Permission from neighbours to bury cable

[twills805]

Hello folks, long time reader first time poster.

I'm looking to get power to my detached garage, which is part of a shared garage block. It's about 60m from my back gate, across dense woodland as the crow flies. One option is to bury armoured SWA from my existing CU, following the back path down to the garage block - this back path skirts the back gardens of eleven houses before coming out opposite my garage. Around 70m total distance.

I need permission from each of them to dig up this path which I am willing to try to get (I think they are all friendly) but wondering what format does this permission need to be - a signed letter? Just a nod and a handshake? Something with some legal backing?

Garage will be used for power tools so solar and batteries not an option, but maybe a generator.. but I want to explore the option of extending my existing circuit first. Quote for new connection came in at over £8k from the nice people at SSE...

Any other advice or ideas appreciated

Tom

 

[Mottie]

Are they all owners of the land/houses? I'm not sure, for example, if a council or private tenant can give such permission.

 

[bernardgreen]

First of all who owns the path ? It is not a given that the path is owned ( in parts ) by the houses. Check the deeds of the properties as to the exact location of the boundaries.

To lay a cable in land owned by another person you need to ask the owner(s) of the land(s) to grant you a wayleave. They can charge you for this grant of a way leave and could require you to pay an annual charge.

A right of access on foot to use the path is not a wayleave

If the path is owned as parts by 11 other people then you will need to arrange for 11 wayleaves and this could be expensive.

Secondly a 70 metre run of cable to supply power tools will require an expensive cable.

Thirdly the earthing arrangments will need careful consideration.

The cost of the new supply from the DNO at £8000 could be less than the cost of the wayleaves.

One option could be to use the new DNO supply to provide power ( via sub meters and re-sale ) to other garages and share the £8000 among them.
,

 

[twills805]

Are they all owners of the land/houses? I'm not sure, for example, if a council or private tenant can give such permission.

Thanks Motman, good question. The neighbours I know personally are owners. Best case scenario is they all are, in which case could they just verbally grant me permission? I'm willing to do some running around after landlords for those that are tenants, but appreciate I may get some resistance or dead ends.
As an aside, both gas and electricity already take this same route into the houses - beneath the back pathway

 

[twills805]

@bernardgreen thanks for a detailed reply.
So, it is a wayleave I need from each of them - I'd incorrectly assumed these are reserved for DNOs to request, not lowly homeowners like myself - thanks for the info.

I believe the parts of the paths are each owned by the adjoining houses as that is what is on my own deed, but would need to double check all other cases. Appreciate cable would be into the £hundreds for that distance plus armoured, but I hadn't considered I may be charged for wayleave.
As part of the offer to my neighbours I was going to suggest they could share the trench and costs if they wish to run their own connection. Currently, several of the properties nearer to the garage block run extension reels down the path.
I also need to find out who owns the woodland as a single owner to negotiate with plus a shorter distance may be easier...
I might start some effort with the neighbours now to see if any would be interested in sharing the £8k - I was hoping for something below £2k initially so only 3-4 houses to convince, potentially.

 

[AndyPRK]

have you got a quote from an electran ?

I would get this first!

 

[twills805]

have you got a quote from an electran ?

I would get this first!

yes I have a couple of ballpark figures which are heavily caveated with retrieving the permission, and it was a third electrician who recommended the new connection route instead of trying to negotiate with my neighbours! Suffice to say the quotes are well below the cost of a new connection even when shared with a couple of neighbours.
I'm willing to do the trench digging myself which will save a lot, so electrician needed to connect either end. No easy option it seems but if enough neighbours are on board it should be possible

 

[bernardgreen]

If as you say there are existing services under the path then that will complicate the task of trenching in your own "private" cable along the path.

If the existing supply cable under the path is adequate to take another supply then the cost of a DNO supply could be a lot less.

Did you provide any plans to the DNO for them to quote to or was it a non detailed request which would result in a quote for an average new connection.

I had a new supply laid into my cottage in 2011, the quote based on my plans was £3000 and was paid up front. The DNO surveyor came a few days before the date for th installation to confirm what was needed. He suggested moving the junction point from under my driveway to under the grass verge 2 feet away. This change reduced to cost to £900. £2100 was refunded,.

 

[twills805]

Hi @bernardgreen - yes, the quote from DNO was based on plan of area, and the quote includes their own more detailed plan. However they have appeared to ignore the location of the existing supply to my row of houses, which is far closer to my garage. This is probably for a good reason, but I'll question it with them anyway.
I have heard stories on here and other forums of original DNO quotes tumbling down after being questioned or initially refused.
Many thanks

 

[Tigercubrider]

I don't suppose anybody else already has power in their garage?

 

[twills805]

I don't suppose anybody else already has power in their garage?

Not directly asked all neighbours, but have assumed not. No evidence, sound, lights, meter boxes, cables etc. Again worth me checking for sure. Thanks

 

[HERTS P&D]

Could you not buy a generator?

Andy

 

[JohnW2]

Could you not buy a generator?

The OP did mention that as an option, and it would certainly seem to be the simplest, and certainly the cheapest, approach.

It certainly wouldn't have to cost much. The genny I bought from Lidl a few years back (for 'next-to-nothing') is still going fine, and would be man enough for most power tools!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks Motman, good question. The neighbours I know personally are owners. Best case scenario is they all are, in which case could they just verbally grant me permission? I'm willing to do some running around after landlords for those that are tenants, but appreciate I may get some resistance or dead ends.
As an aside, both gas and electricity already take this same route into the houses - beneath the back pathway

Might it be a cheaper option for SSE to tap into their cable along the path, to provide a completely new connection and a separate meter? That might also avoid the need for wayleaves too.

 

[twills805]

Thanks @JohnW2 and @HERTS P&D , have been researching generators in more detail today as it happens. Lots of options, dump it in a corner and exhaust through hole in the back wall, easy as that?