Is it possible to reroute a cable without ruffling neighbourly feathers?—The Times
Partner Ed Cracknell responds to a reader of the The Times Home Help section who asks how to deal with a neighbour’s cable that has been installed in such a way it runs through their cherry tree.
Ed asks if the cable intrudes on the reader’s airspace (in which case it would constitute trespassing and therefore underpin a stronger legal case), but suggests that the matter may be better settled without recourse to the law. He emphasises that the cost of legal proceedings may be significantly more than, for example, the cost of paying for the neighbour to have their cable rerouted – adding such an approach would safeguard their (already good) relationship.
You mention that you have a good relationship with your neighbours and preserving that relationship may be more valuable than moving the cable. Why not just explain the issue and your concern that the cable might be damaged when pruning the tree?
The full article is available to read online at The Times by subscription only.
About Ed
Ed Cracknell is a partner in the property litigation team specialising in all aspects of property dispute resolution. His areas of expertise include landlord and tenant disputes, business lease renewals and terminations, possession claims and development disputes.
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