Electric Cable running across Garden

[Paula]

Hello
Looking for a bit of advice.
I live in a flat and the upstairs neighbours had an unarmoured electric cable running from their house down the property wall and across my pathway. I asked them to look at it as live and unarmoured and they got someone in who has put armoured cabling in directly from their flat to their shed. The new cable now runs through the air across my garden and is a complete eye sore. Would the electrician fitting it have assumed they had saught my consent before installing this new cable and can iI ask them to remove it?

 

[elsparko]

hire a digger for an hour and drag it off the wall by force

 

[Adam W]

I can see their point - they've bought a property believing there was mains electricity in the shed, and you've bought a property knowing there was a cable crossing your land to power their shed.
They've already had the cable replaced at your request and to your specification, but now you want them to replace it again, but have it installed differently.

You could either come to an amicable solution, most likely involving you meeting them halfway with the cost, or it would be a matter for solicitors, however bare in mind it could come about that they have an implied right to keep their cable where it was.

 

[Squid]

Out of interest how does the cable enter their flat?

Oh and I'd hate to have that eyesore hanging over my garden, the joys of joint freeholders as you need permission form the other freeholders plus you all still have a lease, been through this when redeveloping and selling my flat recently.

You could try invoicing you neighbours PCM for rent.

 

[elsparko]

hire a digger for an hour and drag it off the wall by force

I can see their point - they've bought a property believing there was mains electricity in the shed, and you've bought a property knowing there was a cable crossing your land to power their shed.
They've already had the cable replaced at your request and to your specification, but now you want them to replace it again, but have it installed differently.

You could either come to an amicable solution, most likely involving you meeting them halfway with the cost, or it would be a matter for solicitors, however bare in mind it could come about that they have an implied right to keep their cable where it was.

there is no grey area, airspace is sovereign

 

[Midwest]

hire a digger for an hour and drag it off the wall by force

there is no grey area, airspace is sovereign

Your just being stupid now.
https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?img...ovbAhXLCMAKHZCgCAAQMwg7KAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8

 

[elsparko]

Your just being stupid now.
View attachment 42285

youre*




to me there is no grey area here, i would find a way to rip that cable down by tomorrow but thats just me

 

[Midwest]

youre*




to me there is no grey area here, i would find a way to rip that cable down by tomorrow but thats just me

You're, if you're being picky.

 

[elsparko]

You're, if you're being picky.

the ' is less important than the e at the end, big difference in your/youre than youre/you're

 

[Squid]

Jeeeez now its English lessons by a Scotsman, whatever next ;o))))

 

[Darkwood]

Let us not take the thread off course with a spelling debate please and can we tone down the language, I know the software picks up the expletives but seriously is it too difficult to make a post without reverting to using it, we are not on a building site and can we remind you you're posting in a public forum so it does reflect on the forum as a whole.
Cheers.

 

[Pete999]

Oh they are the best arent they? Neighbour issues :-S
Thanks, this info is really helpful
The previous cable had been there for 7 years (unknown how long beyond that) but less noticeable as grey and ran along the wall for the main part. The new cable is thick, black and runs from their flat to their shed directly across my garden and air space.
I explained to them I am happy for them to run along and down my walls and under my path (to meet them halfway) and the wayleave would be good in this instance for future, but they already spent £280 on this shoddy job so are reluctant to spend more.

He was well and truely been Cowboyed then.

 

[pirate]

For the record, and sorry it's off-topic but there were NO chineapple punks in my paella!

Airspace is sovereign? Well, actually not quite as our government hijacked it for the purposes of selling off the rights to TV and radio and mobile telephone companies, allowing them to send their signals through that airspace, and to be fair, we all benefit from that in the end. How that money is spent is another debate...
There are complex legal issues here...get a lawyer in.

 

[buzzlightyear]

the question is ,she is in the ground floor flat ,how the hell did they get the swa cable to the shed .a magic carpet .
she must have been their to watch it go in .

 

[Octopus]

I would like to hear the "other side" of this tale

 

[Pete999]

For the record, and sorry it's off-topic but there were NO chineapple punks in my paella!

Airspace is sovereign? Well, actually not quite as our government hijacked it for the purposes of selling off the rights to TV and radio and mobile telephone companies, allowing them to send their signals through that airspace, and to be fair, we all benefit from that in the end. How that money is spent is another debate...
There are complex legal issues here...get a lawyer in.

Well pirate, for the benefit of Forum members, that a new one, "get a Lawyer in" it's usually get an Electrician in, a good post and a good idea.

 

[Squid]

The problem being is the cable was already there and it would be interesting to know for how long, it was replaced in the same position with a better safer cable, the trouble is the person who installed it did not adhere to the regulations in place and advise the customer that it should be run as per regs, the way it should have been done is that at the shed end they should have cemented in a scaffold pole and as Pete mentioned ran a catenery wire to the house to attach the cable to (I wonder if my stuff is still installed at Kew and Richmond stations hmmmmm)

 

[Midwest]

Flipping heck, I wonder who else is going to say that, you cheeky monkey

 

[pirate]

Been dying to say that for ages, Pete!

 

[johnduffell]

This problem is nothing to do with electrical regs, that just dilutes things. Simple fact is it's your land, they have no right to use it.
Having said that if you want to find a middle ground to avoid devaluing your house for the future I'd push for a minimum 3.5m tall permanent post on their property to keep the cable out of harm's way. And a legal agreement giving them a licence to have it there, just to be sure they don't get the right to have it there.

 

[Squid]

This problem is nothing to do with electrical regs, that just dilutes things. Simple fact is it's your land, they have no right to use it.
Having said that if you want to find a middle ground to avoid devaluing your house for the future I'd push for a minimum 3.5m tall permanent post on their property to keep the cable out of harm's way. And a legal agreement giving them a licence to have it there, just to be sure they don't get the right to have it there.

Isn't it dependant on how long its been there?

The house I live in the previous owners waaaaaay back built a wall on their own land, my garden is now 6" wider 12 year rule and I had great pleasure in reminding one of the previous neighbours that it was his wall and not mine as who the hell wants to maintain an 80 foot brick wall that looks like it may fall down in the next 10 years.

 

[johnduffell]

Isn't it dependant on how long its been there

I guess a lawyer could answer, but i think that applies to boundary features because they exclude the rightful owner.
I'm pretty sure people can get lots of money from the electric dnos where wires cross their land without permission but are not service their property. And can get them moved.
However I'll let a lawyer answer!!

 

[brianmoooore]

I'd push for a minimum 3.5m tall permanent post on their property to keep the cable out of harm's way.

The requirement is for the MINIMUM height of the cable to be 3.5m, and for most spans, this will require the fixings to be higher than this - a cable will sag considerably in the middle of the span.
In my opinion, this should be the OP's opening gambit to address the problem. Having established that more work has to be done, they could then push for an alternative route to be considered.
Any chance that the original cable was in position before the property was split into flats?

 

[Octopus]

Think you need to back that up with a reg number ....

 

[Spoon]

Think you need to back that up with a reg number ....

Which part mate? There is the reg I quoted in post #10 about the min distance of 3.5 meters. Or am I misreading your post....

 

[Octopus]

708.521.1.2 Overhead distribution circuits
All overhead conductors shall be insulated.
Poles and other supports for overhead wiring shall be located or protected so that they are unlikely to be damaged
by any foreseeable vehicle movement.
Overhead conductors shall be at a height above ground of not less than 6 m in all areas subject to vehicle movement
and 3.5 m in all other areas.

Hum .............. Section 708

"Electrical Installations in Caravan / Camping Parks and Similar Locations"

So not applicable to back gardens IMHO

 

[Spoon]

Hum .............. Section 708

"Electrical Installations in Caravan / Camping Parks and Similar Locations"

So not applicable to back gardens IMHO

IMHO I would say the principle applies to gardens, as there doesn't seem to be a specific reg for gardens and other locations.

 

[Octopus]

IMHO I would say the principle applies to gardens, as there doesn't seem to be a specific reg for gardens and other locations.

I would disagree .............

3.5 meters is about 11' 6 " - so if you have a bungalow and a detached garage about 1 meter apart a 3.5 meter pole arrangement would look rather odd to say the least

Its a bit like the depth to bury swa cable ..................... all very open ended.

Very unsatisfactory

BS 7671 should, at the very least, offer suggestions

In respect to this thread, the height is irrelevant ......... a way-leave is required IMHO

 

[Spoon]

3.5 meters is about 11' 6 " - so if you have a bungalow and a detached garage about 1 meter apart a 3.5 meter pole arrangement would look rather odd to say the least

In this circumstance you would hope that the electrician would recommend burying the cable, unless the customer insists on having an ugly pole and cable going overhead.

 

[Octopus]

In this circumstance you would hope that the electrician would recommend burying the cable, unless the customer insists on having an ugly pole and cable going overhead.

In this case I would say burying it at a minimum of 600 mm is the only way forward.....

 

[elsparko]

In this case I would say burying it at a minimum of 600 mm is the only way forward.....

burn your neighbours shed down, problem solved.

Disclaimer: not legal advice