Ellen intends to lay decking and create an outdoor seating area at her home, but the positioning of a mast and its stay wire, which have been in her garden for over 20 years, are obstructing her plans.

Openreach informed Ellen that a survey must be conducted before the wire's position can be altered, and the cost of this survey, potentially reaching £1,000, must be covered by her. Ellen, who has returned to her childhood home and volunteers at a charity shop, has cleared trees and greenery to make space for the decking. She expresses frustration over having to pay for the adjustments, arguing that Openreach should bear the cost since they installed the mast.

Openreach stated that the survey costs are estimated based on factors like the complexity of the infrastructure, the time and travel required for the survey, and site safety considerations. They also noted that these costs are an average estimate and that they are continuing to discuss the matter directly with Ellen, with the pole scheduled for regular maintenance in the upcoming winter.