# Underground Mains Electric Cable Advice



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Any utilities workers or electricity supplier employees on here?

Digging foundations over the weekend and came across an electric cable about 14 inches down running left to right about a metre out from our house! 
Had a Scottish Power(they are responsible for our network) guy out today who confirmed it was live and looks like it spurs off our supply running up the drive and supplies our attached neighbour!

He then threw the spanner in the works and said we can't build over it so it will need moving out(just over a metre).

P! $$ed off is a understatement as I suspect it'll cost a bit.

Waiting now for a different guy to come out from Scottish power and assess/quote for the job. 

So any advice regarding options before I speak to the next guy is welcome. Don't want him blagging me into an expensive option if there are others available.

Ducting I've read to the meter location is usual in case cable needs replacing but obviously the junction of this spur will be under the floor slab so thinking even if I agreed they could dig my drive up in future if any issues they might need to get to that junction!!


----------



## GleemSpray (Jan 26, 2014)

First of all you have to establish when, why and how it was put under your property in the first place.

If it is a supply cable to other property(s) laid by a utility company before you bought the house, it should have been documented as a hazard and should  have come to light when your Solicitors did local searches whilst buying your property.

If so, you can probably go after someone else for the cost of moving it outside of your property boundary.

Could be a lot trickier if you rent and the landlord failed to mention.


----------



## Jack R (Dec 15, 2014)

As above and good luck it's not cheap moving cables like that. I had a similar problem at my sisters place when building there extension, luckily I had already contacted the electricity board and asked for them to do a report on what was passing through the ground. After the said nothing I starting digging and uncovered a cable which they had not put on there records! thankfully they covered the costs to remove and replace the cable to the houses which it fed, I asked the manager what the cost came in at and they replied 45k.


----------



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Apparently it's a supply to next doors. I was wrong about a junction/spur on the drive. Looks like where our supply enters the house we have 1 mains cable coming in then 1 going out which goes to next supply next door. Obviously all that happens before the meter!! 

Got building control coming tomorrow so will see what he has to say too.

Nothing was brought up in searches (or at least mentioned to us) would that be solicitors fault or power company for not revealing?


----------



## Jack R (Dec 15, 2014)

That sounds like how it was done about 20/30years ago, building control won't advise about that as it's out of there hands. Unfortunately the electric board will have you by the balls, so I think you will need to pay them to move it unless you get lucky


----------

