted to cut it.... does anyone know where i stand with this?

Possibly in the dock for criminal damage?


Try speaking to the people the line goes to and get them to contact their supplier (not Openreach). I'm presuming they won't want to lose their BB/phone if it is via the BT line.

Chino

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Dont cut it the bill will land on your doorstep

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

Possibly in the dock for criminal damage?

OR would have to prove it was the OP who caused the cable to be broken.

unforeseen

Not hard to recognise a nice clean cut on a portion of the cable that would fall within their curtilage.

Mister_G

I assume that the OP has tried this:

Network that's unsafe or damaged

Call us on 0800 023 2023 and choose option 1 and then option 1 if you spot something unsafe or damaged equipment

[Deleted User]

unforeseen wrote: »

Not hard to recognise a nice clean cut on a portion of the cable that would fall within their curtilage.

Oh get you, curtilage...


I had to actually look that one up.

unforeseen

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

Oh get you, curtilage...


I had to actually look that one up.

Sorry for highlighting a hole in your English abilities

techquest

Jodielocks wrote: »

Can anyone answer my question about a cable to a neighbouring house that runs across my property please?

We are in a row of 4 houses. A cable was installed from a BT box on the front of the end property, up the wall and across the front of the middle 2 houses to the house at the other end. (as an aside, the property is a student HMO and they have several services running into each of the bedrooms, but this BT line is my concern).
The cable has been laid along a ledge which runs the whole way along the houses (all private freehold) with no fixings. The wind has blown the cable down so it is now waist height across the front of the 2 middle properties.

I have had a nightmare trying to get in touch with Openreach, their phone just gives recorded messages about websites to visit and when ive tried that, im asked for my account number (which i dont have as not a BT customer).

Surely i should have been aked for permission for this cable to be run across my house? Im really tempted to cut it.... does anyone know where i stand with this?

Such issues are usually covered by a legal instrument called a wayleave,

This could have been okay'd by the developer when the property was built. It gives the right, open reach my guess, to cross the properties in question. If this was in place before you lived in the property then you have no recourse to the law. If after you moved in then you should have been consulted and they would have needed your permission, for which you get probably minuscule compensation. They do have to run the cable so as not to cause issues with the way it is run and your property.

So the first step is to see if a wayleave was granted. After that you have the right to complain if the cable is badly installed. Whatever you do don't cut it otherwise if there is a wayleave then your in trouble and would have to foot the bill for reinstillation, let alone the cost of loss of service to the other properties.