Virgin media installation

[Yogamad]

I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on whether the landlord/lady can evict you for having virgin media installed? (engineer drilled through the wall/window frame).

I moved in one week ago to a recently renovated property. I need the internet for work so I naively had it installed, I wasn’t in the property at the time so my partner let the engineer in, they advised my partner they would be drilling through the wall and window frame and he rang me to advise this, I thought nothing of it and the virgin engineer said this would be fine as he had never had any issues in previous properties. In my old property I just went ahead and had virgin installed and my landlord took no issue whatsoever, however in the contract for my new rental it does state no changes should be made to the property. HELP

[theartfullodger]

Landlord could try to evict using a "section 8" notice, ground 12 - see....
https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/infor...for-possession
- but that is a discretionary ground and I doubt any judge would evict for just a (presumably..) wee hole for a cable.. But, yes, theoretical possibility.

Landlord is, if he really wants you out, more likely to evict at end of the initial term (6 or 12 months) using a "section 21`" notice for which no reason is needed & if paperwork all correct you will be out.

Suggest try to placate landlord. If it is the co-ax cable that can run at 100Mbps or 200Mbps (I have it & pay for it in a student let) you could argue it is an advantage for landlord to provide such high speeds. However if it's just Virgin using BT's cr*ppy old copper cable I'd be p*ss*d off too...

[AndrewDod]

I would be pretty damn irritated as a landlord if you did such a thing without discussing with me. Of course it will involve more than just the hole in the window and wall - it will involve cables, clips to skirtings etc. It sends a pretty bad message of you as a tenant that you "thought nothing of it"

[mariner]

If the work was done before you asked for LL written consent to make any structural changes (inc drilling a hole to exterior), you are 'in breach of Contract', showing a disregard for her Property.
At min, she can charge you for 'making good' any damage, esp it it was recently renovated.
I agree with AndrewDod.

[Yogamad]

Thanks for the input, I think the only thing to do is be honest and offer to put the damage right.

[MdeB]

Thanks for the input, I think the only thing to do is be honest and offer to put the damage right.

Does that mean you will replace the damaged window frame and ensure that any cavity insulation is not bridged?

[Yogamad]

If that is what is required then yes I am willing to pay for it as I understand I have breached the contract and therefore take responsibility for any costs involved to repair said damage.

However I do think the LL or LA could have had this installed before me taking up residence or made it more clear verbally during contract negotiations about what internet provider is to be used and how it should be installed.

[jpkeates]

I don't imagine you'll be uninstalling the cable when you leave and the next tenant will simply be able to reconnect.

This being the 21st century, I don't see it's an issue.
Broadband/cable are as essential as electricity is and a telephone used to be.
Neither of those are installable without making holes in walls.

Tenants have an obligation to make good when they leave, so it's not an issue until then.
You're possibly in breach of your tenancy agreement, but it'd be an interesting point if tested - it's debateable if you've changed anything in a material way. Given there are certain changes a landlord can't prevent a tenant making, I'd suggest the clause isn't that strong (although I can see it would be useful if you decided to knock through a wall).

[mariner]

Installation of Internet is not a LL resp (yet).

[security2]

Neither of those are installable without making holes in walls.

I remember having a mobile dongle in 2007 when I didn't want to commit to a broadband contract. In London, quite a few people are getting a service from Relish. And a lot of new builds still don't have cable provision, just BT Openreach lines. So as a landlord, with the alternatives available, i'd possibly be unhappy if the tenant caused unsightly drill holes and surface mounted cabling in my premium decorated properties...

Best course of action would of course have been for the tenant to have dialogue with the landlord before any orders placed, so a satisfactory and agreeable would have been achieved.

[theartfullodger]

I remember having a mobile dongle in 2007 when I didn't .....

Still use one plugged in the back of a router when "camping" in a remote rented property - as now (lovely views of hot sunny day, sea lochs, several Munros (mountains over 3000ft) still with patches of snow.).

My expectation is that mobile BB will increasingly become faster & cheaper than copper-wire BB. Already the case in many places on speed, price a matter of time as the copper-wire infrastructure is not where you'd start if starting today.

Not surprised BT are firing 13,000 loyal employees..,

[MdeB]

This being the 21st century, I don't see it's an issue.

Depends on how it is done.
I gave permission for the tenant to have a Sky installation on the basis that it was done by cable entering loft through an air brick in the loft (from below so that water did not run along it into the loft), through the loft and into the lounge through a hole in the ceiling in a corner and then in trunking to the sky box.

What did they do?
Cable draped across the roof, in through a hole drilled from the inside (so the exterior face of the brick shattered), and I now have 6 foot of cable hanging from 8 inches above the floor which is a pain when decorating, cleaning carpets and replacing carpets, and providing thermal bridge across the cavity.

[MdeB]

However I do think the LL or LA could have had this installed before me taking up residence or made it more clear verbally during contract negotiations about what internet provider is to be used and how it should be installed.

Did you ask?