Xcel jumped my fence and opened my gate.

[drift_g35]

Xcel has an easement in my backyard for a power box. They left a letter yesterday saying they will need in my yard and to leave the gate open and dogs inside. Cool. No problem. But at 730 this morning I have 4 trucks outside so my wife runs out to open the gate (I'm already at work) and the gate is wide open. There is no way to open it from the front.

Can they do that? They are lucky I'm not there. And they are really lucky my dogs were asleep. One of my dogs would have severely f'ed up whoever was the slowest in the group.

I don't know what I should do about this if anything at all.


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[Wulf202]

I've called the cops on them before, they have no easement for me. They won't do anything.

[Ronin13]

Call Xcel and complain. Tell a supervisor you want them to announce they're there (like knocking on the front door). That way you have time to put dogs away and let them in.

[drift_g35]

What would happen if I was say... On vacation and the dogs were home. Do they have the right to go into my yard without permission? A notice the day before is not permission.


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[milwaukeeshaker]

I would say yes they do. Remember, you said they had an easement?


What would happen if I was say... On vacation and the dogs were home. Do they have the right to go into my yard without permission? A notice the day before is not permission.


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[hghclsswhitetrsh]

As a former Xcel Energy employee, yes they can.

[drift_g35]

Well. Looks like I'm putting a lock on my gate. And get a sentry [emoji3]


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[Great-Kazoo]

Unfortunately they can. Up here they try giving a weeks notice, unless there's an emergency. For us the up side is everything in accessible through the alley , off property.

[trlcavscout]

They can, generally i will ring the door bell a couple times and then enter the yard to try and be courteous but if its an outage or needs to be taken care of imediately i will enter. But i ring the door bell even at 3 am to try and avoid surprising people.

The city grants the utility contracts and sets the easements, when customers are upset about their service they call the city, so when their is an outage or needed upgrade the guys have to get access to the yard. I have only had to call the police once in 10 years to get access to a yard (a lady that didnt read about the utility easement during closeing on her house) but i have had customers call them and generally they will show up to make sure we get access without any problems.

If their are dogs in the yard i again ring the door bell but if no one answers and its a big dog like a pit, wrott, shepard or whatever i will have another guy come over and distract them. I have gotten bit one time in 10 years and that was a husky that bit me while i was talking to the homeowner on their porch, a pit tried to chomp my leg in a house while i was working after i had told he homeowner to lock it up several times but i caught him by the collar before he could get me, then i left the house with their service not working because of their attitude.

[trlcavscout]

Unfortunately they can. Up here they try giving a weeks notice, unless there's an emergency. For us the up side is everything in accessible through the alley , off property.

And we definitley prefer alley access over walking through piles of dog shit, boke down cars, pot plants and overgrown weeds haha Not at your house but generally speaking.

[sniper7]

I keep a lock on mine and have had them always ask me to unlock it if they need access. Never had a problem so far

[drift_g35]

And we definitley prefer alley access over walking through piles of dog shit, boke down cars, pot plants and overgrown weeds haha Not at your house but generally speaking.

I even went out and cleaned up my dogs shit. I have no problem with them being there. It's just the fact that they did it without letting us know. And then they stood out in front of my house for an hour to smoke and talk.


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[Teufelhund]

I grew up on a bit of acreage near Houston, and whatever the gas company was in that area had a pipeline that ran directly through our property on a diagonal. They had the right to come out and work on it any time without asking us first. They do have to pay you for any property they destroy that might be in their way though, so we planted rows and rows of fruit trees directly in their path. They eventually had to come dig out the entire line for repairs and dug enormous craters all the way across our land. They had to buy every one of those trees.

[trlcavscout]

I even went out and cleaned up my dogs shit. I have no problem with them being there. It's just the fact that they did it without letting us know. And then they stood out in front of my house for an hour to smoke and talk.


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They should have at least rang the door bell, a little common courtesy goes a long way. I know all the guys i work with at least try to make contact.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Should probably have one of the lawyers on the board look at the specific easement before saying they can or can't do that. Just having "an easement" doesn't necessarily mean they get unfettered access any time they want or that they can cut locks, it should depend on the specific wording of the easement.

I'd also file a claim against them for the cost of replacing the lock or any other damage done while they access the property without your knowledge and cooperation. Even if they don't pay the claim, it puts them on notice.

[jmg8550]

Xcel owns the utility up to the meter. Whether it's on your property or not. They do generally give notice, and knock as a courtesy. When I was a utility locator, I could jump fences to get to the utility. If there were dogs, I moved on and marked it as a no locate due to dogs. I never did jump fences, I just took a picture of the locked gate, and the office rescheduled. Sometimes the contractor was notified, and they notified the property owner.

Also, the way I understood it, anytime there's a utility running on a property, they could have access to it without permission.

[Monky]

Wait... They notified you by leaving a letter.. You're aware of the easement... And your problem is what? That they were there too early and gained access by hopping a fence?

Had your dogs been outside and attacked them, you'd be paying out. I'm not sure 'how' it works where you're at, but I've gotten letters from xcel weeks in advance, then a reminder letter, and the day before they knocked on the door as a reminder...




Sent by a free-range electronic weasel, with no sense of personal space.

[spqrzilla]

I understand the desire for a courtesy notification but a utility easement is a pretty standard thing here in Colorado, and it does grant them access.

[ColoradoTJ]

Xcel has an easement in my backyard for a power box. They left a letter yesterday saying they will need in my yard and to leave the gate open and dogs inside. Cool. No problem. But at 730 this morning I have 4 trucks outside so my wife runs out to open the gate (I'm already at work) and the gate is wide open. There is no way to open it from the front.

Can they do that? They are lucky I'm not there. And they are really lucky my dogs were asleep. One of my dogs would have severely f'ed up whoever was the slowest in the group.

I don't know what I should do about this if anything at all.


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You should look at the original contract you signed to get your utilities. It gives the utility company permission 24/7 access to your property outside your home.

So so if you were there, what would have you done? They left a letter the day before. Your dogs are lucky too.

0730...damn those guys must have stopped for breakfast. When I worked as a lineman we usually were on site by 0630.

I went back to running power plants. The general public are usually pretty nice, but there are exceptions for sure. I have seen the following:

- drivers running barricades and dumping their cars in 6' holes full of water, then ask for help. We would help them by calling the cops and a tow truck. I can't count how many times someone ran the cones and missed us by inches. We had a saying, for every inch of ditch you have open, there are ten morons trying to drive into it.
- people pulling guns. Again, great way to overreact and get arrested. We have three codes at our Company. Code 1 you have to take a police escort with you anytime near or on the property.
- people coming out of their houses and punching or trying to fight a crew of linemen/utility workers. That is always interesting. Again, good way to get arrested and beat up.
- people use their cars to chase utility workers off the job in the middle of the street. That one was close. One of my friends almost got hit by a car. Again, charges were filed and he was arrested.
- seen people send out their dogs after gaining access to the yard prior to talking with the customer. Again, good way to get arrested and a hurt dog. Not sure if you know what a hotstick is (or shotgun) used for switching, but it also works on dog collars. Lock it in place and start twisting...usually the dog gives up, owner comes out saying it was an accident or the humain society is called.
- seen people come out and just screaming at us because of a power outage and they can't play online gaming. Yeah, they were always hooked up last, after we went to dinner (usually at the 14 hour ) while everyone else was in power except them. Then when we came back, nicely explain that being an A-hole just isn't a good idea.
- This was my favorite. An underground electrical vault needed access and it was used a lot in this neighborhood. The guy didn't like this at all. So he started piling dog poop around the vault and on top of it. You can imagine what 6 months of dog poop with several large dogs can add up to. He laughed and told us to get after it boys. So we did. The neighborhood was out of power until the next day when a clean up crew came out. Not only was his neighbors pissed at him about this, he received a fat bill for the cleanup.


Only thing I would have done differently in your case is knocked on the door before entering your back yard. The conversation would have been like this.

"Good morning ma'am. I am Joe blow with Ecel energy. We need access to your back yard.. If you have any dogs, would you please let them out to use the restroom before we start work while we set up. Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience."

Most cases your lovely wife would take care of the dogs and gate access. No issues at all.

Personally, I would not jump a fence without knocking first. That is just bad business for everyone involved. We have at least a dozen people get bit by dogs every year, so the dogs don't always lose....in the end they do though.

My advice, next time you receive a letter, open the gate early in the morning.

[Bailey Guns]

Maybe it's just me but I go to great lengths to help out whoever is trying to restore or repair whatever service it is that brought them to my home. Especially the important stuff like electricity.

[cableguy11]

I used to be a meter reader and we had complete and total access to all meters regardless of location. No knocking/notifications necessary. I also know that goes true for Cable and phone. If its in your backyard they have a right to access it since it is legally not your property. When I dealt with the distribution(power lines outside your house) I had plenty of troublemen threatened with violence or stopped at gunpoint. At 2 o'clock in the morning most workers will knock and let you know what is going on.

[drift_g35]

I totally understand that they need to do their job. Just got caught off guard. And they left my gate open which sucks.


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[ColoradoTJ]

Maybe it's just me but I go to great lengths to help out whoever is trying to restore or repair whatever service it is that brought them to my home. Especially the important stuff like electricity.

You would think this is the logical thing to do, but you would (well, maybe not if you own a business) be surprised the complete opposite is true in a lot of cases.

In the OPs case, they should have knocked first and closed the gate as best they could when done. I hated knocking on doors at 3am, and would park the truck with the warning lights on and had my company ID/Business card out ready when a pissed off customer answered the door. Being courteous, very polite and explaining what is going on goes a long way. Handing someone my business card also got me plenty of calls to my supervisors. (Some bad, some good)

[lex137]

Your lucky they even gave you a heads up, I'm a contractor for them and if you don't answer and I need to restore power/ maitance were going back there. No one answers there door anymore until the power goes out, I don't feel bad for doing it if I knock multiple times and you just don't feel like answering the door. If they have easement we/they are going to go into your property, calling the cops won't help it actually helps us out instead. Best thing to do is not buy a house with a transformer in the backyard, it's the first thing I looked for at the home I bought. Sorry and hopefully they won't have to come back for a long time.

[Irving]

I've walked around on people's roofs for an hour, after knocking on the door, and calling the night before to tell them I'm coming to the appointment that THEY set up, not speaking in a quiet voice with the contractor also walking around up there with me, then when I'm sitting in the car, the garage door opens, they back out of the garage, and drive away.

[Stevensje]

Do you need a bachelor degree to work for Xcel or be a lineman? What is the going salary?

[ColoradoTJ]

Do you need a bachelor degree to work for Xcel or be a lineman? What is the going salary?

You can apply to an apprenticeship or go to a lineman school. I would recommend the lineman school, test out at a local union shop and get your card. 6 figures is not hard to get as a lineman.

[USMC88-93]

I enter locked and secured back yards on a regular basis, to access easements the fact you lock your gate is irrelevant if an authorized representative needs access to the easement they have the right to do so. They should however have the common sense and courtesy to secure your property when done.

[86k10]

Do you need a bachelor degree to work for Xcel or be a lineman? What is the going salary?

You can enter Xcel thru being a Utility Worker without any lineman experience, then get into the apprenticeship when your time comes.

[lex137]

You can apply to an apprenticeship or go to a lineman school. I would recommend the lineman school, test out at a local union shop and get your card. 6 figures is not hard to get as a lineman.

DON'T do this ^^^ its like saying I majored in premed in college I'm qualified to be a doctor. If you think you will lear enough in 6 month or even 2 years to stay alive then go for it, the only thing I have seem kids that went to line school is they climb better. If your decide to go white ticket and test out maybe think about working in Texas they have the best burn unit in the country.

[ColoradoTJ]

DON'T do this ^^^ its like saying I majored in premed in college I'm qualified to be a doctor. If you think you will lear enough in 6 month or even 2 years to stay alive then go for it, the only thing I have seem kids that went to line school is they climb better. If your decide to go white ticket and test out maybe think about working in Texas they have the best burn unit in the country.

I should have been more descriptive, a 4 year apprenticeship and test out. In my opinion, there is no way you can be a lineman in 6 months-2 years of school. There is way too many things to learn and it is a skill learned over time that is passed down. Some of our best linemen went to school, did a 4 year apprenticeship, and tested out at the local union, in that order. Nothing wrong with having great climbers.

[lex137]

^^^ Your right about that nothing wrong with lineman that can climb, thought you were trying to suggest going white ticket working 5k hrs and challenging the test. Hope I didn't come off like an ass, good to have another jl on the forum, and welcome to the community!

[ColoradoTJ]

^^^ Your right about that nothing wrong with lineman that can climb, thought you were trying to suggest going white ticket working 5k hrs and challenging the test. Hope I didn't come off like an ass, good to have another jl on the forum, and welcome to the community!

Oh no, your good man. I needed to be more discriptive. Totally get why people should be worried about these cookie cutter schools and think they are totally qualified in a short period of time. This might work if both your parents were linemen, went to linemen rodeos all the time, and lived power linemen lives.
I remember one interview test, for the practical factors a journeyman lineman couldn't even tie a bowline knot, messed up on 3ph delta/wye hookups....we were just like "wow"!!! That was a little crazy. We actually had a boss that asked "can't we train him?" I guess the looks on our faces was answer enough.
My wife passed all the book tests for being a lineman (she did better than me to boot), but that doesn't automatically make her a lineman. She had to take the courses for her Meter Tech apprenticeship. That doesn't make her a lineman.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

FYI linemen are arrogant sissies. They wouldn't last a week as part of the raisin' gang on a iron worker crew. But they're gods gift to us all, just ask them. [emoji41]

[ColoradoTJ]

FYI linemen are arrogant sissies. They wouldn't last a week as part of the raisin' gang on a iron worker crew. But they're gods gift to us all, just ask them. [emoji41]

That is actually very funny and accurate. I actually had a Line boss ask me this, "Chris, you know why I am such a good lineman?" No Stan, but please tell me. "I was born with this knowledge..." I laughed and no kidding, started looking back into running power plants that day.

I will not discredit their importance or the dangerous jobs they do.

[drift_g35]

FYI linemen are arrogant sissies. They wouldn't last a week as part of the raisin' gang on a iron worker crew. But they're gods gift to us all, just ask them. [emoji41]

When do you do iron work for? You might know my uncle, he is pretty well know in the area as a foreman or something. Works for RK right now I think.


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[hghclsswhitetrsh]

When do you do iron work for? You might know my uncle, he is pretty well know in the area as a foreman or something. Works for RK right now I think.


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I did that 9-10 years ago. I mainly assembled disassembled cranes.

[th3w01f]

Do the people working for the utilities get the same keys to open electric gates as the fire department? Just curious how they handle that type of situation in rural areas?

[ColoradoTJ]

Do the people working for the utilities get the same keys to open electric gates as the fire department? Just curious how they handle that type of situation in rural areas?

Excellent question. The answer is no and yes depending on what the place is.

For instance:

-type 129 transformers (residential green boxes in yards) electrical troubleshooters and line crews have the key to those locks

-electric vaults, the same

-substations, the same

- power plants/other buildings, the gates that are locked with chains have multiple locks. One of which the fire department has. Most buildings have a key box outside that gives access to the building too.

[Irving]

This is like the chorus to an urban country song.

[ColoradoTJ]

A bad one at that...well all country is if I am asked..LOL