Installation Problem

[4romseyavenue]

I joined NTL recently and when they came to install they said they would have to drill a hole through my neighbours front forecourt wall to connect my house.

I said that I was unhappy within this as the neighbour is a real pain and would complain.

So I phoned customer service and they said not to worry as they will send another installation engineer round to deal with.

I went on holiday and asked my brother to oversee the installation. On return I notice that the engineer has attached the cable to my neighbours forecourt wall for about 2 feet and covered it in a really ugly casing, which then leads to my wall. They did not ask permission of my neighbour or mention it to my brother. (Although he should have checked).

I phoned customer service as my neighbour has now complained that he does not like the cable on his forecourt wall. They said they will send a third installation team to fix the problem but will charge me about £50 to resolve.

I have complained but it seems I am going to have to stump up £50 to resolve.

Because my neighbour is such a pain it would actually be worth the £50.

So, should I have to pay £50?

When the 3rd installation team arrive can they fix the problem? When the first team arrived they said the problem was because there is not actually a point to connect to outside of my house but the nearest is outside my neighbours.

Any help appreciated.

[Rob]

to Cable Forum

You need to make it clear to ntl that you do not own the neighbour's wall. Thus you could not give ntl permission, even if they had asked (and this was discussed with them prior to installation and refused), to route the cable over the wall. Ntl will very well know that routing the connection in such manner requires an easement (legal right) to be created. Without the easement ntl, are creating a problem.

It may well be that ntl did not have a connection point in the right place. That is there problem, not yours. Ntl should have either required their contruction team to attend to amend the pavement connection (that could well have delayed the installation by some weeks, but they didn't really have an option), or alternatively if the connection couldn't have been altered they should have refused to install (or at least required you to get the easement before installing).

Ntl have created the problem, which they could hav avoided, albeit at risk of upsetting you by not being able to install.

To correct it now, the only initial way, untill they dig up the pavement, may be to remove the wire, and thus cut you off. Again ntl's problem.

In my view, altough ntl (or their installers) tried to be helpful, they created the problem so they should absorb the cost, not you.