utility cables not buried problem

Started by WilliamT1 • 12 replies • 2960 views

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WilliamT1 (Maryland)
Posts: 12

Posted:

We're having a problem with the local cable TV company not burying new external cable runs. We've asked the county what their regulations are, but those rules only cover county Right Of Way areas, and most/all of our problems are not in these areas. They are outside houses, and include running across both private and common-ground lawn areas. One example of this has been unburied since early November 2007, so we do not consider this to be a "temporary" situation. There's a number of cables in our neighborhood now where there was absolutely no attempt whatsoever to bury them. How do other HOAs deal with things like this? What legal methods, rights, and enforcment do we have to fight this cable TV company and get them to treat our neighborhood with respect? We're in Maryland, Howard County, if anyone else nearby has dealt with similar problems...

MikeS1
Posts: 668

Posted:

Hire our landscaping company to maintain your grounds! - they tend to run over everything in their path when they mow. No seriously aren't your cable companies regulated by the county? ONe contractor usually does the hook up and then a few days later, another crew comes by and trenches the cable. No doubt that they have an easement to go through the common areas, but it sounds like it's time for a letter to their company from you or the HOA attorney. Tell them if they are not buried within a reasonable period, that you'll be forced to remove them as a hazard to An unburied cable may represent a huge, unneccesary trip hazard for pedestrians (kids, etc). If someone gets hurt both the HOA and the Cable company are going to be sued. Send a copy of the letter to the homeowner whose home is serviced by the unburried cable. Also, our county has a serious consumer affairs division on their website. Any chance that you can get the HO to file a complaint on the County's website?

GeorgerwilliamsW (Indiana)
Posts: 975

Posted:

We have this problem all the time. When a cable customer drops service or moves out, the cable company actually cuts the cable to prevent theft of services. Then when service to the house is reestablished, a new cable is put in, first over the ground, then a few days or weeks later it is buried.

They do get cut all the time by lawn mowers (I've cut my share). And they are a safety hazard.

Maybe the solution is to contact a local television station to get some media attention about the situation. If you succeed, I bet the cable company will be on top of the situation in a few days.

WilliamT1 (Maryland)
Posts: 12

Posted:

So far all I really know is that the County Licensing Department head told us that the county rules only cover county Right Of Way areas, and that the building code only covers inside the building, and that for non-ROW, outside the building HOA property we're on our own, that there is no County cable burying regulation for these areas. For ROW areas, it's 18", for the electric company, they go by the National Electrical Safety Something or other rule but he didn't actually tell us what that depth is, but this isn't the electric company.

We have emailed two complaints earlier this year (in March I think) to this cable company's customer service department but received zero reply of any kind.

When this company ran a new line for my own house some years ago, the contractor trenched the new cable the day he installed it. Apparently that's no longer the case.

I need to verify that all the pictures I took in March are still valid today and prepare a letter to the company. There's 40 or 50 locations of this problem in our neighborhood, but copying the homeowners is probably a good idea too. Someone else told us we should talk to the local franchise office and not the company corporate office, we'll try that too. I'd also like to get some other nearby HOAs on board with this as we've talked to others before that mentioned they have hte same problem. I'll have to check about complaining to the County some more, the response I got about the regulations was in response to questions which included who at the county to file such complaints with, but did not address that particular one.

KirkW1 (Texas)
Posts: 1,665

Posted:

I would inform the company they have three days to bury the cable. If there is to be any longer delay they should contact your management to work something out. Otherwise your organization will exercise their self-remedy rights.

All of that is short hand to say that three days after the cable is placed if still above ground you cut it. Then you roll the cable up. Then the cable company will have to come out and replace the cable. In short order they will figure out that they need to bury their cables in a timely manner. Either that or your residents will give up on the cable company and all get a dish.

Understand that the three days is a period chosen quite arbitrarily. In actuality I would go with whatever standard the county expects for their right of way. Be sure to notify the residents that this will happen. And you might want to add something to the new owner packets to let them know to stay on the cable company lest they lose their service shortly after it starts.

PatrickH (California)
Posts: 204

Posted:

Hi William,

I had a thought similar to Kirk's.

Have your landscapers mow over a couple of the cables. When the repairmen come out, they'll see what happened. Not the nicest thing for the folks who lose their cable access, but if they start complaining to the cable company about the cables being laid across the lawns, the cable company will probably bury them.

KirkW1 (Texas)
Posts: 1,665

Posted:

I do NOT advocate running over the cables with a mower. And if I owned a landscape company I would fire (without warning) any fool who did so intentionally. At best it is very hard on the equipment. At worst: well how fast will a cable move as it wraps around a mower blade spinning over 1000 times per second?

But the landscaper is all the more reason to cut the cable and roll it up. I advocate doing a neat job of rectifying the problem. You can purchase cutters that will work quite well for a few dollars. Then simply cut the cable where it crosses into the common area. Roll up the cable and put a twist tie on it to keep it looking as nice as possible.

Please note that when you cut the cable the only time location matters is if there is enough slack to put a connector on and pull it to the termination point. Cable companies do not splice the runs to the home as a general rule. Also, the real cost is the labor and upset customer. The cost of the cable is negligible. That is why some cut the cable when service terminates. The cost of the cable is less then the loss of revenue from stolen services.

PatrickH (California)
Posts: 204

Posted:

Hi Kirk,

Sorry if you took my facetious suggestion literally. I should have put one of those smiley face things in there somewhere so folks wouldn't think I was serious.

Certainly not suggesting that your idea was bad or that you were advocating cutting cables with a mower.

KevinK7 (Florida)
Posts: 1,343

Posted:

I would suggest calling the company instead of e-mail or regular mail. It seems that people are more willing to ignore a problem if they have the option to avoid confrontation.

I would outline my concerns and explain to them the liability issue of having exposed wires running through the yard. If they have been above ground for so long, I can only imagine it would be a matter of time before an accident occurs.

KevinK7 (Florida)
Posts: 1,343

Posted:

I believe you would have to call them and tell them you need to schedule a drop bury, since they hadn't done so already.

WilliamT1 (Maryland)
Posts: 12

Posted:

We haven't even been able to properly contact the company by mail as it's hard to find their local franchise office, and we were told we'd have more luck talking to them locally than to corporate.

But we did find a county resource for Cable issues, there's a complaint web form contact to the County Office of the Cable Administrator. http://www.co.ho.md.us/Tech/tech_cablecomplaintsintro.htm Maybe other communities out there have a similar thing with their county...

WilliamT1 (Maryland)
Posts: 12

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By KevinK7 on 09/08/2008 10:48 AM
I believe you would have to call them and tell them you need to schedule a drop bury, since they hadn't done so already.

For 40 or 50 locations? They need to be doing this themslves, not having us HOAs remind them a year later.

KirkW1 (Texas)
Posts: 1,665

Posted:

I promise that you will get the attention you seek if you go through and cut every single cable that is above the ground. But since it has been so long let your residents know that this is not something you wish on them.

Given the current climate of litigation you should at least be mildly concerned with the problem of the cables being a trip hazard. If you don't have a way to contact the cable company then cut every last cable. Just do your best to have someone catch one of the guys coming out to do repairs. Let them know that after a week the cable will be cut once again.

Just one thing: when they ask who you think you are. Be sure to reply with the name of the biggest jerk in the neighborhood.

No that last part is just a joke. But I am serious about cutting the cable. I did it in my last neighborhood once. After three months the city hadn't managed to get the company to resolve the problem. I went and cut the cable and the replacement was buried in no time at all.

Besides, they are littering on your property.

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