Openreach telegraph post inspection for tree removal

Dinamotreelover

We’ve contacted Openreach to come out for a site visit as our Ash tree needs to be felled owing to ash dieback. No longer safe. The telegraph pole behind the wall of our back garden is host to many lines (fibre and copper) of which there are 15 that cross below branches. Our tree surgeon has advised that wires will need to be dropped by Openreach. What’s difficult to stomach currently is the £1000 site visit to access the job. Apparently this is to cover the assessing of each wire and how to take it down. I’m expecting to be charged for the actual dropping of the wires etc but this £1000 cost prior to the job seems rather unreasonable. Thanks for reading 

Northern_Wanderer

Would this be something Openreach could assist with?

QrizB

Northern_Wanderer said:

Would this be something Openreach could assist with?

I think it's Openreach that's asking for the £1k, not the tree surgeon.

badmemory

Which came first the pole or the tree.  If the tree I would be saying your pole your problem.

mta999

Ask your tree surgeon how much extra he would need for him to do the job slowly thus avoiding the wires

Emmia

mta999 said:

Ask your tree surgeon how much extra he would need for him to do the job slowly thus avoiding the wires

Even if he goes slowly there's still the possibility of wires being damaged, and I expect that damage will incur a much heftier charge from openreach than £1k

Also I'd expect the tree surgeon to decline for safety reasons - getting the wires caught in the cutting equipment is likely to be very dangerous for them.

Dinamotreelover

It’s Openreach who want to charge the £1000 to access and quote the job. The tree surgeon won’t undertake the job without the wires being lowered on the day. The tree was there first but unfortunately Openreach don’t care - they are saying the tree is on our property therefore our problem. Given the health of the tree it has to come down so we’ll have to stomach the cost. I just think the upfront £1000 Openreach is asking to access the job is taking the michael. 

35har1old

Dinamotreelover said:

It’s Openreach who want to charge the £1000 to access and quote the job. The tree surgeon won’t undertake the job without the wires being lowered on the day. The tree was there first but unfortunately Openreach don’t care - they are saying the tree is on our property therefore our problem. Given the health of the tree it has to come down so we’ll have to stomach the cost. I just think the upfront £1000 Openreach is asking to access the job is taking the michael. 

Is there any way leaves for the lines?