Frequently Asked Questions
Owners (including landlords) of any residential property provided they own the subject property on the day the scheme officially opens (the Relevant Date) and on the day the claim is served. The property has to be occupied on the day the claim is served.
Normally claims can only be served after the first and before the seventh anniversary (sixth anniversary in Scotland) of the Relevant Date. If an interest in a property is disposed of (transferred or sold) during the first year after the scheme opening then your claim needs to be submitted before the transfer is completed as the right to make a claim will pass once the property has been disposed.
Compensation is payable to homeowners in respect of the loss in value of the property caused by noise, dust, pollution and artificial lighting arising from the use of the new works.
Our commission is up to 20% plus VAT of any compensation negotiated. Please note our fee is not due until the compensating authority has paid your compensation. If the claim proves unsuccessful we confirm that we bear all the costs and you will have NOTHING to pay.
We have successfully negotiated compensation for over 40,000 homeowners affected by a variety of transport and utility infrastructure schemes. Thomson Broadbent is the UK’s leading RICS regulated residential property compensation consultancy.
If the property is subject to a mortgage then the rules require the compensating authority to obtain your lender’s permission to pay the compensation directly to you. Very occasionally a lender may request that the compensation is used to reduce the mortgage balance, however, we have only known this to happen when the account is in arrears.
Please do not appoint more than one Agent as the compensating authority will only accept one claim per property. Please note that should you appoint more than one Agent it can significantly delay the processing of your claim. Normally any Agent/s appointed after the first appointed Agent will withdraw in favour of the first appointed Agent, however, some Agents reserve the right to charge for abortive work. If you cannot recall whether you have already appointed an Agent please call for further advice.
If you would like us to act on your behalf, please complete the enclosed representation form and return in the FREEPOST envelope.
Any property owner who has electrical lines situated on or over their land provided no permanent rights have previously been granted. If you are unsure, please call us on 01536 264101 and we can advise you further, without charge and without obligation.
Yes, electricity companies do not generally update their databases when properties are sold so, it is likely that no written agreement currently exists. Even if there is a valid agreement, most are capable of being terminated. We can then negotiate a new agreement which considers the loss of value.
If you sell your property before your claim is completed the right to negotiate a new agreement will pass to the new owner.
We will carry out the necessary research to see if the rights have already been granted by a previous owner. If they have, we will inform you (providing a copy of the Deed where possible) and close our file at no cost to you.
The amount paid by the electricity company to retain their lines is subject to detailed negotiation and in most cases is between £1,000 and £25,000 (sometimes more).
Our client retains a minimum of 76% of the amount we negotiate. We charge a contingent-only success fee of 20% plus VAT of the payment made by the electricity company in respect of a new agreement. There are no upfront costs.
Most of our claims take between 6 months and 3 years to complete, however, this timescale can be affected by factors outside of our control such as the budgetary constraints of the regional electricity companies.
We have successfully represented over 50,000 homeowners affected by a variety of transport and utility infrastructure schemes. Thomson Broadbent is the UK’s leading RICS regulated residential property utility and infrastructure consultancy. Regrettably, recently a number of non RICS firms have overnight become ‘experts’ in this field. They have settled a relatively small number of cases, often at significantly lower levels, which are now being quoted back at us in an effort by electricity companies seeking to reduce the tone we have negotiated over many years. Fortunately, we are able to resist this pressure because of the comprehensive range of precedents we can quote.
No, please do not appoint more than one Agent as the Electricity Company will only negotiate with one Agent. Should you appoint more than one Agent, it can significantly delay the processing of your case. If you cannot recall whether you have already appointed an Agent please call 01536 264101, without obligation, for further advice.
If you have any further questions or wish to discuss the matter in more detail, please contact us on 01536 264101 or at enquiries@thomsonbroadbent.co.uk. Otherwise, please complete and return the attached form and we will get matters underway upon receipt.