re gas works

[jeepman]

british gas contractors have dug up my friends grass to relay a new gas main do they have to relay the grass or can my friend ask for it to be tarmac as it would be handy to park a car on
The grass is just outside there front wall but it is still there land not the councils

 

[wms]

this piece of land is whats known as a verge strip and utilities companies have the right to dig them up to carry out maintenance or laying works.

they do have to make good to the disturbance but only as was original so your friend has about as much hope asking them to tarmac it as winning the lottery.


How ever if the land is not a verge strip and the supply was not to your friends then the utilities company should have obtained a waylee agreement .with your friend if no gas supply was under that land previously. his deeds will define what the legal status of the land is.

if they have laid across his land a new supply without his consent then I believe he would be entitled to compensation.

 

[xerxes]

Because of a change in planning laws from 1st October this year, he would need planning consent to have a hard surface laid in his front garden (I don't imagine the position in relation to the front wall makes any difference to the principle).

He could try negotiating with the utility company for them to arrange for a partial reinstatement, to allow him to make an application for building a hard standing (assuming the land does indeed belong to him). That would save the complication of having to re-excavate over the newly laid gas pipe. But, as wms says, he has no hope of the gas company paying his extra costs.