David and Goliath

5stey

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Repeat of my earlier post




Help us to picture the problem and we might be able to offer some other suggestions. I can't see an obstruction - sorry

Ok, the box is over ametre wide and tall it is located on verge of my drive in the middle. So you have to drive into the neighbours then your own. if it was positioned maybe a metre to the left or on the side of the property we wouldn't be having this conversation. I hope thats clearer

darich

Geordie Joe
You obvisouly know more about this situation than i do.
But what do i know?
I only work for a council, that owns footways and i deal regularly with companies like BT, Gas, Power, Virgin. I also know about planning permission, council procedures and the way utility companies approach requests for the moving of their furniture.

Since you're so keen to argue every fact i put forward, perhaps you'd care to enlighten the board where your superior knowledge comes from?

To the OP - i've not once said it's a waste of time. I merely pointed out that since the box was there before your drive, then Virgin would be intitled to send you a bill for moving it. I didn't say they would - simply that they could.

Debt_Free_Chick

5stey wrote: »

Ok, the box is over ametre wide and tall it is located on verge of my drive in the middle.

Good grief!! I live out in the sticks, so we don't get any cable boxes or the like. Just other "utilities" that tend to be underground, so they wouldn't cause an obstruction .... or telephone poles.

The verge is part of the "Public Highway" not your drive - the verge is owned by the local authority, probably the County Council. So the box is on their land, not yours.

So you have to drive into the neighbours then your own. if it was positioned maybe a metre to the left or on the side of the property we wouldn't be having this conversation. I hope thats clearer

I can see your point, but from Virgin's point ..... the drive wasn't there when the box was put in. Virgin (Telewest, whoever) would have had approval from the local authority to site the box roughly where they intended. As the owner of the land, then the local authority would have had no objection, at the time, as the proposed site would not have caused any difficulty for you (as you didn't have a drive, then).

You've created an access point "after the event" so your only hope is to ask Virgin to re-site the box, for your convenience ..... and you should expect to pay for it. Sorry, but had the drive been there first, then it's pretty certain that this situation would had not arisen.

The fact that you suggested that it was located elsewhere, when first installed, is irrelevant. Telewest/Virgin had approval to site it in its current location based on the circumstances at the time i.e. when you did not have a drive. Now you have a drive, resiting for your convenience is just "one of those things".

You should probably also involve the local authority too, as it's on the public highway (not on your land).

If you decide to pursue this, remember that the verge is not your property. You are asking the landowner to do you a favour, by agreeing to site the box elsewhere. You are also asking Virgin to do you a favour .... so for heaven's sake, don't go in with all guns blazing citing "David & Goliath" and "rights" etc. You have no rights ... you want others to do something that will cost thousands, to suit you. So negotiate carefully and be prepared to pay the cost.

HTH

Debt_Free_Chick

geordie_joe wrote: »

Since they were the only company representative at the time and they were representing the company. Whether they have the authority to or not is another matter, but no objection was raised at the time of installation because a company representative said it could be moved at a later date.

Almost certainly, not a company representative, but a sub-contractor who was required to carry out precisely the instructions given by Virgin (or Telewest).

It's probably true that the box can be moved ..... but probably only at the OP's expense.

5stey

so for heaven's sake, don't go in with all guns blazing citing "David & Goliath" and "rights" etc. You have no rights ... you want others to do something that will cost thousands, to suit you. So negotiate carefully and be prepared to pay the cost.

HTH[/quote]
Firstly my letter to the forum was a plea for help or advice at no point have i mentioned any 'rights' which you have clearly pointed out i have none and the term David and Goliath refers to Goliath being a large corporation and me being a mere individual asking for help. I won't be firing any stones in the biblical manner but a bit of help wont go amiss. I will be contacting highway to see if they can help. keep you posted.
Why are people getting so aggro???:eek:

geordie_joe

darich wrote: »

Geordie Joe
You obvisouly know more about this situation than i do.
But what do i know?
I only work for a council, that owns footways and i deal regularly with companies like BT, Gas, Power, Virgin. I also know about planning permission, council procedures and the way utility companies approach requests for the moving of their furniture.

Since you're so keen to argue every fact i put forward, perhaps you'd care to enlighten the board where your superior knowledge comes from?

As I said in my last post, if you'd bothered to read it properly, I am simply saying there is nothing wrong with asking Virgin to move it. Whether they do move it or not, do it for free or charge for it is not my point. I simply disagree with people saying it is !!!!!! to think something can be moved.

Things get moved all the time, they sit for years and nobody notices them then one day they become "inconvenient" in that place so they are moved. Why call someone !!!!!! just because their circumstances have changed and they want something moved?

And why do down Virgin by saying they won't do it? The OP spoke to them, but only the goons that an the phones who are not allowed to make decisions. If the OP gets to speak to someone a bit higher up the chain they might get a different response.

I tried for nearly 3 years to get sky to do something and the goods on the phone kept saying "it's not in the leaflet so we can't do it." Eventually, after asking many times, one of them put me through to a supervisor who gave me the number of the right dept to speak to. When I got through to them they said "yes, we would be happy to do that."

mpython

Is there no other way of getting your daughter into your property such as via a wheelchair. Is there space in front of your property to the side of your drive to park your car instead of moving the box? Posting a picture would really help us understand the layout & problem.

Also, have you got a drop kerb to drive across or do you intend to use your neighbours drive?

5stey

mpython wrote: »

Is there no other way of getting your daughter into your property such as via a wheelchair. Is there space in front of your property to the side of your drive to park your car instead of moving the box? Posting a picture would really help us understand the layout & problem.
Also, have you got a drop kerb to drive across or do you intend to use your neighbours drive?

she does use a wheel chair but when she comes out of the van it's on a main road which is quite busy.

No drop kerb. we rely on the neighbours.

Zazen999

Hi
Wow - I agree; why are people getting so aggrieved? Corporate profits versus helping each other out - to be honest even without the awful situation of your daughter; who would want that right outside their house anyway. And I would say as a human; yes you do have some rights; the right to make life bearable for your family looking after your daughter being one. Being that you didn't rail against it at the time, it isn't for your convenience, but it is a polite request to resite their equipment now that circumstances have changed.

Hopefully, that Virgin person that has IM-ed you will be able to assist; they seem to have a grasp of the situation and would not have left their details unless they were in a position to do so.

However, if that fails; then you need to arrange a meeting with someone from Virgin to resolve this situation; Virgin won't want either their equipment damaged by you trying to keep driving around this obstruction, or bad publicity if your child is dropped accidentally. Just keep the emotions out of the letters [and always write objectively, unemotionally, and keep copies], so that you can prove that your requests have gone unheard. Don't ask them for priority treatment, just an adjustment for their equipment, just as you have had to adjust your life and build a driveway after your daughters' illness. If you do this in an 'it makes sense business-wise' capacity; then you are more likely to get an amicable agreement.

Don't make threats at all; just ask them continually how the situation can be resolved, and what you need to happen to ensure safety for your daughter.

Good Luck

darich

geordie_joe wrote: »

As I said in my last post, if you'd bothered to read it properly, I am simply saying there is nothing wrong with asking Virgin to move it. Whether they do move it or not, do it for free or charge for it is not my point. I simply disagree with people saying it is !!!!!! to think something can be moved.

Things get moved all the time, they sit for years and nobody notices them then one day they become "inconvenient" in that place so they are moved. Why call someone !!!!!! just because their circumstances have changed and they want something moved?

And why do down Virgin by saying they won't do it? The OP spoke to them, but only the goons that an the phones who are not allowed to make decisions. If the OP gets to speak to someone a bit higher up the chain they might get a different response.

I tried for nearly 3 years to get sky to do something and the goods on the phone kept saying "it's not in the leaflet so we can't do it." Eventually, after asking many times, one of them put me through to a supervisor who gave me the number of the right dept to speak to. When I got through to them they said "yes, we would be happy to do that."

i didn't say there was anything wrong with asking Virgin - i simply pointed out that since the drive was built AFTER the box was installed then Virgin would be quite entitled to send the OP a bill for the works.
When i stated that the labourer was unlikely to be making a corporate decision for a global company you said "they were the only company representative at the time and they were representing the company"
Isn't that what the person in the call centre at Sky was doing with you?
You solved your problem by talking to a supervisor and things started moving.
Why not advise the OP to speak to someone in another dept or their manager rather than change your opinion to attack other posters?


And if you read back carefully - at no time did i ever refer to anyone, and especially not the OP as "!!!!!!" - that was someone else's post.