Refused neighbour BT engineer access

[BearBuggy]

I live in a fairly new estate with one attached neighbour. My land is slightly bigger but a small section has servitude access for both properties. I don’t have an issue with that and left that area accessible when I had my drive way mono blocked.
I however disagree that those rights extend to my actual brickwork of my house. Nothing on my title says it does - only the actual land leading to my property.
When my last neighbour had their internet cables installed they put the box onto my house . Not even near the servitude area but near my front door. New neighbours are having BT installed but for some reason can’t use previous box (already on my house) so they came yesterday to fit new one. I have no issue with them doing the cables on my drive but stopped them when I realised they were adding another box into my bricks. My neighbour wall is literally 15 cm away but they’ve had some sort of rough casting or something that makes it more difficult.
I didn’t say anything with last neighbours as it was already done. But now I have my own virgin box, gas meter, their house old box (which bt won’t remove) another box I’ve no idea what’s for and now this. It’s becoming too much and the front of my house is starting to look terrible whilst they have nothing apart from gas.

I have told them they need to put box into neighbours brick but of course they couldn’t do that as that wasn’t on the job sheet! Feel bad they’ve no internet and maybe I was unreasonable. The last neighbour box was BT as well - didn’t make that clear

I had virgin media installed in my house recently and then cancelled because the service was so poor. I cant even stand looking at the box i authorised to be fitted, never mind someone elses. I would have the old one removed in the next 5 mins and go medieval on anyone who tried to fit another one.

We had BT issues a while ago. Builders on a new estate cut thru the Internet cable for half the town. Whenever anyone contacted them they'd give crappy time frame of up to a month to fix it!
I emailed CEO of BT (Google it..Phil someone I think) and had full fibre fitted within a week or so :) if you complain to CEO you get a named case worker:) go for it 😉

You are already due a wayleave payment for the box that is on your wall.

IME a lot of work men will take the easiest route even if it means being a CF. A neighbours builder once wanted to remove my chimney so he could do some work on the neighbours roof - and then leave me with no chimney! He was astonished when I said no.

BT Openreach I'm guessing. Absolute nightmare to deal with. We had an issue with an engineer that came and fitted cables to our house - on the wrong side of the house! Came while we weren't in, no warning and damaged the house in the process. It's been unbelievably difficult to get them to come back and move it and then rectify the damage. Customer service is non existent.

This. Houses with a mortgage are owned by whoever’s name/s is/are on the title. The mortgage company is noted as a lender with a financial interest, an interest is not ownership. A mortgage company wouldn’t need to be involved in this issue.

And yet here you are, racing to the bottom.

No way would I allow holes in my brickwork, the very fabric of my house, to facilitate someone else’s wiring unnecessarily.

I don't blame you. I get on well with my neighbour, but would say no to them installing something on my brickwork, as it may make my house more difficult to sell in the future. Also if it caused damage to my house, I'd worry that the insurance may not pay out as it seems like potentially a grey area.

Sounds like you are preparing for war next door, and just think of your neighbours with no internet access

YANBU. Be wary of future issues if it is your own house and you want to sell it. Also we found that BT seem to choose the easiest option, they wanted to put our fibre box in the cloakroom at the front because it was easier rather than by the router at the opposite side of the house. Dug our heels in and made them cable it to where we wanted it!

There is an article in today’s Mail Online (yes I know, feel free to drum me out of Mumsnet 😔) regarding this problem.

You may or may not have to accept the work, it can be complicated.

Read the article.

That is utter nonsense! Just because a property is mortgaged does NOT mean that it belongs to anyone other than the owner! The bank doesn't own the land, the mortgagee does! 😂

Tell them if they want an Easement they can approach you through a solicitor with a financial proposal.
I suggest you contact BT regarding the old box explaining you're happy to go legal if they won't shift it.
Seriously, people pay money for these kind of accommodations, not just jump up and slap it on your wall.

Tough tits, not OP's or her house's problem. If the neighbours have an issue then they need to chase it up and sort it

Thanks for all replies. I’ve no idea if it’s fibre or who’s installing- don’t see its relevance tbh. Someone wants to put a box on my wall is all.

If there was no other option it would be different but it’s literally a few cm.
The house is a semi detached so the wires will need routed the same.

Anyway I’ve spoke to neighbours and they are on same page. They’ve phoned and seems BT accept it was an error. Who knows how long for someone else to come. Theyve been waiting months already

Good news! Glad you have logical neighbours bearbuggy

I've made some progress with Open Reach - and I'm hopeful the issue will be resolved within a couple of weeks. It's been like an international summit trying to co-ordinate neighbours, (who don't care), ORch who have done their job so don't care; BT who keep sending me emails from India saying "Greetings and we apologise sincerely" without actually saying what for - with my own work schedule.
As @bobster31 said - they come when you're not there, walk into your garden and drill into your house wall! How can they do that and get away with it. It's criminal damage. They frequently turn up when no-one is in - never make an appointment or give any warning... it's completely impossible! How much money must they waste!

Still, as I said, I have made some progress - in almost a year!!!!!! So maybe it'll get fixed this side of Christmas.

If you believe it belongs to the bank then even more reason not to allow a random box be attached to your house.
I presume you discuss with the bank any time you make a change to your property?

Don't budge. Four simple words are needed here....not my fucking problem. Goodbye! Or be polite and say no. But don't let them take advantage. Put firm boundaries now and it'll save so much upset and resentment in future years.

This thread is 7 months old.