Under part two of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act, telecoms companies could be given powers to rewrite mobile phone mast lease renewal agreements agreed before 2017 which usually would be renewed on the same terms including how the rent is calculated.
These changes build on earlier reforms to the Electronic Communications Code in 2017, which replaced market-value rents with a “no-scheme” valuation system. That model has already reduced some mast rents by up to 90%, triggered a sharp rise in legal disputes, and damaged relationships between operators and landowners – especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas. We anticipate that the PSTI Act could extend this approach to more than 15,000 existing contracts across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Make your voice heard
We want to ensure your voice is heard and have been working with other landowner organisations such as the CLA, British Property Federation and AP Wireless to put together a short survey.
The aim of the survey is to gather evidence to build a base to help us in our lobbying efforts for a fairer policy for landowners initially, in response to the government’s current technical consultation.
All responses will remain anonymous. Closing date: 13 July.
The NFU has also been working collaboratively with the other organisations and has sent a series of joint letters to a number government officials and ministers outlining how the legislation introduced in 2017 has adversely impacted on what was a functioning market and has slowed down the digital connectivity rollout.
The letters urge the recipients to pause with the implementation of further adverse regulation and for a review of the impact of 2017. The Times has recently reported on this too.
The NFU clearly recognises the need for better digital connectivity in rural areas but has always argued that the way in which this is achieved must be fair to all parties and landowners and on a consensual basis.
