Removal of Outside phone cable--who's responsible?

bliley

My neighbor demands that I "call an electrician" to remove a Verizon phone cable from the telephone pole, "or else, [he'll] call the city on [me]". I don't have a Land Line, so it must be leftover from the previous owners of my house. I told him to do whatever he wants with the cable because I don't own it, I don't feel comfortable touching it, cutting it, or otherwise manipulating it. I informed him that it is a phone line that I am not using, and he's welcome to contact Verizon if the portion that extends beyond my yard to the pole is bothering him. (I don't think anyone really owns Verizon cables except Verizon.)

Anyway, he's not happy because the line is hanging on his carport and he wants it removed so he can have some treework done. He told me yesterday, and his removal deadline is April 1st, 2009.

1. Is this my responsibility to handle?

2. How do I get the outside cable removed (or relocated)?

Thanks.

mattheww50

The phone line is responsibility of the utility that put it in, and it and the pole it is on are almost guaranteed to be part of an easement on the deed that specifically allows utilities services access to your property and/or anyone elses. Telephone, cable, gas, water, and electricity are public utilities that are generally franchised by the city, and I'd be willing to bet the deed for the property contains an easement provision to permit line,pipe and other necessary utility access. In short, usually any utility line has a legal right to exist almost anywhere the utility wants to place it. Whether you are actually using it or not is not relevant. The external wiring is the property of the utility company, they generally have a legal right to have it on your property or anyone elses.

In short unless your neighbor can convince verizon, or whoever owns the wire (it is outside your premises, so it isn't yours), to remove/relocate it, (and your neighbor is willing to pay whoever it is for the work), the line stays. In fact if he calls the city, he may be fined for having his tree interfere with the delivery of utility services.

It is probably illegal for anyone other than the utility that owns the line, or an authorized contractor for that utility to touch the line.