Telecomms cabling running under our garden, not our service

[lizy]

Hi Guys,

After some advice please. Sorry for the long thread x and sorry if it’s landed in the wrong place xx

Our current house we have just discovered has some telecoms cabling running under our front garden where we are carrying out some work (had to stop it as didn’t want to damage it). This cabling is for the neighbouring property, but runs right across our garden. there are no references or details of any wayleaves with land registry.

Telecoms came out and had a look, and asked did u want it removed (they said they will do as I assume it shouldn’t have been layed that way initially, it was an easy option they took at the time, not involving taking up any paving. The engineer had seen it a couple of times previously. Allegedly the previous owners were ok with it. Nothing documenting that.

Engineer was v nice and effectively gave two options, potentially to dig up our garden and dig it deeper down and incase it(not sure how deep it could be, but part of it was only a couple of inches), or re route so not crossing the whole garden or our property but to run it along neighbours land.
(This would involve taking up some block paving they have, which they don’t want to do, though the service is for them…, won’t cost them any money as the comms company will do it.)

Local advice we have been given was to get it removed from our land (we therefore can carry out our laying we plan to do). Should there be any issues down the line with the neighbours service, our garden/laid sandstone would need to be dug up for it to be sorted, after spending money trying to get our garden right.
The cabling there isn’t for our property, it’s not our service, they have no right to run it across our lawn, it should run along their boundaries as it’s theirs, it’s stopping us doing work on our land, If we allow it to stay we could create more issues for ourselves down the line and run the risk of it getting dug up again if there’s an issue at any point with the cabling. Don’t like the idea of this after investing in getting our garden how we want it, to then potentially have to have it all dug up over something that isn’t ours at all.

I asked what happens if we decide to get it removed?(overwhelmingly that’s what we are advised by family friends), and neighbours don’t want it re routed taking up their paving, which surprises me as it’s all for their benefit, they want it but seem unwilling to have any of their property disturbed, but yet want our garden dug out and it buried deep)
Engineer said it’s most likely they would lose their service (if they want it then it will need to be re routed through their land as they have offered to do taking up some bricks, they will make best that it as it was before the work) ultimately depends if they want it or not and look for another supplier.
To add they are moving soon as well..

just after some thoughts around this

thanks

lauren

[ostell]

They would use a mole to install a new cable and not need to dig up the garden

[jaguarsuk]

I'd say if you want it moving the neighbours either have their paving up or they lose their service. You have been perfectly reasonable agreeing to have your garden dug up to sink it deeper.

I would be telling the engineer I don't want it on my land if that is what you want and that if the neighbours don't want to go with the solution offered that he cut the cable at the boundary of yours and their properties, then remove it from yours.

The neighbours can then work out a solution that suits them with the telecoms company, as it's nothing to do with you.

I'd obviously tell the neighbours that's the options first and then the ball's in their court then.

If they do then go for the dig, ask the engineer might it be a good idea to lay it inside piping to ensure if it ever needs replacing that they can simply pull through piping and save ever having to dig up again?

[ostell]

As ii said they would probably use a mole to tunnel under the paving pulling the cable to get to the house. That's probably how it was done originally, which is why yo did not know it was under your lawn

[ostell]

https://moleutilities.co.uk/what-we-...0in%20diameter.