Virgin Cabinet box outside my house

[kushanku1976]

Hello. This is my first post on my forum.

NTL now Virgin media own the cable box outside my house. The problem is this box is in a strange location. It is opposite my house central to the house but it is in the middle of the pavement.

The problem is that now I have a baby I wish to lower the curb to gain access to the front of my house to create a driveway. This is where the problems begin.

To move the box Virgin media told me that I have to pay a non refundable 705 pounds to get the intial quote. The quote may not be exact and any unexpected costs or over runs I will be liable for.

After paying for this I still will have to pay for the curb to be lowered by the council.

I am not a business and the cost and hassle of this is looking like a lot of money.

Do I have any legal rights. The box is a really eye-sore.

Many thanks.

[WHISTLED]

Nope they had permission to put the street furniture where they did 10+ years ago when they built the network.

If you want it moving why shoould they meet the costs of doing so? I would say that £750 would be the tip of the iceberg also so wouldnt suggest it.

[jungleguy]

moving a cabinet will be very expensive, and will be done at your expense. If you really want to park your car in your garden, maybe you should consider moving.

[Jon T]

Do I have any legal rights. The box is a really eye-sore.

Many thanks.

Do you want the box moving for practicality or just because you don't like the look of it?

Unfortunately for you, you don't own the causeway outside your house, if you have an area of your land designated as a drive(indicated by the presence of dropped kerb stones). Then you do have a right of access over the causeway/footpath.

When NTL(or one of the smaller franchises) put the cabinet there, they would have had a wayleave/planning permission from the council(as the owners of the causeway).

To move the cabinet would be a very big job, as all the telephone cables and coax cables(supporting TV and broadband) from your neighbours run to cabinet. If the box were to be moved, some cables would most likely have to be re-pulled as they would not be long enough to reach the new location.

[kushanku1976]

Thanks for the reply.

I want the box moved for both practicality and the look of it. I need a driveway more than ever these days becuase of a new baby and other reasons.

I realise it will be very expensive so I was just hoping that before I commit to moving I was checking all my options.

Cheers

[lbeez]

Hi

I am in the exact same position as yourself.

Looking to buy a property but the cabinet is where i would like to put in a drop kerb. I just need them to move along a little.

Did you end up going ahead successfully with this? If so did the cost exceed the amount they quoted you?

Thanks

Bev

[kushanku1976]

We moved in the end. We were quoted £20,000 and would have to commit to any paying any costs that occur from problems.

Cost us £20,000 to move so no brainer. We sold it to a buy top landlord.

[MovedGoalPosts]

If it sounds expensive to move a cabinet, that is because it is. Think how many houses will have their ducts linked to that cabinet. Move the cabinet the under pavement ducts have to be altered and that means every house connected to the extended side would need a repull. The others could perhaps be connected by shortening the cable. Add in then the changes to the cables that are incoming from the network, both of the TV/broadband fibre, but also phone, power supply and so on. Then you have the physical works to pavements and so on. Of course there needs to be somewhere suitable for the cabinet to go to. And the cable co will need all sorts of consents for town planning, highways and stuff

It's a world of pain. Realistically if a cabinet is in the way, and you aren't buying a multimillion pound house, it's tough on the seller, but don't buy.

[Matthew]

Any pictures of the cabinet and how its located to your proposed driveway?

[richard s]

Looks like they put the box's in the wrong location or perhaps they had no other choice in it's location.

It would be interesting to see a picture of the location of the box in relation to your property.