UPC cables on my house

WalterMitty

I recently moved to sattelite and dont plan on ever returning to UPC. They installed cables on my house a few years back that are still there now. These cables connect from one house to next on my street even to houses that dont have UPC. Can i ask UPC to remove them from my house as we never signed any legal documents allowing them to use our house as a stepping stone to connect cables into houses further on past our house on our street. Some Polish guys just arrived one day and installed them .

coylemj

WalterMitty wrote: »

we never signed any legal documents allowing them to use our house as a stepping stone to connect cables into houses further on past our house on our street

I think you'll find that you did give them permission, it's part of the standard UPC contract. Now that you are no longer a customer you're probably freed from that agreement but are you sure you want to have all of the downstream neighbours who are UPC customers cut off?

JDxtra

The previous owner may have signed a waiver, even many years ago, which will still apply.

UPC have the best broadband around, so I would leave their infrastructure there just in case you ever need it yourself.

nungesser

you might have to play hard ball with UPC, my neighbor wanted his cables removed and they ignored him, he repeatedly contacted them, he then threatened to cut them down, which he did do and cut mine and our neighbors cable off at the start of the weekend, i was ready to kick his ass, but to be honest, they told him it was illegal to do that, but they capitulated and rerouted the cable,if its that important to you to have them taken down, i would suggest you talk to your neighbors and you can all ring in with the request, they are a bunch of jerks at UPC so you'll need to be firm with them, but it you tag team them with your neighbors you might get somewhere, good luck

listermint

I dont see the advantage of removing them?

Why would anyone in their right mind want them removed. Surely its better to have options than limiting your options.

im sorry but it makes no sense at all. its amusing that is bothers people so much.

On top of that ruining relations with neighbours.... why ?

lucernarian

I've seen some cables very near where I live in Dublin 2 which were hauled down over the space of an evening. The clumsy fool who did it also took down the cable that always was there and so cut off the TV for at least 6 houses and possibly an apartment block?

Now for the cable to avoid the house, it looks like all the footpath around his house will be dug up and for what, all there was was a new tap along with new cable. I'd prefer the cable to a kango hammer and machinery working outside my house for a day. No one benefits from denying UPC permission for the cable in these sorts of cases.

WalterMitty

When i left upc and they disconnected the digital service i had 15 channels remaining on their cables like itv, bbc,rte, sky 1 etc which you used to have to pay for on top of your digital channels but they didnt seem to charge for them in last few years with them.

I found it handy having these 15 channels in rooms where i dont have multiroom(only in 2 rooms total) for watching the news or late night tv in bed but they came out last week and cut the cable going into house but not the cables that continue on to neighbouring houses, which annoyed me as being petty and taking for granted that they could use my house to easily (and cheapily) shpply cables to neighbouring houses. I have had to go out and buy a video sender to watch a small bit of tv in bed as no basic channels anymore.
So why not make them spend thousands rerouting their cables. Theres no permanent legal right for them to do this and they dont offer any quid pro quo .Although i may want their internet in a year when current deal with vodafone expires which may stop me forcing this.

icdg

WalterMitty wrote: »

When i left upc and they disconnected the digital service i had 15 channels remaining on their cables like itv, bbc,rte, sky 1 etc which you used to have to pay for on top of your digital channels but they didnt seem to charge for them in last few years with them.

Strictly speaking, you pay for digital on top of the basic service, not the other way round.

I found it handy having these 15 channels in rooms where i dont have multiroom(only in 2 rooms total) for watching the news or late night tv in bed but they came out last week and cut the cable going into house but not the cables that continue on to neighbouring houses, which annoyed me as being petty and taking for granted that they could use my house to easily (and cheapily) shpply cables to neighbouring houses. I have had to go out and buy a video sender to watch a small bit of tv in bed as no basic channels anymore.
So why not make them spend thousands rerouting their cables. Theres no permanent legal right for them to do this and they dont offer any quid pro quo .Although i may want their internet in a year when current deal with vodafone expires which may stop me forcing this.

They are well within their rights to disconnect your service. You weren't paying for it and as I've said before anyone not paying for cable TV should expect their service to be disconnected at any time.

As for making them relay their cables, you may have already agreed when you signed up to them already to give them a wayleave over your property. Even if you haven't, you won't be liked by your own neighbours if you were responsible for them losing their TV service just because of bitterness you felt towards UPC.

BeerNut

I had a similar issue a couple of years ago (thread here). It got sorted by talking to UPC, but that may have been easier since I was still a customer.

lorrscann

I am a customer and they are just ignoring me so I am going to cut the cable along my back wall and from the box on the wall of my house - if that is the only way to get them to address my issues otherwise how do I get them to discuss with me their incompetence! Offered me one deal and once they got me then reneged and won't contact me - 2 weeks this is going on form

zg3409

I would not recommend cutting the cable. They may be able to bring you to court to fine you for the repairs. Even if they lose it could be a pain in the arse. Also they may bypass your house by crossing the road just before and just after your house with a cable in the air. This is a bit unsightly having two cables cross the road just before and after your house. I have seen this done before.

I know when they install cables they can damage guttering, facia board etc. It also makes replacing guttering and facia more difficult, but as others have said you may want a service from UPC in the future and you may royally piss off all your neighbours and hundreds to thousands of others who rely on the signal from your house until the end of the line.

If complaining does not work vote with your feet and switch providers. Other providers may not be available, may be more expensive etc but this is market forces at work. If they lose all customers then they will cease to exist. They play a fine line between keeping most customers fairly happy and making profits. No profit, no service.

JDxtra

lorrscann wrote: »

I am a customer and they are just ignoring me so I am going to cut the cable along my back wall and from the box on the wall of my house - if that is the only way to get them to address my issues otherwise how do I get them to discuss with me their incompetence! Offered me one deal and once they got me then reneged and won't contact me - 2 weeks this is going on form

I daren't use the only phrase I can think of to describe your plan!

If you were my neighbour, and selfish actions like this ended up disconnecting my phone, TV and Internet services I know where I'd be my aiming wire cutters!

lorrscann

So how would you deal with UPC then?

JDxtra

Depends on the issue.

If you are out of contract, just cancel the service. If the cancellations dept ask why you are leaving, clearly explain.

If its more serious issue, then also consider complaining to ComReg.