AT&T destroyed my backyard

[TerryMathews]

Wouldn't any utility easement tend to be located at or near the perimeter of the property line? If their buried cable is not at the perimeter of the property, then maybe it needs to be re-located.
As long as you know exactly where the easement is located, then you'd know not to plant a tree near there, that has roots that could eventually reach the buried cable. Or otherwise interfere with a utility's occasional need for backhoe access, such as with a fence or planting bed.

Not necessarily. I know a person who had a parcel at the end of a development that had an overhead access easement that ran diagonally from one corner to nearly the middle of the back of the parcel.

House encroached nearly 5 feet.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I don't even use AT&T service, although my house is wired for it. Apparently my neighbors' lines run through my backyard, which is why they were servicing them.

Everywhere I've lived before had an alley behind every house where cables were run. They only cable that would be in the yard would be a short run from the alley to the house. The neighborhood I live in now doesn't have alleys, so all the cables run through people's yards.

Same here. But, they went and fixed the neighbor's phone by stealing my copper pair (breaking my service in the process).

AT&T = asshats

 

[Sho'Nuff]

isn't it trespassing and vandalism? i mean do they have the right to do that with no consequences?

Utility easement. Runs with the land. Company has right to enter to perform maintenance. Usually the end result is that they will restore the yard.

 

[WelshBloke]

Awesome :thumbsup:

You really are a bitter, sad little man.

 

[marvdmartian]

Easement or not, I don't believe that can remove the property like that. It would be one thing if they dug them up, netted them, and left them in the yard.

Actually, if it's in the easement, they can. I was specifically told, when I bought my house, that the easement extended 5 feet on either side of the fence lines, and if I built anything within that limit, the holders of that easement could, and would, come in and move or remove it, if it were necessary to get to any of the services inside that easement.

When I had them come out and line spot my yard, for underground services, I found out that the cable, telephone, electric and natural gas all came through the back end of my yard, inside that easement.

 

[jagec]

When a line goes down, time is money. Whats to be expected really...are we supposed to fix it with magic? Pixie dust perhaps?

Underground mole-robots that tunnel down to where the lines run and fix the problem without disturbing the landscaping, and then fill in their tunnels on the way out.

I'd be willing to pay an extra $0.05 a month on my bill for this service, so they really have no excuse.

 

[olds]

Used to have some property that the power company had an easement on. They trimmed so trees under the lines and offered replacement trees.

People would 4x4 on our property and they accessed it through the easement road. I put up a barbed wire fence and a gate and the power company paid for it.

 

[Sluggo]

I'll wager they also pissed in your yard while working there.

 

[Imp]

On the bright side, at least it was a big company that did this to you.

My effing neighbours are doing a massive reno and doing some damage to our property. It's a rental and the owner owns a bunch of houses in the hood, so he's wealthy, but not loaded, and a prick -- daddy bought everything, died, handed it down. His workers don't speak English and are your typical crap contractor. I'd like to think it's more difficult to make a claim against them than a massive corporation.

 

[HeXen]

On the bright side, at least it was a big company that did this to you.

My effing neighbours are doing a massive reno and doing some damage to our property. It's a rental and the owner owns a bunch of houses in the hood, so he's wealthy, but not loaded, and a prick -- daddy bought everything, died, handed it down. His workers don't speak English and are your typical crap contractor. I'd like to think it's more difficult to make a claim against them than a massive corporation.

Big corps are worse. Believe it or not i have heard homeowners tell me that they have been hung up on by AT&T...several owners actually. One of which we didn't get her sidewalk perfectly flat, so it held a drop of water in the center, when we finally got the complaint to redo it, she said the woman on the phone told her they don't do concrete work and hung up on her...lol

Most people have a hard time getting very far because even the manager there don't have a clue on what is being worked on and where, they just listen and talk BS then most often don't have to deal with you again, so they don't care.. Usually if you can get a plant manager, field coordinator or the engineer for the job then you can get whatever you want...even have plants put in to hide above ground enclosures..etc. I had to put in many an ever green or bush simply cause they got ahold of the right person and asked for it. The contractor is sometimes good to talk to, but depends on how they choose to do business.

 

[grohl]

Yes, easement.

Make SURE everything is redone to the way it was previously, ask to speak to the super, and request a timetable when work will be done.

 

[NFS4]

Still no pics?

 

[FallenHero]

Call your police non emergency number and have someone come to file a report.

No. Just no.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

No pics? Bullshitter.

 

[Thump553]

It's called a servitude.They have a right to enter the servitude anytime they need to.They will make it back like it was b4 they got there.They do not go around and enter servitudes without a direct need to do so.

No, the other posters were correct, it's called an easement. The OP's interest in the land is the servitude to the easement.

Utility easements are extremely common, the terms can vary a lot. Generally if underground stuff is involved you are prohibited from planting, putting buildings in the easement area, etc. If OP is really interested in finding out he should look up the easement in the land records for his property and read it's terms.

 

[squirrel dog]

least it wasn't a high pressure gas pipe line.

 

[bigrash]

That's messed up. Post some pics.

 

[dabuddha]

You should call them and tell them you had buried grandma in the back and now she's missing.

 

[Pens1566]

Easement or not, I don't believe that can remove the property like that. It would be one thing if they dug them up, netted them, and left them in the yard.

^ Never owned a house?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Try giving your insurance company a call. You will likely have to file a claim against them to get things fixed to the way they were.

I would talk to a lawyer for that amount of damage, lack of legal permission/documentation, property damage, and general ass-hole-ery.

Anyone think that's possible?

 

[mizzou]

If you aren't being charged for line maintenance, I would rather they fix it then not. Just make sure they reseed your lawn properly

I have an easement in my back yard, but it's for raised power lines. I am not supposed to build or do anything underneath the lines, makes sense to me!

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Ttiwwp

 

[TerryMathews]

I would talk to a lawyer for that amount of damage, lack of legal permission/documentation, property damage, and general ass-hole-ery.

Anyone think that's possible?

If there is no easement, maybe. If there is an easement, by law the PUCO has superior right to the land.

For example, with proper approval they could replace his tree with one of those aboveground phone hubs on a concrete slab. Without paying him a dime.

If he was in an easement, technically the utility could pursue him for the additional expense if they felt especially asshole-ish.

This is also highly dependent on state and local zoning laws in your area. But im not aware of any area that gives property owners superior claim over a utility company in their easement.

 

[OutHouse]

They can. Technically you shouldn't be planting over the easement. They generally don't care and will likely restore it as it was before.

sounds like his whole back yard is an easment? an alley or access road i can understand for a easment but not the middle of some guys back yard.

 

[TerryMathews]

sounds like his whole back yard is an easment? an alley or access road i can understand for a easment but not the middle of some guys back yard.

It's not the whole back yard but there's nothing that says it can't run through it. It's for the Good of the People.