ESB Tree cutting - what are my rights

tombrown · 06-09-2022 7:13am #1

Every 3 years or so ESB call round and trim various tress that are near power lines on our property (we are on a 2 acre site with a lot of mature trees). In the past they have taken the branches they cut away with them, though they do leave a lot that just drop down into the bushes below, which is a bit annoying.

This year they brought a shredder and shredded everything into a corner by the driveway, where I really didn't want it (I wasnt at home at the time). I just spent this last weekend shovelling the chippings into barrows, spreadign in a feew places as mulch and filled a large trailer to take to a neighbour who wanted some - so we got some gain out of it, but I'd really rather not have to have done that. And my back is in bits now :)

When they next come am I within my rights to demand that they take all the waste away with them, or is it really my responsibility to deal with what they cut?

thedart · 06-09-2022 7:23am

Count yourself lucky that they shred up and make an attempt at tidying up.

Ive seen the worst butcher attempt at tree surgery by some of them. Whatever branches they dropped were left there for land owners to sort out. The esb are a law amongst themselves.

brokenangel · 06-09-2022 7:28am

I have the same but they have always brought a shredder, they either took it away or they offered the chipping to me if I wanted to use

Mostof the time they are a 3rd party company, unless you have guidance they should have taken with them, not dumped it chipped in a corner, I would claim

ESB will never know how bad these companies are if you don’t make them aware

westsidestory · 06-09-2022 9:15am

Topped our trees with the roughest of cuts tearing the bark down along the trunk and leaving it wherever it fell. If it fell on top of side branches so be it. Was just my elderly mother at home at the time, they never talked to anyone and cut away. Had got permission the previous time. Trees were not particularly close to the power lines, its a woodland setting.

brokenangel · 06-09-2022 11:07am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119577858#Comment_119577858

The company that has cut on our property normally arrive a week or two before to tell you they want access on such a date. Normally a quick discussion about what they are doing. Last few times I have been in the house when they came. Even last time they came back to confirm a tree a distance away but could fall and break the line if they could cut back.

Of course they only cover our area, if they are doing a sh*t job report them to ESB and they will get proper contractors next time

The Continental Op · 06-09-2022 1:04pm

They normally contact me before they come on my land and prune the trees. I normally have a chat to the guys about the good old bad old days as I used to work as a tree surgeon. I definitely get the impression that without a bit of careful management they could/would do a real hatchet job. I think their remit is to make sure there is 2 meters clearance (may have distance wrong but there is a specific distance) between any branches and the power cables. Now having been a tree surgeon I know the easy option is to hack off a massive branch or even fell a tree rather than branch walk/climb and cut back to the minimum clearance distance.

Jim_Hodge · 06-09-2022 2:10pm

It must be down to the contractor you had. All this is contracted out. Here they always call and discuss what we want and take all debris away. Contact ESB Networks about your situation. If you don't tell them they'll not know the contractor needs reminding of what their contract covers. They're usually very good to deal with.

tombrown · 06-09-2022 5:47pm

Thanks for all the advice. In fairness they did contact us before hand and discussed what they were going to do, in terms of what they would cut - their starting point was to cut down any ash tree within 100 yards of a power line, but we talked them out of that (yes, I know they are probably doomed in the long run, but they ain't dead or dying yet). The first time they came, about 12 years ago, they cut a right angle out of a tree that stood alone in the middle of the garden, and which, until then had a uniform round profile ... made it look a bit like will.i.am, so since then we have been careful to talk to them in advance.

The disposal with a shredder was a new thing this year, so we hadnt discussed it and I was away when they did it. It was a few months ago now (I was just stewing on it while shoveling chippings this weekend), so I'll let it slide this time, but will be sure to tell them to remove all debris next time around, and then complain if they don't.

The Continental Op · 06-09-2022 6:24pm

I'm not sure if they will remove all debris? At least they haven't when I suggested they should but then I had plenty of places to get rid of it and my own chipper.

elperello · 06-09-2022 6:49pm

Another option is to do your own pruning and maintenance each year keeping the growth back from the line.

Then when they come around there won't be any work to do.

Of course it will cost you in time and/or money but you will have a nicer garden.

looksee · 06-09-2022 7:44pm

The previous owners of my garden planted a sycamore tree exactly under the power lines. It grew and grew till it was surrounding the power lines so I had to cut it down. I don't like sycamores so this did not exactly grieve me. It also allowed the adjacent larch and red acer room to breath.

ESB Tree cutting - what are my rights

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