BT overhead drop line

[archess200]

I am looking to buy a house with and to erect a 2 storey extension. Just where the extension has to go is an overhead telephone line. It runs from a pole in the pavement to the house behind and hangs about 4.5m above this site. I asked BT if they could move it and how much, and a month later on checking progress found that they had cancelled the job as I was not the owner of the site.
I don't want to buy the site unless I can put up the extension, and I don't want to land up with a huge bill for moving this line.
Where it is, it totally obstructs getting full use of this small plot, and I suspect BT will not do anything without loads of cash.
It would mean another month's delay if the present owners have to go down the same route and get BT to survey and quote.
Any help about how to get this moved or any other advice?

 

[Dibsh]

I am looking to buy a house with and to erect a 2 storey extension. Just where the extension has to go is an overhead telephone line. It runs from a pole in the pavement to the house behind and hangs about 4.5m above this site. I asked BT if they could move it and how much, and a month later on checking progress found that they had cancelled the job as I was not the owner of the site.
I don't want to buy the site unless I can put up the extension, and I don't want to land up with a huge bill for moving this line.
Where it is, it totally obstructs getting full use of this small plot, and I suspect BT will not do anything without loads of cash.
It would mean another month's delay if the present owners have to go down the same route and get BT to survey and quote.
Any help about how to get this moved or any other advice?

I wouldn't have thought BT could prevent a 2 storey extension nor could they ask you to pay for the re-routing of someone else's line. Not unless they have a legal agreement with the current houseowner to run a line over his land. Why don;t you ask the current owners whether they have such an agreement. If the line was there when they purchased - any agreement should have surfaced when they had their searches done.

 

[SteNova]

10. (1) Subject to paragraph 3 above and the following provisions of this code, where any electronic communications apparatus is kept installed on or over any land for the purposes of the operator’s network, the operator shall, for the statutory purposes, have the right to install and keep installed lines which—

(a) pass over other land adjacent to or in the vicinity of the land on or over which that apparatus is so kept;

(b) are connected to that apparatus; and

(c) are not at any point in the course of passing over the other land less than 3 metres above the ground or within 2 metres of any building over which they pass.




(2) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1) above shall authorise the installation or keeping on or over any land of—

(a) any electronic communications apparatus used to support, carry or suspend a line installed in pursuance of that sub-paragraph; or

(b) any line which by reason of its position interferes with the carrying on of any business carried on on that land.

 

[disinfo]

Step One

Step Two

 

[Dibsh]

10. (1) Subject to paragraph 3 above and the following provisions of this code, where any electronic communications apparatus is kept installed on or over any land for the purposes of the operator’s network, the operator shall, for the statutory purposes, have the right to install and keep installed lines which—

(a) pass over other land adjacent to or in the vicinity of the land on or over which that apparatus is so kept;

(b) are connected to that apparatus; and

(c) are not at any point in the course of passing over the other land less than 3 metres above the ground or within 2 metres of any building over which they pass.




(2) Nothing in sub-paragraph (1) above shall authorise the installation or keeping on or over any land of—

(a) any electronic communications apparatus used to support, carry or suspend a line installed in pursuance of that sub-paragraph; or

(b) any line which by reason of its position interferes with the carrying on of any business carried on on that land.

If the house was next to an exchange then fair point. But I can't see how a couple of wires going to someone's house over "your" land, could even remotely be classed as apparatus.

Also - purchasing and owning any land and enjoying any benefits - I don't believe will be overridden to allow BT or anyone else to run lines over it and deny such a benefit\enjoyment - i.e. development.