BT payment for telegraph pole on our land £10.50pa! So generous…

[Great_scot_selfbuild]

We have a telegraph pole on our land. BT says that the rate they pay is what their rate card says at the time of a new owner registering with them, and that it never changes until the ownership changes. The current rate card is £10.50 per year(!).

 

Has anyone tried challenging this? The previous owner was being paid £8.82 by cheque once a year (since early 1990s). This seems to be a very favourable inflation rate for BT.

 

My simple ChatGPT-aided search has shown it to be a BT policy rather than law and the bit that annoys me is the reference to it being a fixed rate for the whole duration of ownership.

A neighbour wasn’t aware of this at all until I mentioned it. The response they have had offered:

£10.50pa or £315 one-off payment

my personal concern with a one-off payment is any implied rights, whereas an annual payment is far more clearly a rent-like payment.

 

I’m sure some of you have opinions on this. I’d love to hear them… 🫣

[JohnMo]

No wonder the farmer didn't want us going across his land.

[saveasteading]

We have an electric pole on ours. The larger proportion of a tall tree. Anybody know if we should get anything? Thinking about it, the farmer probably accepted a lump sum.

[SteamyTea]

How much does it cost to get a chainsaw blade resharpened?

Use that as a benchmark.