We all agree: Britain needs fast, reliable, internet.
But the thousands of small landowners – including farmers, churches and community groups – who lease their land to telecoms companies should get a fair deal for playing their part.
But these telecoms companies are trying to force through huge rent reductions on landowners – in some cases by up to 90%.
And they’re now trying to change the law to further erode the limited safeguards landowners have under the current law, and make it easier to pursue them through the courts.
Not only is this behaviour unfair – it will actually slow down, not speed up, the roll-out of faster internet – with far fewer landowners set to sign up and help in the face of such unfair treatment.
The Government is currently taking views from all interested parties about this issue – so now is the chance to make our voices heard and stop these unnecessary changes.
So please – do your bit by sharing your experience. Use the form below to take part in the ongoing consultation, and together, let’s stop the great mobile mast rip-off.
email the consultation
ECC Consultation Response Guidance:
You may wish to use the subject areas below as a guide, but please be clear about the nature of your interest (e.g. you are a landowner who leases land to a Code Operator) and set out your experiences in your own words.
1. Issues experienced when dealing with Code Operators, and suggestions to make matters easier:
You may wish to consider the following:
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If you have an installation on your land / building – have you experienced any issues with operators accessing it to maintain or carry out works on site?
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How have you been treated in any recent negotiations to either acquire or renew an existing agreement? – Did you get a ‘fair’ outcome?
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Knowing what you know now, would you have agreed to allow the Code Operator on your property in the first place?
2. Views on whether Code Operators should be able to modify current UNEXPIRED agreements via the courts – and if not, why not:
You may wish to consider the following:
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Would you welcome a Code Operator being able to change the terms of the agreement you have with them at any point in time and on multiple occasions, even if this was done unilaterally through the courts without your consent?
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How would you feel if a Code Operator was to instigate these changes to substantially reduce the rent you are currently receiving?
3. Issues experienced with Code Operators upgrading and sharing, and views on whether they should be allowed (as is proposed) to remove restrictions/conditions in current agreements and deploy unilaterally:
You may wish to consider the following:
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Any difficulties you have faced where a Code Operator has carried out works on your property
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Do you believe that operators should be able to freely and unilaterally carry out works and install others on the site without reference to you?
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Knowing that the proposed changes would see you lose further control over your property, even if your current agreement allows for it?
Enter your response to the consultation in the form below – once you’re happy with your email, enter your details and hit “submit” and we’ll send it on. Please refer to the notes below the form for a useful guide on what you might want to include.
1.
have your say
email the consultation now
Together, we can stop the great mobile mast-rip off. Click below to make your voice heard:
2.
get involved
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We’re going to be fighting hard over the coming weeks and months to get a fair deal for small landowners