Fallen tree on overhead lines - Openreach not interested!

I've recently reported to Openreach (via their website - report 'damage' link) information about a large silver birch tree that's toppled over and it being held up mostly by a main (thick) overhead phone cable.

The tree is around 10" in diameter and 50'+ long. I've sent photos and a map location to OR hoping that they would remove it before any damage is done.

At the weekend they contacted me to thank me for the info and said it would be done as a priority (I nearly fainted!).

Now they've just told me that Openreach are not responsible for tree cutting and the tree owner or council should do it.

The tree is part of some woodland in an unadopted road so I'm pretty sure the council won't be interested.

I've written back to OR saying it looks like we'll just have to wait until the cable has been brought to the ground before getting them to replace it! I was only trying to save OR some expense and their customers some inconvenience

Stuff like this MAKES ME WANT TO SCREAM!!!


This previous TBB post seemed to go better for the OP...

Contact your local paper, they usually like stories like this.

They will usually phone BT's press office who then scrabble about trying to get it fixed so the paper doesn't run the story.

Why not get the owner of the land to sort the tree out? It is his tree causing damage not the other way round.

Maybe because it's a lot easier to figure out who owns a phone line than who owns a tree?

land ownership is not always straight forward.

You normally have to pay the land registry a fee to see who is down on the register as the owner. Our local council had a hell of a job trying to get in touch with a building owner as the building was falling down and the land registry had a foreign holding company who didn't reply to any letters.

This woodland could also be common land which means the council may be responsible but they may not bother as there is no imment danger to people.

Thanks for the replies.

As others are saying finding and contacting the land owner isn't straightforward.
The road (so the verge) is unadopted but not private. So the council won't be interested but there isn't a land owner as such.

Does it affect your line?

If No ignore, it is not worth wasting your time.

Not at the moment. The weight of the fallen tree is resting on the line and some surrounding trees - otherwise it would be on the ground.

As time goes on damage could be done - it's obviously not going to help!

Actual problem is ownership of the TREE. Openreach cannot cut it as it is not theirs and this would be criminal damage. (could also be an envoirnmental issue, as you not allowed to cut mature trees down without a permit).

They are allowed to trim the tree to prevent damage but that would not work in this case.

Less cost to Openreach to let the damage occur than pay damages/fines for cutting the tree before it is on the ground.

Stupid laws and interpretation by the courts.

So are they allowed to bill the 'owner' (if they can find one!) when their cable gets pulled to the ground?

Can they winch the tree off their equipment without causing 'criminal damage'?

NB. The tree is lying at 45 degrees and silver birches are normally classed as 'weeds' - not proper trees

*Bonkers Britain*