A selection of property related questions answered
How can I get Eircom to move their pole to a better location?
There is an Eircom pole on my land (in Wexford) which is in a most inconvenient position. I want it moved 20 metres away from my entrance gate - it was put there years ago without my permission. I was told a survey would be necessary and that I would have to pay the cost of that up-front before that would happen. That cost me €279. Eircom are now telling me that it will cost over €2,500 to move over the pole and that I will have to pay for it to be moved. To compound the unfairness of this I don't even have a telephone.
This column has heard of the pole-moving problem before - most recently where an extension and the subsequent landscaping of the garden required an Eircom pole to be moved only three metres. The costs in that case were roughly the same as yours. We got on to Eircom who confirmed that you have gone about your pole problem correctly.
Apparently "customers who require the removal of a pole on private land can contact Eircom's plant alterations department, which will organise for a surveyor to provide a customer quotation for pole removal. The quotation for removal depends on the individual circumstances of each survey".
Their statement goes on to say that both the surveying fee and pole removal fee is the responsibility of the person requesting the removal.
This does seem unfair as you are not even technically a "customer". There does not seem to be a way around it - it's not the sort of thing a contractor with no experience of moving telephone wires could tackle and, anyway, the pole is the property of the telecom company so you couldn't go hacking at it. Eircom's policy is to place poles on public property. Prior to the enactment of the Communications Regulation Act in 2002, the company had compulsory way leave rights on private land. Now it can only place new telephone poles on private land with the express permission of the landowner.
Can council rent out my two-bed while I'm travelling?
I have a small investment property in London that is rented by the local council. It's a good system in that I don't have to worry about voids, finding tenants or even collecting rents as the council does all that for me. I am about to go travelling and want to rent out my apartment (Dublin 2/two-bed) but have discovered how expensive letting agents are. Is there a government system similar to the ones operated in London?
Yes there is a scheme called the Rent Accommodation Scheme (RAS) which sounds similar to your London experience. It's relatively new here (since mid 2005) and not all local authorities operate the scheme, but yours (Dublin City Council) does.
Basically, you make your apartment available to them for a certain agreed period, they find the tenants and collect the rent. There are a number of terms and conditions but the council has a lot of information about it all on its excellent website. Visit www.dublincity.ie and search for RAS.
Send your queries to Property Questions, The Irish Times, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2 or email propertyquestions@irish-times.ie.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to respond to all questions. The above is a representative sample of queries received. This column is a readers' service and is not intended to replace professional advice. No individual correspondence will be entered into.
