Nat wrote:

An elderly relative has been approached by the supply company, asking him to
sign for them to underground the supply to his property, resulting in the
removal of overhead wires across his garden. so far so good. But the next
door house "don't want to be undergrounded" so they will still have an OH
supply running from the UG mains in the road. (?).
For some reason the supply co. want to run this from a new pole in relatives
garden, rather than putting the pole in the neighbours garden. So even tho
relative will have no need of a pole, being UG from road to house, he would
have a pole at the boundary of his property to serve next door (and
presumably will share the part of the UG mains from road to pole). The
distances involved are not large, the whole front gardens are only about
75ft square. I would like to know why the neighbour can't have the pole in
his own garden, also what should relative be looking out for when all this
is arranged? Is there a downside to sharing part of the "spur" from the UG
road supply? Why would anyone NOT want to be UG anyway? Am I missing
something here? ( I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to
persuade the supply people to UG my wires, to no avail. And here is
someone - the neighbour - actively refusing it) Is this a cost issue, ie
would having the pole in the neighbours garden possibly be more expensive
for the company to do, or is there some other issue here.? Has anyone any
experience to share before I try to advise relative? Thanks.
Nat.




M.. I paid upwards of £18k to part shgare the cost of undergrounding the
supply over MY garden.

The initial quote involved putting a pole in the boundary hdges with
stays coming into the garden - naturally a pople at the end of an
overground un needs bracing, and if its all to be done on your property,
thats where the stays end up. I suspect some6hing like that is the issue
here.

Ultimately, we undergrounded 600 meters of line, from a pole on a field
edge necxt to a track where they could put stays, to a place where
someone up the road had undergrounded it already. I got my very own
substation in the corner of the garden. Talk about good supply
regulation :-)

I suspect your neighbour has to find some part of the cost - even if its
only making good the mess after they lay cables - to get the thing
undergrounded.

Seriously, I'd have a chat wih him, and even offer to help pay for
anything if only he will take the UG supply.

Electricity companies have very limited budgets but they will always
nderground if they can. Less maintenance. alk to all involved, find ouyt
what the issues and options are, and, if you can afford it, get the
elederly relative to wave a slittle cash around - often its not huge
amounts - and it should pan out.


As far as your situation is concerned, phone up and get to talk to
someone who deals with 'undergroundimng teh netwwork in your area, and
strat teh conversation with 'how much would ypu cahrge me to underground
my cable'

THAT will get a surveyor out on site and talking to you pretty fast.
Th3en its down to haggling. If you can get a whole road to agree, it may
be even cheaper.