Telegraph pole advice
Discussion
I have just found that a telegraph pole has been sited on our land without permission.
We gave Openreach permission to access a pole that was sited on our neighbours land from our land because it was easier for them to reach. They could have done it from the neighbours side - but it would have made the job more difficult/complicated.
Instead of removing the old pole and replacing it - they have simply cut the old one down leaving a stump - and have placed the new one on our side of the boundary (not to mention the mess they have left in doing so - cutting plants down and making no attempt to make good - they have also left our land open to the neighbours property as the established plants they cut were acting as a barrier/screen).
I have tried contacting openreach about this - but the only contact number they have leads to dead ends telling me "you are not our customer - contact your service provider". This pole doesn't service my property though - it only services neighbouring properties - so I don't have a "service provider".
I understand that if openreach want to site a pole on your land they should obtain a wayleave first. I did get through to the wayleaves department - but they washed their hands of it saying they only deal with wayleaves that have been agreed - not with "illegal installations" put up without a wayleave.
I don't know where to turn. We are currently developing that area of the land - and having this pole sited there with the resulting access we would need to leave for future maintenance will alter the plans we had for it.
I was trying to be easy going and neighbourly by allowing them access - but I feel like openreach have completely taken advantage of my good will.
We gave Openreach permission to access a pole that was sited on our neighbours land from our land because it was easier for them to reach. They could have done it from the neighbours side - but it would have made the job more difficult/complicated.
Instead of removing the old pole and replacing it - they have simply cut the old one down leaving a stump - and have placed the new one on our side of the boundary (not to mention the mess they have left in doing so - cutting plants down and making no attempt to make good - they have also left our land open to the neighbours property as the established plants they cut were acting as a barrier/screen).
I have tried contacting openreach about this - but the only contact number they have leads to dead ends telling me "you are not our customer - contact your service provider". This pole doesn't service my property though - it only services neighbouring properties - so I don't have a "service provider".
I understand that if openreach want to site a pole on your land they should obtain a wayleave first. I did get through to the wayleaves department - but they washed their hands of it saying they only deal with wayleaves that have been agreed - not with "illegal installations" put up without a wayleave.
I don't know where to turn. We are currently developing that area of the land - and having this pole sited there with the resulting access we would need to leave for future maintenance will alter the plans we had for it.
I was trying to be easy going and neighbourly by allowing them access - but I feel like openreach have completely taken advantage of my good will.
The pole will have been erected by a contractor (Carillion-telent) and they should have sought your permission if the pole has been moved to your land.
Give C-t a call (try their office in Basildon first) and they will probably sort it out.
BT have a lot of freedom from HMG to plonk poles all over the place but they will usually be agreeable if they've put one in the worng place.
Give C-t a call (try their office in Basildon first) and they will probably sort it out.
BT have a lot of freedom from HMG to plonk poles all over the place but they will usually be agreeable if they've put one in the worng place.
55palfers said:
The pole will have been erected by a contractor (Carillion-telent) and they should have sought your permission if the pole has been moved to your land.
Thanks - I have given them a call and left a message.I really don't want to go down the legal route if possible - it may be a simple mistake that can be easily rectified (we all make them).
55palfers said:
The pole will have been erected by a contractor (Carillion-telent) and they should have sought your permission if the pole has been moved to your land.
Give C-t a call (try their office in Basildon first) and they will probably sort it out.
BT have a lot of freedom from HMG to plonk poles all over the place but they will usually be agreeable if they've put one in the worng place.
Agreed, but if no one takes responsibility, it may need a letter to wake them upGive C-t a call (try their office in Basildon first) and they will probably sort it out.
BT have a lot of freedom from HMG to plonk poles all over the place but they will usually be agreeable if they've put one in the worng place.
I had Openreach remove some cables to my neighbour's property which crossed my land recently. I think they were installed recently but to be honest I can't be absolutely certain they hadn't been there since I bought the house 5 years ago, but they still removed them and replaced them with cable from a different telegraph pole down the street.
http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/contactus/alt... and http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/contactus/way... are the two useful links but don't expect them to respond particularly quickly.
I did receive this in response to an e-mail: External Network Re-location Team is 0800 0232023 option 3 and then option 2 (from memory the option numbers weren't necessarily correct).
http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/contactus/alt... and http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/contactus/way... are the two useful links but don't expect them to respond particularly quickly.
I did receive this in response to an e-mail: External Network Re-location Team is 0800 0232023 option 3 and then option 2 (from memory the option numbers weren't necessarily correct).
Quick update - and surprise surprise - I am being bounced from pillar to post.
Contacted the Wayleave department as the pole was erected without one - and was told they only deal with Wayleaves already in place and I need to submit an online complaint.
I dutifully complied - and the automatic reply that came back states:
"...as you are not our direct customer we can’t respond to your enquiry."
"The Openreach complaints team can’t get back to you on this unless we are asked directly by your service provider"
But since the pole doesn't service my property - I have no service provider to contact.
Thought I would change tack - and submitted on online form to have the pole moved. Was prompty contacted by that department who said that if they do that - it'll be chargeable to me - even if the pole was put in without my permission.
I have now bee given a snail mail address to write to and was told the "pole objections" department don't have a telephone number (this is a company involved in telecommunications)
Who will give me odds on my letter getting mysteriously lost in the post.......
Contacted the Wayleave department as the pole was erected without one - and was told they only deal with Wayleaves already in place and I need to submit an online complaint.
I dutifully complied - and the automatic reply that came back states:
"...as you are not our direct customer we can’t respond to your enquiry."
"The Openreach complaints team can’t get back to you on this unless we are asked directly by your service provider"
But since the pole doesn't service my property - I have no service provider to contact.
Thought I would change tack - and submitted on online form to have the pole moved. Was prompty contacted by that department who said that if they do that - it'll be chargeable to me - even if the pole was put in without my permission.
I have now bee given a snail mail address to write to and was told the "pole objections" department don't have a telephone number (this is a company involved in telecommunications)
Who will give me odds on my letter getting mysteriously lost in the post.......
Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 8th September 16:02
Jasandjules said:
Write to the CEO of BT (e-mail addresses can be found on-line for these people). Give them seven days to remove the pole.
And if they don't sort it, get it done yourself and send them the bill. w
kers.Tbh, mistakes do happen, but it's the complete lack of contact-ability as an attempt to dodge their responsibilities that annoys me. And it's not even on my land.
You've tried to be calm and sensible about it and they want nothing to do with you. The next step is hire a chainsaw for the day. Use pole as firewood.
When someone ask about their pole simply state it was never on your property. You're neighbour must have cut it down from his garden and he even has the stump to prove it!
When someone ask about their pole simply state it was never on your property. You're neighbour must have cut it down from his garden and he even has the stump to prove it!
We have recently had the misfortune to have dealt with a similar tale.
This one was installed on the corner of where we were going to be building a row of terraces. It accidentally fell down into out land when hit by a mysterious 360 excavator. We are just disputing the charge for damage to their property. It was basically:-
pay to have it removed and wait:-
8 weeks for a quote
2 weeks to clear payment and get it assigned to an engineer, and then another
8 weeks for the work to get done.
In the big picture of things, getting a plot built and sold vs a small fine it made total sense just to knock it down.
The local high horse engineers face when he said what happened and an Irish ground worker said we fking knocked it down – what are you going to do?
This one was installed on the corner of where we were going to be building a row of terraces. It accidentally fell down into out land when hit by a mysterious 360 excavator. We are just disputing the charge for damage to their property. It was basically:-
pay to have it removed and wait:-
8 weeks for a quote
2 weeks to clear payment and get it assigned to an engineer, and then another
8 weeks for the work to get done.
In the big picture of things, getting a plot built and sold vs a small fine it made total sense just to knock it down.
The local high horse engineers face when he said what happened and an Irish ground worker said we f
king knocked it down – what are you going to do?Moonhawk said:
Thought I would change tack - and submitted on online form to have the pole moved. Was prompty contacted by that department who said that if they do that - it'll be chargeable to me - even if the pole was put in without my permission.
I received that as well - try the number I posted above. They may not be able to help but there are real people who will be able to put you in contact with the right department. Your situation is identical to mine (other than mine being residential); I'm not a BT customer.Moonhawk said:
Quick update - and surprise surprise - I am being bounced from pillar to post.
Contacted the Wayleave department as the pole was erected without one - and was told they only deal with Wayleaves already in place and I need to submit an online complaint.
I dutifully complied - and the automatic reply that came back states:
"...as you are not our direct customer we can’t respond to your enquiry."
"The Openreach complaints team can’t get back to you on this unless we are asked directly by your service provider"
But since the pole doesn't service my property - I have no service provider to contact.
Thought I would change tack - and submitted on online form to have the pole moved. Was prompty contacted by that department who said that if they do that - it'll be chargeable to me - even if the pole was put in without my permission.
I have now bee given a snail mail address to write to and was told the "pole objections" department don't have a telephone number (this is a company involved in telecommunications)
Who will give me odds on my letter getting mysteriously lost in the post.......
Which is exactly why I said you need a solicitor to write.Contacted the Wayleave department as the pole was erected without one - and was told they only deal with Wayleaves already in place and I need to submit an online complaint.
I dutifully complied - and the automatic reply that came back states:
"...as you are not our direct customer we can’t respond to your enquiry."
"The Openreach complaints team can’t get back to you on this unless we are asked directly by your service provider"
But since the pole doesn't service my property - I have no service provider to contact.
Thought I would change tack - and submitted on online form to have the pole moved. Was prompty contacted by that department who said that if they do that - it'll be chargeable to me - even if the pole was put in without my permission.
I have now bee given a snail mail address to write to and was told the "pole objections" department don't have a telephone number (this is a company involved in telecommunications)
Who will give me odds on my letter getting mysteriously lost in the post.......
Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 8th September 16:02
We deal with BT all the time, this behaviour is typical.......
Jobbo said:
I did receive this in response to an e-mail: External Network Re-location Team is 0800 0232023 option 3 and then option 2 (from memory the option numbers weren't necessarily correct).
That's the department I contacted who told me that I would be charged and who gave me the postal address for "pole objections".Jobbo said:
Your situation is identical to mine (other than mine being residential)
My situation is residential - the land they have put the pole on is attached to my house and forms part of the garden.Sorry should have been clear about that. We refer to it as "the land" because we bought it by separate negotiation when we bought the house (plus it sounds good and I get to say "gerroff myyyyy laaaaand"
)Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 8th September 17:12
Moonhawk said:
Jobbo said:
I did receive this in response to an e-mail: External Network Re-location Team is 0800 0232023 option 3 and then option 2 (from memory the option numbers weren't necessarily correct).
That's the department I contacted who told me that I would be charged and who gave me the postal address for "pole objections".I've got a couple of direct e-mail addresses if you want to PM me; I don't want to publish them on here.
Jobbo said:
That's not very helpful of them! I got a response from the wayleaves.insitu@openreach.co.uk in the end as well, so definitely try that.
I've got a couple of direct e-mail addresses if you want to PM me; I don't want to publish them on here.
I have already spoken to that department by phone - and was fobbed off. I think they were the first department where I actually got to speak to a person.I've got a couple of direct e-mail addresses if you want to PM me; I don't want to publish them on here.
Most of the options on the automated line 08000 232023 lead to dead ends whereby it just says something like "check the notice on the pole" - then hangs up. Must have tried 4 or 5 options before I even got to speak to a person.
So frustrating as you can't even skip all the spiel at the beginning - you have to sit through it all each time you get to a dead end and have to dial over......
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