BT Pole / Junction Box in front garden / Wayleave query

[Djks]

Hi we bought a house with a pole and junction box in the front (phone lines to neighbours), its a 13m wide front garden so doesn't get in the way or anything tbh and yes obviously we were aware it was there when we bought the house!

I checked with BT and there is no wayleave in place (something i didn't know anything about) and they have offered a one off payment of £650ish for the pole / junction box and cables

It's an unexpected bonus as I'd read a pole gets you ~ £150, but I can't find much online on the topic - is this a fixed amount? It does limit us if we were ever going to widen the driveway / remodel the front

Sorry if this isn't really the right forum and should be in general discussion

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I'd take the £650 and run. Openreach (BT) seem to have powers allowing them to place their apparatus, (poles etc) more or less where they want to I believe. Getting anything moved is a monumental task, notwithstanding the thousands of wires that would need to disconnected/reconnected.

I recall when a colleague struck (and snapped) an overhead BT cable on a site with an excavator, the bill for the damage was eye watering.

 

[^woody^]

Phone them and ask

 

[Ian H]

Did you check online?

There’s a BT box on our house that belongs to our neighbours. It passes over a window and when I asked BT to move it up a bit they said they wanted £500 off me

 

[Djks]

Thanks all. there doesn't seem to be anything online. I've replied back to the BT person who sent the email and just posed the question how the sum is calculated and if it was agreed nationally. Will post an update as it may be useful to someone else

 

[big-all]

are they asking for a £50 administration fee
then next week a £50 release fee
then the week after -----