Possible to ask Verizon to Pay Rent (houses, buy)

[krimsonz]

Guys, I have a question. I currently live on a block of attached houses. My house (also attached, of course) is right in the middle of the block and there is no telephone pole around here. So what did verizon do? They installed the telephone box which has lines that go out to everyone on the block in my backyard on the wall of my house. It's one thing it's on a pole, and quite another when it's on the back of your house wall. One day, a telephone guy came to fix something (not for my house as I don't even have Verizon service for phone/internet/wireless/TV) and "suggested" that I could ask Verizon to pay some rent. Is this doable? If so, how should I approach and who should I contact?

[jackinyc]

Do you own this house? If so I would be LIVID if I was you... I would immediately call Verizon and tell them this is unacceptable they can NOT attach something onto your physical home with OUT your consent, this is YOUR property- if If you do NOT own this residence find out if your landlord has already worked something out with Verizon or gave them his consent.

[krimsonz]

I own the house, i bought it with the phone box attached to the house a couple year back. I had wanted to do something about it but kept forgetting until now.

[cleasach]

Originally Posted by krimsonz

I own the house, i bought it with the phone box attached to the house a couple year back. I had wanted to do something about it but kept forgetting until now.

Your first post sounded as if they just did this.

If you bought the house and the phone box was attached to it already, I don't think there is anything you can do. Perhaps Verizon paid the previous owner something when they put it in or they allowed it for whatever reason. If you didn't mention to the previous homeowner that you'd buy the property if the box was removed, I think you inherited it with the home.

[bluedog2]

Chances are that whoever owned the house when the lines were attached took a payment for giving Verizon( or maybe an earlier telephone company) an easement for the lines and stuff on your property.If a previous owner granted an easement it should be on your deed.If so,you are stuck with the situation.If there is no easement on your deed then you might be able to bargain with them.

You may also already have a reduced property tax rate on the property because this is common in such situations.

[gvillager]

Originally Posted by krimsonz

Guys, I have a question. I currently live on a block of attached houses. My house (also attached, of course) is right in the middle of the block and there is no telephone pole around here. So what did verizon do? They installed the telephone box which has lines that go out to everyone on the block in my backyard on the wall of my house. It's one thing it's on a pole, and quite another when it's on the back of your house wall. One day, a telephone guy came to fix something (not for my house as I don't even have Verizon service for phone/internet/wireless/TV) and "suggested" that I could ask Verizon to pay some rent. Is this doable? If so, how should I approach and who should I contact?

I'm curious to see what this box looks like. Can you post a picture?

[captne76]

If there is no easement I would have them give you free service or else you could force them to remove it.

[montyburns]

Originally Posted by krimsonz

I own the house, i bought it with the phone box attached to the house a couple year back. I had wanted to do something about it but kept forgetting until now.

I was under the impression that "so what did verizon do? they installed the telephone box which has lines that go out to everyone on the block in my backyard on the wall of my house."

If the box was there, you bought the house with it there. Nothing you can do.

[gvillager]

I bet this is the box for the previous owners FIOS service.