[plumseverywhere]

Hello 

we recently received a letter from a representative of our local electricity provider informing us that they hope to remove the overhead wires and tunnel them below ground instead.
Two of the poles are on our smallholding and apparantly we have to sign our consent. one of these poles provides electricity to  a group of small cottages to our right, the other ourselves and another house.
We were also told to apply for backdated 'wayleave' payments (probably worth a fiver lol!)

has anyone any experience of similar?  hubby wants to hold back on signing too quickly but the only drawback I can see is losing my washing line pole 

Lisa

[Daisys Mum]

I have poles in my garden it is an H frame with some kind of transformer box on it and I get £48 a year, I would love to have it removed but have been told that it could cost me up to £18,000 depending on how far they moved it. Apart from the wayleave payment I have managed to get my council tax down by 1 band. So it's not all bad, would have liked to be able to build a house there for my daughter though.

[plumseverywhere]

Thanks for your reply Daisy'smum. Pros and cons there then for having it on your land     we just have a bad feeling about why the man from the company contracted by the electrics is so pushy for us to sign. its not going to cost us anything apparantly but he's even coming out today (a sunday!) to push for us to sign.

[Jackie]

Hold off until you see the citizens advice people about this. Trust your instincts.

[Daisys Mum]

The contractor could just be being pushy because he can't do the job and won't get paid till it's done. If you decide to go ahead make sure that they bury them where you are sure that you will never want to build, or will not hinder any future development. I know that will probably not be relevant to you just now but you never know what you might want or need to do in the future. ( We could have had ours moved for £4,000 in 1996)

[plumseverywhere]

I have a feeling it is because he wants to get security about the job getting done but have just looked at wayleave.co.uk and they are talking about people signing then being accountable for thousands of pounds worth    someone had to find £12.500 after being told they didnt' need to pay (as we've been told also)
the work is literally mm's from my brand new veggie patch that has taken me nearly a year to dig!
will get onto CAB tomorrow. he's coming today but hubby will speak to him. thanks both.

[Wizard]

Yes and they can get a court order to force you to allow them to do it as well.Tell em yes but you want the dug up poles as well

[JulieS]

thank you for the web site link plumseverywhere.

I have 6 poles on my land, and hadn't heard of wayleaves before.....Something I will have to look into.