phone cable on my house

[deano_uk]

hello, just wondering if anyone can help me with a small problem.

 

yesterday, 2 BT openreach engineers put a cable on the front of my house attaching it to the wall with nails. The cable is there to serve a new neighbor.

 

I spoke with the engineers and said I was not happy that the cable was on my house and requested them to move it. The response from the engineers was that I should contact my landlord. I then explained there is no landlord since I own the house and I would not give permission for this cable to be attached to my house. I did tell the engineers that they may attach this cable to my house on provision that it is away from a gas pipe. (At the moment, the cable is now in place near a gas pipe)

 

I have spent over 5 hours on the phone to BT and have also sent 2 emails and filled out a web contact form.

 

Can anyone give me advice please? I do not want this cable anywhere near where it is at the moment!

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

FORMAL COMPLAINT needed go to the top, tell them to remove it totally.

[locutus]

Is it this form that you've filled in?

 

http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/submitFeedback.do?contactReason=remove_relocate_external_network_equipment

[deano_uk]

hi, yes, that is the form i have filled in.

it seems to be a lot of hassle to get a short cable moved away from my gas pipe! just wish someone from BT could have directed me to that form at the start of my phone convo with them!

[2Grumpy]

Or write to them at their head office

 

Tell them to remove the wire that they attached to your hose without your permission and to make repairs to your satisfaction by , otherwise you will hire a contractor to do so and recover the expenditure from them

[deano_uk]

hi 2 Grumpy!

yesterday, i received an email from them stating that an engineer would assess the situation within 25 days.

 

i contacted them and said i am not happy about the situation that it is next to a gas pipe. the adviser told me that there is no risk in this. i then told the adviser that whether he deemed it a risk or not, i am not happy about this and i want it removed. i explained that i have already waited 3 days for this and to wait another 25 days is unacceptable. i did also tell them that i would get an electrician to cut the wire away from my property and make safe, - the adviser then said that this would be criminal damage! i then enquired with the adviser whether their own actions to my property are infact criminal damage, however, the adviser could not answer this.

 

i do not wish to appear awkward with this, especially as it is a new neighbor. i have told the neighbor and BT that they can run the cable along my house away from the gas pipe.

 

BT openreach engineer told me that there was an agreement to install cables on my property, i told the engineer that i am not aware of such an agreement.

 

I fail to see why I need to wait upto 25 days just for the situation to be assessed!

[locutus]

If it was me I'd be getting even funnier with them

 

It was never a common issue when I worked there, just one of the things I remember the form on the internet

 

Another problem that you are facing is the fact that BT is split into smaller companies. BT Openreach is the company that installs the wires, and they plain and simply do not accept customer calls (as their customer is the service provider... BT Retail in most cases). BT Retail will send to in circles contacting Openrech via mail / email.

 

I would email [email protected] and [email protected] and [email protected] (the 3 men at the top) and see if their departments will help speed things along.

 

I would also ask for compensation.

[45002]

 

i do not wish to appear awkward with this, especially as it is a new neighbor. i have told the neighbor and BT that they can run the cable along my house away from the gas pipe.

 

 

 

So what's the big deal then,does it lower the price of your house or something else !

 

Did you have a slimier problem a while back about a phone cable on your house ?

[deano_uk]

So what's the big deal then,does it lower the price of your house or something else !

 

you have answered your own question in the quote you took from myself in your last post.

 

the big deal is that it is next to a gas pipe. whether they deem this to be safe or not, i simply do not want it there.

i will give them permission to attach it to my house but not when it is near to an external gas pipe.

 

you see, the big deal (as you say) can easily become a big bang! electricity and gas do not mix!

[45002]

you have answered your own question in the quote you took from myself in your last post.

 

the big deal is that it is next to a gas pipe. whether they deem this to be safe or not, i simply do not want it there.

i will give them permission to attach it to my house but not when it is near to an external gas pipe.

 

you see, the big deal (as you say) can easily become a big bang! electricity and gas do not mix!

 

How much voltage do you think goes down a phone line then !

 

Good luck with you HUGE problem ....

[deano_uk]

i couldn't care less how much voltage goes down a phone line. i am not comfortable with this cable being so close to a gas pipe.

 

thanks for your good luck wishes, but this is not such a HUGE problem as you seem to think, but, again thanks for your concern!

[45002]

i couldn't care less how much voltage goes down a phone line. i am not comfortable with this cable being so close to a gas pipe.

 

thanks for your good luck wishes, but this is not such a HUGE problem as you seem to think, but, again thanks for your concern!

 

Forgot to say

 

Don't forget to check under the floorboards,to make sure that the electric cables in your house are not to close to a gas pipe

 

Just encase

 

Sleep tight !

 

You may find anyway that your Gas pipes are connected to electric and water pipes anyway,in something called "Bonding of Earth"

 

http://www.judgeelectrical.co.uk/domestic-electrical/explanations/earth-bonding.html

Edited November 9, 2012 by 45002

[deano_uk]

45002, what? you mean to say i have electric cables underneath my floorboards? how can i be 100% sure that the electricity will not conduct itself through wood?!?!

 

you know, its just my preference. i dont want a cable near a gas pipe on my house. im not being awkward, it can easily be routed elsewhere on my house and i will give permission for it. but at the moment, it is there, without permission, without authorisation, and near a gas pipe.

 

45002 - thanks for my future sleepless night!

[ims21]

Erm...unless someone is on a wind up here, wood is an insulator...it doesn't conduct.

[deano_uk]

ims21, http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_wood_conduct_electricity

yes, wood can conduct electricity. but i am sure it can not conduct an orchestra.

 

and yes it was a wind up. about the wood.

 

back on topic - about the cable and gas pipe, that is not a wind up!

[ims21]

I think you have very little to worry about as far as telephone cable voltage being close to a gas pipe.

 

BUT

 

If BT put this cable on your house a) without permission at all or B) in a position that you had not authorised, then I agree it should be dealt with.

 

Matters not whether it is a big issue, small issue or safety issue...the point is you don't want it there for whatever reason and they have no right to put it there.

 

If I came home from work one day and found BT had nailed a cable to the wall of my house then I have to say I would be miffed to say the least and I know what I would do.

 

On the wood front, yes it can be regarded as an insulator although it is known that wood can conduct but has a very high resistance. To really liven things up give it a good soaking in water and then plug the wood in.

[45002]

back on topic - about the cable and gas pipe, that is not a wind up!

 

Ear to the pipe,suppose it's one way to listen to your neighbors phone calls

[45002]

about the cable and gas pipe, that is not a wind up!

 

Ear to the pipe,suppose it's one way to listen to your neighbors phone calls

[deano_uk]

ims, i do not think i will try your wood soaking idea! a

 

45002, no no no and no again! ear to the pipe is time consuming. far better to cut the cable and attach a voice activated recorder to one or two wires which carry the sound. what??? cut the cable next to a gas pipe?

[45002]

ims, i do not think i will try your wood soaking idea! a

 

45002, no no no and no again! ear to the pipe is time consuming. far better to cut the cable and attach a voice activated recorder to one or two wires which carry the sound. what??? cut the cable next to a gas pipe?

 

I did read somewhere if the Internet was too close to a gas pipe,it could cause a narrowing of the gaswidth

[deano_uk]

I did read somewhere if the Internet was too close to a gas pipe,it could cause a narrowing of the gaswidth

 

that is ok. i use TiSP - it is a free internet service from google. far better than cable connections and no worries about any gaswidth pipes!

 

its free.... http://www.google.co.uk/onceuponatime/tisp/

[biggeorge]

Personally I would just cut the cable and refuse any further use of your home for their cable runs.

 

George

[locutus]

I take 1 early night and look what happens to this thread!

 

 

For people googling if they have the same issue, I think the only constructive part is :-

If BT put this cable on your house a) without permission at all or B) in a position that you had not authorised, then I agree it should be dealt with.

 

Matters not whether it is a big issue, small issue or safety issue...the point is you don't want it there for whatever reason and they have no right to put it there.

 

I had assumed that it was for cosmetic reasons and also for practical reasons (if someone wants to do work on the BT line and accidentally cut the cas pipe etc.)

 

I still stand by emailing the COE, Chairman and head of group.

 

Cutting the cables is going to leave the neighbour without telephone or internet, and the landline phone cable is the only sure way of dialling 999 in an emergency (as it is not dependant on having power in the area) and would leave the OP open to litigation.