Electricity line crossing land...needs moving...advice pls!
Discussion
I have a plot of land that I have just got planning permission on, and I want to crack on with my build. However, there's a power line feeding another house...the line is on wooden poles going straight over where I want to build.
The power company have said the poles are old and need replacing for safety reasons. They also don't have a wayleave agreement with me, as it was done with the previous landowner. They came back with an initial quote to move the poles to more convenient locations on my land, however it seems very steep. I've queried this and they've reduced it by a small amount (£300, only around 10% of the total works cost).
I need to get on with my build and this is a bit of a pain. What are my rights here? Seems odd that their equipment is sterilising my site development, is old and by their admission needs replacing, and they don't have a wayleave agreement with me, yet expect me to pay for this to be put right?
I don't mind paying for connection, however I would not expect to pay for the poles to be moved. If I serve notice on them to move their poles off my land is that likely to focus the mind a bit?
Thanks
The power company have said the poles are old and need replacing for safety reasons. They also don't have a wayleave agreement with me, as it was done with the previous landowner. They came back with an initial quote to move the poles to more convenient locations on my land, however it seems very steep. I've queried this and they've reduced it by a small amount (£300, only around 10% of the total works cost).
I need to get on with my build and this is a bit of a pain. What are my rights here? Seems odd that their equipment is sterilising my site development, is old and by their admission needs replacing, and they don't have a wayleave agreement with me, yet expect me to pay for this to be put right?
I don't mind paying for connection, however I would not expect to pay for the poles to be moved. If I serve notice on them to move their poles off my land is that likely to focus the mind a bit?
Thanks
king pain.Hard-Drive said:
I have a plot of land that I have just got planning permission on, and I want to crack on with my build. However, there's a power line feeding another house...the line is on wooden poles going straight over where I want to build.
I don't mind paying for connection, however I would not expect to pay for the poles to be moved. If I serve notice on them to move their poles off my land is that likely to focus the mind a bit?
No. Its not. I don't mind paying for connection, however I would not expect to pay for the poles to be moved. If I serve notice on them to move their poles off my land is that likely to focus the mind a bit?
Utility companies have a legal right of access, so they could easily come onto your land and change the poles come what may, paying you negligible compensation for doing so. They also have a right to have their poles there, so playing big balls will only get you laughed at.
If they've quoted £3k to move the poles I would bite their hand off, seems cheap to me. Surely you saw the poles when you took our planning and budgeted for moving them?
Edited by Condi on Tuesday 26th May 19:47
As others have said wayleaves are in perpetuity and pass from owner to owner. Ours dates back to 1929.
Rather than getting hot under the collar you need to get a copy of the wayleave agreement and see what rights you have, if any.
Better to negotiate from a position of informed knowledge?
I would also be in a hurry to accept the quoted offer of £3k it sounds like a steal.
Rather than getting hot under the collar you need to get a copy of the wayleave agreement and see what rights you have, if any.
Better to negotiate from a position of informed knowledge?
I would also be in a hurry to accept the quoted offer of £3k it sounds like a steal.
Ownership of the land is irrelevant, there is a wayleave in place. Furthermore, even if there wasn't - they would still have a right to maintain the supply to your neighbour.
Buggering around for the sake of £3k is daft - it will likely cost you more than that in delays to your build.
Just accept the quote, get it booked in ASAP and then start a new thread regarding your build! We like 'build' threads
Good luck!
Buggering around for the sake of £3k is daft - it will likely cost you more than that in delays to your build.
Just accept the quote, get it booked in ASAP and then start a new thread regarding your build! We like 'build' threads
Good luck!
normalbloke said:
I'd bite their hand of for the £3k as previously mentioned before they change their mind!. If you think putting it into the ground will be cheaper, I'd imagine you can add a zero to the pole price!
I think we all know the OP won't have the poles moved for 3k.It's going to be horrendous either way, but as it's going to be a building site it may work out cheaper to do the trench himself.
£3k. Is a good price.
If you were a developer you could double that.
Way leave is a type of easement so it runs with the land.
Think yourself lucky there isn't a pole mounted transformer, last one cost me £50k to relocate.
Also if you can, get the cables put underground, much better than overheads
If you were a developer you could double that.
Way leave is a type of easement so it runs with the land.
Think yourself lucky there isn't a pole mounted transformer, last one cost me £50k to relocate.
Also if you can, get the cables put underground, much better than overheads
I have just had a bill of £10k from a certain city council to approve 2sq metres of tactile paving. That's on top of the £100k s278.
This development lark is expensive and part of the reason why new house prices are high. Over the last 20 years I reckon the bureaucracy costs in a 15 unit edit development have increased from a few hundred £'s to nearly £100k. Ie from s fraction of s percent of cost to 10 percent of cost and that's before S106 contributions.
This development lark is expensive and part of the reason why new house prices are high. Over the last 20 years I reckon the bureaucracy costs in a 15 unit edit development have increased from a few hundred £'s to nearly £100k. Ie from s fraction of s percent of cost to 10 percent of cost and that's before S106 contributions.
I used to work in the industry pricing just this sort of work, albeit 10 years ago. As above £3k does seem reasonable for the work suggested I'd say they have taken into account the age of the poles and that they need replacing.
As already mentioned check your wayleave agreement, ie the wayleave agreement for the land that the previous owner signed, for errors or anything that may help you negotiate a little further discount
As already mentioned check your wayleave agreement, ie the wayleave agreement for the land that the previous owner signed, for errors or anything that may help you negotiate a little further discount
If the overhead line and poles were only feeding your property it is known as grantors own and nothing is paid for it ,no wayleave is needed
If the line and poles feed somebody else across your land you are entitled to a wayleave payment .
If you want the line removed BUT also want a new supply as well, you should ONLY have to pay for the new supply NOT for removing or undergrounding the line .
BUT if when the line was originally built an Easement or deed of grant was paid to the original owner of the land you could be stuck, as the right to have the line / poles on the land was bought outright by the dno at the time
more reading for you
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GIb6Z_raljsC&a...
If the line and poles feed somebody else across your land you are entitled to a wayleave payment .
If you want the line removed BUT also want a new supply as well, you should ONLY have to pay for the new supply NOT for removing or undergrounding the line .
BUT if when the line was originally built an Easement or deed of grant was paid to the original owner of the land you could be stuck, as the right to have the line / poles on the land was bought outright by the dno at the time
more reading for you
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GIb6Z_raljsC&a...
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