NTL/Chorus unauthorised box mounted on house

Creasey

Hello all,

During some recent upgrade work by NTL/Chorus on my street they installed a junction box of some description on my house. Its 1-2 feet just above the level of the garage and just around the corner on the wall of the boxroom.
It can be easily seen from the street and driveway as its about 1 foot by 1 foot and is silver and white. There was no-one at home when they installed this box so no permission was asked or given and the other problem is that we dont use NTL/Chorus. We have the 4 terrestrial channels and thats it.
We did catch up with the engineers next day when they were further up the street and 1 guy said that a concession may be made in the form of free hook up to the basic TV package. After a couple of callls to NTL/Chorus we have still not been given a definitive answer. Anyone have any experience of this and do you think that they are giving us the runaround. Had they just asked in the first place it wouldnt be such a problem but Im very tempted to go out and pull it off the wall. Ill keep the part to return to them of course but it can only be collected during strict half hour windows !

snappieT

I know when a friend was the first to get NTL installed in his apartment block, they put a box (similar to the one you describe) in the lobby. I presume the lobby is owned by the management company and permission was not sought.

I'd be telling them to get it off my wall pronto, and repair any damage caused. Whatever you do, don't take it off yourself, it is their property at the end of the day.

Pewpewfiah

snappieT wrote: »

I'd be telling them to get it off my wall pronto, and repair any damage caused. Whatever you do, don't take it off yourself, it is their property at the end of the day.

It is your home and you didnt want it installed or was informed of it so its their responsibility to get rid of it and pronto.

Sponge Bob

Have you any cabling on your house, if not fair enough .

They would have a wayleave on your property going ( way) back to when the cable was originally installed .

Random

I'd go out and whack it off with a hurley !

Popeleo

I know of two people with these signal boosters on their houses - both have been fitted in the last couple of months. In both cases, permission was sought by UPC/KN Networks and both accepted the offer of free basic cable.
If you want free cable, get it in writing. If you don't, demand they remove it and see if they'll do something else for you.

Connrang

I had one of the yokes on my house for years. Same location, above the garage roof and not really visible. When Chorus had it I received the basic package discounted by 50%.

When UPC took over it was the same, they recently upgraded the cable in out area and they have now removed the box but the discount remains. My parents have an additional box, it draws power from their house and they get 50% on their service.

Come April next the contract with UPC is up and I'm going back to Sky HD, no comparision to reception but the possibility of 20 Mb broadband is tempting...

the_syco

Connrang wrote: »

Come April next the contract with UPC is up and I'm going back to Sky HD, no comparision to reception but the possibility of 20 Mb broadband is tempting...

Pretty sure the box came with an upgrade of the wiring to allow for the upgrade, on some houses.

dubtom

My brother in law allowed upc to dig up his garden in one of his rented houses,he got a free digital package. When the installer came to his house to install he said he should have been on a free package anyway because all the wiring for the immediate area was routed through his property.In hindsight he could have demanded the works,in every room in the house, but it's too late now. In your case OP I would just demand they take it off the wall,and then bargain, a digital package is pennys to them, half a days work removing and refitting the box elsewhere would have to cost them a packet.

Darragh29

Creasey wrote: »

Hello all,

During some recent upgrade work by NTL/Chorus on my street they installed a junction box of some description on my house. Its 1-2 feet just above the level of the garage and just around the corner on the wall of the boxroom.
It can be easily seen from the street and driveway as its about 1 foot by 1 foot and is silver and white. There was no-one at home when they installed this box so no permission was asked or given and the other problem is that we dont use NTL/Chorus. We have the 4 terrestrial channels and thats it.
We did catch up with the engineers next day when they were further up the street and 1 guy said that a concession may be made in the form of free hook up to the basic TV package. After a couple of callls to NTL/Chorus we have still not been given a definitive answer. Anyone have any experience of this and do you think that they are giving us the runaround. Had they just asked in the first place it wouldnt be such a problem but Im very tempted to go out and pull it off the wall. Ill keep the part to return to them of course but it can only be collected during strict half hour windows !

Here's your answer...

calex71

they upgraded the cables in our area recently. each time they wanted access or did work on our house they knocked the door to inform me and to double check consent to access the property.

Id be careful removing the box by yourself op as said it is their property
so i'm not sure where you would stand if you damaged it or your house removing it. I dont know if this could be thought of in the way neighbours hedge could be if it grew over the fence on to your property where you'd have the right to hack away at that part.:rolleyes:

antoinolachtnai

I would give notice in writing by registered post that you want it removed.

Say it in the nicest possible terms.

You need to leave the way open for negotiations - say that you are anxious to resolve the matter amicably as possible.

If UPC have any sense (which I admit is an assumption which is open to debate) they will get on to you pronto to sort something out.

antoin.

Ginger83

Be careful as others have said it is not your property even though you did not agree to it.
Sort of like a permanent fixture. If you bought a tv on hp and didnt pay for it it could be removed from your property whereas something like a fireplace would be classed as a permanent fixture and even though it might not be paid for it cannot be removed as its fixed to the property and would have to be a legal case.

I would say use it as a bargaining tool or if you dont want it say so and have it removed!

Cabaal

Darragh29 wrote: »

Here's your answer...

yeah thats not helpful at all and would only serve to leave the OP in legal hot water,

mickoneill30

Cabaal wrote: »

yeah thats not helpful at all and would only serve to leave the OP in legal hot water,

1st step is to contact NTL. Then if that got nowhere I'd be taking it down myself. I wouldn't care if the box belonged to someone else. People can't just come along and install stuff onto your house that has nothing to do with you without your permission.
If they can put it up without permission I'd be pretty sure you can take it down from your own property without permission. Don't damage it. Put it nicely in a box and when the engineers come to see what the problem is give it back to them and if they damaged the house to fit it ask them who do you contact to get the house repaired.

Edit: Actually after reading your post again you say you've been on to NTL with no definitive answer. I'd ring them one more time telling them you'll be taking it down on (whenever) and they can come and pick it up after that.

mickoneill30

Ginger83 wrote: »

Sort of like a permanent fixture. If you bought a tv on hp and didnt pay for it it could be removed from your property whereas something like a fireplace would be classed as a permanent fixture and even though it might not be paid for it cannot be removed as its fixed to the property and would have to be a legal case.

How is it like that at all? If somebody installs a fireplace 100 times out 100 you've asked them to do it.

boopolo

Happened me (with cablelink) many years ago in my first house. Rang them. Said they would sort and tried to offer me some deal which I refused (I had a motorised dish at the time). Never sorted. Rang them again and gave them 24 hours before I removed it. They came the next day and removed everything. Everything is underground in my current housing estate. Have Sky HD since it came out, and wouldn't want them anyway.

If you do end up removing it; use a screwdriver and/or spanners; not a hammer.

Raytown Rocks

FYI

If the Amp is live and you take it apart you will in essence be disconnecing all of your neighbours too as this possibly feeds quite a few houses.
Also these amps carry some power on them so be weary of that as well.

The best route is to follow up with UPC all right.
Usually in the case of residence that have amps etc installed a discount/reduced package is/can be obtained.

This is usually what UPC will be willing to agree as a re-route or re-location of cables and equipment cab be quite a pain for them

Chef

Darragh29

Cabaal wrote: »

yeah thats not helpful at all and would only serve to leave the OP in legal hot water,

No it wouldn't, he can do what he wishes with something that is on his property, especially an item that is there without any consultation with him whatsoever. I wouldn't be having it, that's for sure.

Musha

Chorus dug up my friends garden to run the cable he got free tv package for life for his troubles.
But it is not unusual for them to mess things up, in my first house they drilled through the window frame to get the cable in (lazy Bas***ds) also on another house we owned our neighbors told us that when they where installing the digital they drilled through the party wall instead of the outside wall (didn't think you would need a map to figure out which direction outside was on a 3 bed semi) Thank god for sky

Cabaal

Darragh29 wrote: »

No it wouldn't, he can do what he wishes with something that is on his property, especially an item that is there without any consultation with him whatsoever. I wouldn't be having it, that's for sure.

If he hasn't given proper notification to UPC first and he can't prove he can then the law will see it differently regardless,

Lets give an example, if somebody parked in your drive way and you made **** of there car by breaking all the windows and scratching the ****e out of it you would still be brought up over it, now if you gave proper notice first within the law and the person didn't move it thats a different matter.

Comments that are not within the law are far from helpful

wixfjord

Musha wrote: »

Chorus dug up my friends garden to run the cable he got free tv package for life for his troubles.
But it is not unusual for them to mess things up, in my first house they drilled through the window frame to get the cable in (lazy Bas***ds) also on another house we owned our neighbors told us that when they where installing the digital they drilled through the party wall instead of the outside wall (didn't think you would need a map to figure out which direction outside was on a 3 bed semi) Thank god for sky

In fairness, i think its not chorus workers who do it, its actually contracted out, guy who did it for us told us he hated upc and would never get it!

mikemac

For Chorus/NTL to give you a discounted or free package is very little hassle for them. They'd like you to bargain for this option.

But for them to get a contractor or engineer out for a few hours will cost bucks and they certainly don't want that plus the hassle of getting another site.

Send a registered letter to them and bargain hard, you should be trying your best to get a free package, tbh I wouln't accept 50% off.

I also advise don't touch the box but politly remind them you may take it down which might knock out the connection for the estate.
Just a bargaining tip to get a quick decision from them

Musha wrote: »

But it is not unusual for them to mess things up, in my first house they drilled through the window frame to get the cable in (lazy Bas***ds)

Fuppin cowboys
That realy is just pure laziness on their part! They are well capable of doing a proper installation but couldn't be bothered.

Ginger83

mickoneill30 wrote: »

How is it like that at all? If somebody installs a fireplace 100 times out 100 you've asked them to do it.

Regardless of whether he asked for the box to be put up or not its up now and he cannot remove it by himself as it is not his property and is a parmanently fixed to the property now.

As for your reply on what I said about the fireplace, I've got a relation who was in this situation, installed fireplaces in an estate, a person bought one of the houses and asked for one, since installing and chasing the people for payment they went their seperate ways and both refused to pay mortgage since they both believed the other should, the bank has stepped in to take the house back and my relation cannot enter the property to take the fireplace back as it is a permanent fixture now even though he still technically owns it as it has not been paid for yet!Do you get me now!

rubadub

Ginger83 wrote: »

Regardless of whether he asked for the box to be put up or not its up now and he cannot remove it by himself as it is not his property and is a permanently fixed to the property now.

Seems very odd, I would not recommend smashing it up, but from what people here are saying, it sounds like he could be liable if somebody else did. e.g. if some passing vandals smash it some people are making out like the OP is then liable.

I was thinking of getting a satellite dish, but it might be a bit unsightly on my house, from reading this thread it would nearly seem like I can just install it on my neighbours house and they are not allowed to touch it, and are liable for any damage that happens to it!

I have all sorts of crap in my shed, might just get a bag of bolts and attach that old lawnmower to the neighbours front door, then get it next spring.

mickoneill30

Ginger83 wrote: »

the bank has stepped in to take the house back and my relation cannot enter the property to take the fireplace back as it is a permanent fixture now even though he still technically owns it as it has not been paid for yet!Do you get me now!

Nope.

Your relation can't enter a house he now doesn't own to retrieve his property. That's pretty standard isn't it.

How is that the same as somebody installing something on your property without your permission and the owner not being allowed to remove it? Those two situations seem totally different to me.

hill16dub

Just before christmas my wife drove into our driveway and there was a man on our roof over the converted garage. Wife asked him what he was doing on her proerty.

'We are from NTL upgrading the box'
Wife said to them 'no you can't we go no notice and your standing on our roof'

Reply from dunmbnut
'F£$% off were busy'

Thats why i have now a sky box.

seamus

As was posted early on, if the cabling and/or a box of theirs was already on the property, then a wayleave existed which still gives them the right to upgrade the cabling/box without having to consult with you first.

You have no right to damage, remove or otherwise interfere with the box, even if no wayleave existed in the first place. As said, you will need to contact UPC.

tororosso

Pair of gloves on. Wait til its Dark and go up and rip that bad boy off your property. Bottom line is they are trespassing and should contact you before entering your property and altering your property.

Cabaal wrote: »

If he hasn't given proper notification to UPC first and he can't prove he can then the law will see it differently regardless,

Lets give an example, if somebody parked in your drive way and you made **** of there car by breaking all the windows and scratching the ****e out of it you would still be brought up over it, now if you gave proper notice first within the law and the person didn't move it thats a different matter.

Comments that are not within the law are far from helpful

josh59

hill16dub wrote: »

Just before christmas my wife drove into our driveway and there was a man on our roof over the converted garage. Wife asked him what he was doing on her proerty.

'We are from NTL upgrading the box'
Wife said to them 'no you can't we go no notice and your standing on our roof'

Reply from dunmbnut
'F£$% off were busy'

Thats why i have now a sky box.

The only reason I still have NT hell is for the 4 Irish channels - have freesat for the rest - then again I should probably just get an aerial installed and kick them out - left me without email for 3 months some years ago - never got an apology or a proper explanation at the time.

hill16dub

he has a right to fix the box but not stand on my roof without consultation

ShamrockStamps

On a similar vain, some years back I had MMDS installed, installer took the easy route and drilled cable hole thru corner on Upvc window instead of thru wall, about 4 of us got free MMDS for a year(2 rooms) after complaining about the damage to the windows, Bargain Hard I'd say