Removing an electrical cable on customers property... that doesn't belong to the customer!

[HappyHippyDad]

Afternoon all,

I have just been to do a quote for an elderly lady to remove a cable from under a stone driveway.

Her neighbours jacked up her car and moved it off her driveway, then made a channel in her driveway, then laid their cable across her driveway to their garage.

They gave her notice of doing this which she refused. The neighbour signed the letter and then added underneath his black belt in karate title just to bully her a little more (an old lady!). Grrrrrr!

She's taking them to court.

My question is, where do I stand about removing this cable on her property. I wont be able to isolate it as it will be on the neighbours property, so basically I can't do it? Plus, the cable is not her property and it's feeding the neighbours shed.

Cheers guys.

 

[telectrix]

think it's upyo the customer ( hopefully with help from her family) to sort this out the legal route. you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. anything you do could come back and bite your arse.

 

[Strima]

Until the court has made a decision then stay well clear.

Some people are just complete ***** who have no respect for others.

 

[littlespark]

Quote for it by all means, but don't do anything until the court decision. Then the neighbour will have to isolate it.
Whatever happens, this poor lady is going to suffer from disrespectful toe rags.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

If court action has been taken then leave alone until resolved.
If the court rule the cable can be removed at neighbours expense then by all means charge a decent whack as they will pay not your customer.
Likewise some properties can with the right paperwork run utilities and cables across land but i reckon the neighbours have played a crafty one myself

 

[telectrix]

this is the rub. there might be a clause in the deeds stating that he can run cables etc. across her drive. time for the sharks (lawyers) to get involved. might be an idea for her to consult with CAB.

 

[Squid]

Have your customer speak to the Police, trespass and criminal damage spring to mind as well as threatening notices, she needs to play the game "vulnerable, I am scared etc etc..........

Tell her to send them a letter signed Mildred Hubble, Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches to be on the safe side.

If it was me I'd T off the cable and feed my own house...............

 

[westward10]

Trespass onto private land is generally not a criminal offence unless the land is specifically signed and the police will not be interested. I would personally take a wide berth away from this job.

 

[DPG]

Trespass onto private land is generally not a criminal offence unless the land is specifically signed and the police will not be interested. I would personally take a wide berth away from this job.

The lady is going to need the work doing at some point though. Hopefully not everyone will tell her that they aren't interested.

 

[telectrix]

not the point, DPG. we can all be interested and advise accordingly, but in the end it's a legal matter.

 

[Squid]

Jacking up the car that doesn't belong to you on someones property isn't on, frail old woman being bullied by neighbours.........

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Thanks for the prompt replies everyone. I do feel for the lady and I'd like nothing better than to dig up the cable and remove it. However, I haven't got the balls to do that so I'm going to wait for the courts decision. She has actually just got into contact with Western Power who are going to ring her back with regards cutting off the neighbours power to allow the work to be undertaken!!

 

[Squid]

Sorry have a pet hate, Mum years back had her handbag riffled £400 and her passport robbed by some Nigerian scum, don't like it when people are taken advantage of.

 

[Squid]

Thanks for the prompt replies everyone. I do feel for the lady and I'd like nothing better than to dig up the cable and remove it. However, I haven't got the balls to do that so I'm going to wait for the courts decision. She has actually just got into contact with Western Power who are going to ring her back with regards cutting off the neighbours power to allow the work to be undertaken!!

Any further info, is it a shared drive etc etc out of interest?

 

[littlespark]

At a guess the neighbours are currently sitting on their old 3 piece suite, grabbing a tin out the fridge and laughing at getting one over on the old dear next door.
This is all happening on their front lawn, not inside the house.

I say lawn.... what I mean is half weeds, half mismatched gravel bit of land they want to call a garden