Back in January, long before lockdown started, I found a man in my garden from Calor Gas who provide our heating from a large tank at the side of our house. A huge tanker comes every 8 weeks and tops it up so that we never run out. The tank has been hidden behind a 7ft Leylandii hedge for over 30 yrs and it seemed as though everyone was happy.
How wromg could I be!
The Leylandii hedge can be seen at the back left, this has now been cut to the ground and the beech hedge has been cut down by half.
The little man, and he was a lot smaller than me, told me that the tank was old and had to be replaced, fair enough, but it couldn’t stay where it was as it didn’t comply with building regs, health and safety etc.etc. these days, it had to have more room around it. He was adamant that the hedge would have to go as there needed to be more space all round it.
Most of the hedge has gone, you can now see the tank.
He decided they would move the tank to the middle of the flower bed by the drive, my bee and butterfly border, no I said , they couldn’t move it to there. Ok then, they would move it to the middle of the rose garden between the house and the garage. By this time I was getting rather fed up! I explained that I didn’t think it was a thing of beauty, a sculpture for my friends and family to admire and that it had to be hidden. He took no notice of me and said that they would be in touch.
Voila! We have light and air!
Thank goodness Lockdown came next before they got back in touch with me. In the meantime my son in law, a building surveyor, put me in touch with Flo Gas who sent a lovely young man to come and see me.
To cut a very long story short, this young man had a look at the old tank, its position and said that as my end wall of the house doesn’t have any windows in it, it is a fire wall, so the tank could stay where it is. He explained why the hedge would have to be cut down, so the tanker driver can see both ends of the pipe and check that no gas is escaping.We left it that I would get in touch with Flo Gas if Calor Gas didn’t agree to the tank staying where it was.
Who would have thought that the old hedge would take up so much room.
Hopefully it will all go soon.
Calor Gas wrote to me a couple of weeks ago demanding that the hedge be cut down asap.which they will now find that I have done as I had to complete a form saying that I had done so. Not me personally, but a farmer friend came a couple of weeks ago when I told him I was in need of a man with a chain saw! I am now waiting for it all to be taken away as it fills nearly half the driveway! The other day I found a female person looking round where the gas tank is, but by the time I had got out of my house, she had disappeared, down the drive and the road. Was she from Calor Gas checking that I had done the work that I said I had done? I do hate the way they think they can just walk anywhere in my garden without asking permission!
I will now wait and see what happens next, watch this space!
Sounds like you have reached a sensible compromise Pauline and I hope Calor Gas are satisfied now. I agree, so impolite to enter your garden without first announcing yourself and asking permission. I look forward to the next episode…….
Hopefully Calor Gas will replace the tank and leave it where it is Denise, although they don’t realise that I know my end wall is a “fire wall” yet so maybe I still have a bit of persuading to do!
I am not convinced they can enter your garden without permission – but even so, a courtesy knock at the door would have cost them nothing. How do you feel about the hedge going? Would anybody choose to have a leylandii hedge these days?
No Cathy, I don’t think anyone would choose to plant a leylandii hedge these days, but one that is kept beautifullt clipped is lovely to see. It was here before we moved here and hid the tank which is now on view to everyone so did a good job for 30 odd years.
Some people can be so rude! I do hope they replace the tank and keep it in the same position. What a shame about the hedge. Good luck with it all.xxx
I agree Dina, some people amaze me! I will now wait and see what happens, if anything!
When we had our sun porch built, the construction manager and the electric company told me we would have to bury the electric wire, which now didn’t have a straight run from the alley pole to the box on our house. This would have meant a six foot deep trench, probably three feet wide, right thru the back garden and past the roots of one of our two big trees (and $5000, and a huge trench digger in the yard). I said no, that’s not happening, figure out some other way. We had a two week standoff- he was pretty mad. Finally they realized they could change the starting point in the alley and run an overhead wire with no problem. Unbelievable! Good to stand your ground, don’t let them push you around.
Very interesting to hear of your experience Judy, I think your men were out to make some money! I will stand my ground but it isn’t easy when for 50+ yrs someone else did all the negotiations. Hope everything is going ok at your end.