Removal outside cable from front garden

[monicaturoni]

Good morning,

I've bought my house and there is a Virgin Media box and cable which runs through my front garden and into my studio room. 

I don't intend to become a Virgin Media customer and would like this cable removed. It is causing an issues to my development of the front garden.

The cable is in a green protective flexible pipe and hasn't been buried in the garden so presents a trip hazard in my front garden development. It was previously hidden by the bushes and grass.

Would really appreciate any advice on how to remove this myself or a Virgin technician could please come and remove this from my new property. 

Many thanks,
Monica Turoni

[nodrogd]

As you are not a customer you might have a fight to get this removed. A lot of the time VM will want to re-bury it, as cutting it off at the street tee would cause issues should any subsequent re-connection be required.

[jpeg1]

Virginmedia will be very reluctant to remove this as it will cost them money now, and more money later if a later resident wants to use it. 

You can ask them, but like others have found you will probably have to wait in vain and eventually have to remove it yourself. 

There are no harmful voltages in the cable, you can just cut it back to the edge of your property. But check that the cable only connects to you and not to a neighbour as well. 

[Carley_S]

Hi @monicaturoni 

Welcome to the community forums 

Sorry to hear that there are external cabling is causing a trip hazard and you'd like this removed. 

We wouldn't be able to request the removal of the cabling as this is not something we're able to do, but we can look into arranging an engineer to come and rebury the cable. 

Are you having works completed on your front garden? If so, would you prefer the engineer to rebury the cable before or after the works have been completed? 

[monicaturoni]

Hi Carley,

Thank you for your reply.

Wouldn't it be possible to shorten the cable until it reaches the sidewalk (the external fence side) instead of reburying it?

The garden is my property and the cable was already there before I purchased it. I don't intend to become a Virgin Media customer and I would prefer not to have anything that wasn't requested. The cable is simply a cable, coming from under the sidewalk and not connected to anything else.

Thank you.

Kind Regards,

Monica Turoni

[spell]

Of course you can do that - the property is yours and VM has chosen to abandon their junk on it in the hope that they may make use of it again in the distant future - how dare Carly S have the nerve to even suggest they rebury it.

Just deal with it like any other rubbish abandoned on your property - as jpeg1 says there is no kind of power in it and nothing magical about it - look around for a handy skip to use and smile nicely when asking permission from a new neighbour.

[Matthew_ML]

Sorry to hear this,

Can you attach a photo of the cable / the issue please so we can get a better understand where this is?

It could be a cable from next door and doing this may stop / damage their services.

We wouldn't really cut cables either sorry.

Please do attach a photo. 

[Anonymous]

id reply to Matt with a photo if you can but if its not resolved, then,
may be you should write to VM's head office, not asking, but, giving them notice (30days) to move/remove the cable on your property, then if they don't respond or don't do so, you have your answer...

[monicaturoni]

Hi Matt,

please find the photos attached. As you can see the cable is in my front garden and isn't connected to anyone's services. It was previously hidden below grass and bushes.

Please send someone to remove this cable as it is causing an issues to my development of the front garden.

Thank you.

Kind Regards,
Monica T.

[jpeg1]

Just remove it and get on with your gardening.  VM aren't bothered about the inconvenience to you, so you can return the compliment.