ATT left unfinished work in my yard

[Soul_Patch]

About 2 or 3 months ago, some ATT folks came to my door, asking for access to our backyard to run a connection to our neighbors house, a few houses over.

They were out there a while, then left, with a huge mound of dirt, etc in the yard...turns out they cut our sprinkler lines while they were doing their work. They never told us, i went to check and sure enough, when i turned them on, water just gushed out of the hole in the ground. We filed a claim and they came to fix the sprinkler, but left the ground all tore up and the cable laying out on the grass.

Today i was out there to mow and tried to move it out of the way, it came disconnected. It was just electrical taped to some connection in a tube sticking out of our backyard. I just rolled the cable up and stuffed it under the fence so i could mow. Im sure our neighbor doesn't have cable any more though.

My question is, ive called them 3 to 5 times over the past few months to this claims agent and she never answers. I have left messages each time. Am i required to let them back in my yard? Am i liable for this cable and dmg to my yard / sprinklers?

This is ridiculous.

[Slydragon]

Call the defenders or what ever that segment is called on the news.

[coyotes_geek]

Don't take this as gospel, but I'm pretty sure I'm right on all these.


Am i required to let them back in my yard?

If there's a utility easement in your backyard, then definitely yes.

If not, then I'm pretty sure you don't have to. But there's one possible exception. If you are an AT&T customer there's probably some fine print somewhere on some document where one of the terms of your service is granting them access.

If you're really serious about keeping them off your property and don't know whether you have that right you could always just claim that you don't have to let them on your property and make it their problem to figure out whether you do.


Am i liable for this cable and dmg to my yard / sprinklers?

Nope.


This is ridiculous.

Sure is. Sorry dude.

[Soul_Patch]

Well the cable wasnt on the easement, it was just strung down the fence. It was simply electrical taped to a connecting cable with a white pvc sticking out of a large crater.

When i pulled on it, it came lose pretty easy. So i rolled it up and stuffed it back under the fence near their box. Pulled the white PVC up and filled in the crater. Threw all the other stuff away.

There are giant weeds growing all down the line they dug up, since they killed all the grass there. They already fixed the sprinklers, so as far as im concerned, ill consider the rest a loss, fix the yard back myself...and they can fuck off.

[thispego]

dude if i were you i'd be getting 6 months free premium cable.

[Soul_Patch]

dude if i were you i'd be getting 6 months free premium cable.

You would think....if you can get them on the phone for me, ill have them give you the 6 months free premium cable...

[PuttPutt]

Find an email address or physical address of someone other than their claim agents that is higher up in the company. Then proceed to tell them how inconvenienced you have been by this. Explaining that you have contacted them 5 times, or however many times. Tell them how unprofessional this is & embellish the story a bit (but not so you are lying. Mainly about how inconvenoenced you were. I can almost guarantee that hey will fix it & possibly hook you up. Be straight forward & business polite.

I have had several issues resolved by doing this.
Once I got $1200 rebate from Lowes on appliances that I had purchased. The rebate forms were filled out correctly & in time by their deadline. They could give me no reason as to why I was denied the rebate. I found the address to the VP of kitchen & bath. sent him a letter & a copy to the CEO. 2 weeks later I had a check for $1200.

[Wild Cobra]

Sound's like you were punked by your next door neighbor to me. Ate you sure they were actual AT&T representatives?

Anyway, if it was AT&T representatives, they have damages to pay for. If not... Good luck.

[Dex]

Call AT&T to complain and explain the situation in detail, and don't speak to the first representative you get on the phone. Immediately ask to speak to a manager or supervisor, then ask to speak to their manager or supervisor if they don't cooperate. That type of service is absolutely unacceptable, but cable companies will just keep passing the bill as long as you allow them to do so.

[Wild Cobra]

Call AT&T to complain and explain the situation in detail, and don't speak to the first representative you get on the phone. Immediately ask to speak to a manager or supervisor, then ask to speak to their manager or supervisor if they don't cooperate. That type of service is absolutely unacceptable, but cable companies will just keep passing the bill as long as you allow them to do so.
I agree, but what if it wasn't an authorized AT&T job, and the neighbors were just stealing the service. then there is a different route to take.

[ORION]

I would have never done that to your yard, but I do not work for AT&T. They do have the right to enter your yard, but should always leave it the way they found it and let you know if something had happened. I required to let you know ASAP if I fucked some shit up so no suprises. You sould call and complain. Speak with a supervisor and start demanding shit if you have AT&T.

[MannyIsGod]

Why do they always have a right to enter your yard? That doesn't seem right.

[exstatic]

Why do they always have a right to enter your yard? That doesn't seem right.

It's called a utility easement. My best friend's back yard was half-sized for like 18 months while CPS did some work.

[Das Texan]

It's called a utility easement. My best friend's back yard was half-sized for like 18 months while CPS did some work.


Ya I really do hate that shit in my backyard. Its too bad they dont still have alleyways like in my parents older neighborhood where all the utility shit is kept and they have no need to be in your fucking yard then.

I do enjoy that there are extension cords running from that fucking box in my back yard to whatever neighbors yard. Thats enjoyable, good thing I rarely go back there (its behind a ton of red tips, to where you cant see the fucking thing from the house)