BT Wayleave Offer for Fibre Installation — Is £2.36 a Metre Reasonable? So our area at long last is having Openreach fibre installation (third party contractor) and this is great news. As a interesting sideline and something I had not thought greatly...

[UK Sentinel]

So our area at long last is having Openreach fibre installation (third party contractor) and this is great news.

As a interesting sideline and something I had not thought greatly about, I am a landowner (house) and there are houses 5 that share a common access pathway (driveway) which I own as we live in a cul-de-sac.

I received a letter from Openreach saying they need to dig a trench and install new underground duct and cables totaling 27 metres in length.

The route Openreach are proposing I have already verbally agreed with site engineer that visited a while ago but was not fully aware the limitations that having this new underground duct had on future planning permissions and the remuneration Openreach offer as consequence for almost unlimited access.

In essence, Openereach are offering £2.30 a Metre.

Does this sound reasonable remuneration, especially as soon as it does goes wrong, the neighbours will be looking at me to resolve  as I am contractually obliged to ensure no damage to apparatus and given the line rental charges Openreach charge, they profit from this process mid-to-long term ?

Great topic for discussion I thought

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

I did find this … ‘A Rural Fixed Line Network Access Framework’.

But I am neither Rural or Farm land owner, our area is classed as URBAN.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/country-land-and-business-association-and-national-farmers-union-wayleave/a-rural-fixed-line-network-access-framework.

 

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[Superhands]

I think many aspects of wayleave are negotiable – from the payment to the actual particulars of what they’re doing such as if you want them to lay them deeper than they’re suggesting although payments never seem to be massively substantial.

I would think predominantly your neighbours would be more aggrieved if it was yourself being the blocker between them and getting fibre however :)

Liked by:

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

Absolutely, that is the dilemma in keeping the neighbours happy and not delaying the process significantly.

Time for a cul-de-sac BBQ and put on my diplomatic hat

 

 

 

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[UK Sentinel]

Out of interest I went online and had a chat with ChatGPT, this is a table that resulted in terms of OpenReach Wayleave Payment per Metre.

Also reading online and to help others whom also maybe in this scenarion, does seem as though Openreach offer a standard amount initially, but are fully open to negotiations both in terms of Installation Details, Access Rights and Payment Amount.

And if your particular situation is complicated, only Right of Access and/or Easement or previous agreement in which case you feel you need to seek professional guidance, then Specialist Surveyors or Land Agents services can be called upon.

 

Example Comparison for a  Shared Driveway:

Situation	Likely Payment Per Metre
Basic unpaved surface, minimal disruption	£5 – £10
Tarmacked driveway, light disruption	£10 – £15
Decorative, block-paved driveway, major disruption	£15 – £20+
High-value urban property, shared access, multiple beneficiaries	£20+

In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

You need to login in order to vote

[Superhands]

Interesting! Never been in that position myself but seems from what I see online people who have posted have certainly been able to negotiate a lot on it.

As long as it won’t be too impactful I would crack on and be seen as the hero for your neighbours for getting fibre in and take the kudos

You need to login in order to vote

[Author]

Posts