Unlooping supply

[williamglossop]

Further to my recent post about moving my cut out, I have contacted my DNO about unlooping my supply for a car charger. The supply loops at my next door neighbours and then comes into my house. How much disruption would the DNO cause to my neighbour in the process of carrying out the work? She's a total nightmare old woman who is sculpted from spite and bitterness. She had her driveway done 2 years ago with an awful biege resin - but she protects it with her life. There's noway she would agree to having it disturbed.

Assuming that to be the case, are the DNO and me pretty much powerless to do anything about it? To put it in perspective - two weeks ago the DNO were at my house to repair the cable in the garden after builder hit it with a digger. They knocked on her door to ask if they could remove the cable from her cut out while they did the work- she wouldn't let them in and warned them that if her elec went off she would go mad cos she'd have to reset her microwave clock.

 

[thomp1983]

Dno will have a legal right to access your neighbours property whether she likes it or not, they own the equipment upto the meter.

Likelihood is they'd disconnect your supply where its looped in her property then mole and run you a new feed in on your property from the road, or possibly have to dig up the front of your property if moling isn't possible, if that's the case they'll also cover the cost of making everything good again aswell.

 

[williamglossop]

So they probably won't have to dig up her drive then? If they can't just disconnect the loop in her cutout.

 

[thomp1983]

There should be no reason why they can't unloop it at her cutout but if there is and you both require new supplies then the dno have to swallow the cost of that it's there equipment to maintain.

If they had to dig her drive up then they would have to pay to have it relaid, your neighbour can't do anything about it they have a right of access

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

They would just need to cut off the loop to you, at her end with almost zero disruption to her. You though, would likely need a new cable, from the street, into your cut out.

 

[williamglossop]

My property is currently fully excavated due to ongoing building works, so it would be very easy to lay a new cable from the road to a new outside meter box.

 

[Taylortwocities]

My property is currently fully excavated due to ongoing building works, so it would be very easy to lay a new cable from the road to a new outside meter box.

Great, but bear in mind that the DNO often have a many weeks lead time for works.

 

[jelliottelectrical]

Not sure on whether they would do it or not, but they could terminate the ‘loop’ external to her property and run a new cable to yours. However that does Leave a cable live but going nowhere so you can see why they might not he Keen

the DNO does have a statutory power to access their equipment so if she does refuse them access they can disconnect her supply permanently. I have seen this done once but it is a last resort, usually the threat of it gets results!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Great, but bear in mind that the DNO often have a many weeks lead time for works.

Could he put a cable duct in a trench and take some photos to confirm depth etc.?

 

[Lectrician]

Great, but bear in mind that the DNO often have a many weeks lead time for works.

While this is true, once you accept the price, you can collect duct, hockey stick and meter box from the DNO stores to install prior to the actual job.

 

[ericmark]

Great, but bear in mind that the DNO often have a many weeks lead time for works.

Where I used to work, was 10 years and still waiting when I left, they paid for a 11 kV supply pole to be moved so a new building could go up, but the building was not built at the time, and 10 years latter it was again planned to put in new building and it was lucky the owner remembered he had already paid to have supply moved.

My son waited around 3 years, and while waiting the next door neighbour died, and house sold to new owners, who installed a new drive before DNO got around to installing new supply, in that case it turned out the wayleave had not been granted to run cables between houses, some one when they were built did not follow the plans, and looped the supply, but there was no record of this being done. So DNO had no option but to remove the cable between the two houses, but seems there is no time limit for them to do it, so they can say yes OK we will sort it, then do nothing.

 

[williamglossop]

I've spoke to DNO and they have said that they will seperate the loop at their own expense, and run me a new supply from the road. When I explained the old crow next door is unlikely to cooperate, the chap said not to worry, we'll just disconnect her until she allows us in

Economically speaking, it makes more sense to go down the car charger route. To move the service head is gonna cost about 700 quid and doesn't deal with the looped supply..... to have a car charger is under 500 quid and they will move the service at the same time......its a no brainer really. May aswell pay less and get a car charger, even if I'm not ready for one.

 

[jelliottelectrical]

Sounds like a result then!

 

[williamglossop]

Yeah deffo. Massive thanks to all on here who helped me out. Saved me a massive headache and a ton of cash.... BOTH the kids can eat tonight now, so they send their thanks too

 

[SUNRAY]

Today I mentioned this thread for EV, and looping in general, to an ex EDF employee. He reckons they (possibly this region?) initially look at the cable plans and the cable size, if it's over (but not including) 16mm² or 022 (I assume that's 0.022²") they often leave it looped unless both properties require EV points.