Easement in my front yard (house, utilities, closing)

[jcaceem]

Long story short, the utility/telecommunication companies came out during a water meter change and put a bunch of stakes and markers along the sidewalk in my front yard--not the part of the yard on the curb side closest to the street, but the side of the sidewalk closest to my house. I have a sprinkler system for my yard only on that side of the sidewalk--easy to see the main box and sprinkler head right where the stakes were. Their stakes poked 6 holes along my irrigation line and I had to have the irrigation company come out and repair that line.

Legal from the water company told me in short that they would never be responsible for any kind of damage no matter what they did because the area of my front yard two feet or so off the sidewalk closest to my house is an easement.

I thought the easement was from the sidewalk to the street, not towards my house in my front yard.

Does anyone know for sure? I can't find any information on it.

[blakely]

Check your property deed. It should be there.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by jcaceem

Long story short, the utility/telecommunication companies came out during a water meter change and put a bunch of stakes and markers along the sidewalk in my front yard--not the part of the yard on the curb side closest to the street, but the side of the sidewalk closest to my house. I have a sprinkler system for my yard only on that side of the sidewalk--easy to see the main box and sprinkler head right where the stakes were. Their stakes poked 6 holes along my irrigation line and I had to have the irrigation company come out and repair that line.

Legal from the water company told me in short that they would never be responsible for any kind of damage no matter what they did because the area of my front yard two feet or so off the sidewalk closest to my house is an easement.

I thought the easement was from the sidewalk to the street, not towards my house in my front yard.

Does anyone know for sure? I can't find any information on it.

Blakeley is right. The easements should appear on your survey and, yes, they are frequently on the house side of the sidewalk. Also frequently along the back of your property. That should have been explained to you at closing, that if you put anything permanent in the easement and the utility company comes along and has to tear it up to do their job, they won't be putting it back the way it was.

[CptnRn]

Easements are usually on the front and side property lines. Where the house fronts a street the utilities are usually put in the street right of way (ROW) which forms the front property line. The utilities usually do not have independent easements in the ROW. In modern subdivisions the sidewalk is also usually in the street ROW.

[Lakeway Man]

Look at your survey