DIY incident electric cable damage, please help

[Nigandjules]

Hi, please can you advise us and we are very worried.
Last night my husband knocked a fence post into the front path, and damaged the electricity cable to our neighbours home.
We called UK Power Networks, and ended up with 3 teams, and a mini digger digging up the path and fixing the damage, they were here 4 hours from 6-10 on a Friday night.
The cable was 600mm underground, we had no idea it was there.
We are not covered on our house insurance for DIY accidents, and think the bill will be huge (does anyone know what a likely estimate is please?).

We are currently trying to get in touch with the team to tell them not to come back and make good, as we are struggling financially as it is, I just wanted to check that this really is our liability, and that we will have to pay this bill.

Any advice you have will be gratefully received.
Thank you for your time.

Jules

 

[OwainDIYer]

is the damaged cable on your land or on the public highway?

 

[streetlighter]

Well judging by my experience with the DNOs it probably won't be less than £ 1000 for a cable strike depends on weather it's under Tarmac or grass verge and how many teams they sent out.

If the cable is installed at the correct depth with marker tape above there's not much you can do to avoid paying the bill.

I could be wrong but often deal with Scottish power energy networks on the highways when there cables have been hit by our operatives. Usually because they didn't look at the stats provided or use the CAT and Genny.

 

[westie101]

Sadly yes it is your liability, the cable was at or greater than the correct depth. It's location will be shown on a plan held by the DNO which is open for the public to access or receive a copy of upon request prior to any work commencing.
cable location equipment is also available to hire which should also be used prior to any work

 

[westie101]

If the cable is installed at the correct depth with marker tape above

For a service cable tape is only mandatory on any laid after 2002, prior to that it was not required

 

[streetlighter]

Ah didn't know that westie, we have had a few incidents over the years where groundworks contractors digging near a lamp column have severed the split con feeding it. Also had a incident once where an operative hit an HV cable with a spade he was very lucky that day not to be hurt.

 

[Nigandjules]

It was on our land, on our shingled verge at the side of our driveway, as it was a post that my husband put in the ground we did not see any tape, although I see from your replies that the tape will not change our liability.

Thank you for your help.


Jules

 

[Chri5]

The car did the damage claim to be settled via the car insurance !

 

[Nigandjules]

As it was the neighbours supply, if they are insured and are willing I wonder if could claim on their insurance?

 

[Chri5]

The car did the damage claim to be settled via the car insurance !

Echo

 

[Chri5]

It's not a DIY accident, it was a daft accident caused by dozy driving. Your car insurer we have to sort it, not the victims insurer.

Inform both the house insurer and you car insurer and see how they want to deal with it.

 

[Chri5]

It's not a DIY accident, it was a daft accident caused by dozy driving. Your car insurer we have to sort it, not the victims insurer.

Inform both the house insurer and you car insurer and see how they want to deal with it.

 

[cajar]

It's not a DIY accident, it was a daft accident caused by dozy driving. Your car insurer we have to sort it, not the victims insurer.

Inform both the house insurer and you car insurer and see how they want to deal with it.

The OP has nothing to do with driving or a car. Her husband installed a new fence post into the ground and struck a cable.

 

[bernardgreen]

Dis claimer This is not likely to be successful in your case.

In a few cases the placing of a service ( gas water electric etc ) under someone else's land gets documented in the deeds and it may stipulated who is responsible for repairs and maintainance of the service pipes or cables. Wayleaves and permissions for access and repair etc etc

If placing a fence post on private land is not possible due the presence of a service then the presence of that service may be deemed to be restricting the free use of the land by the owner of the land. This could lead to the person supplied ( or the supplier ) having to compensate the land owner for the restrictions on the use of the land.

But following this up could be more expensive in legal costs than the repair bill.

 

[WabbitPoo]

What does "knocked a fence post into the path" mean? He hammered it down into the path (was it pointed or in a metpost spike?) or he knocked it down with the car, and it fell on to the path?