WINTER PARK, Fla. – A broken cable box in a Winter Park backyard has caused issues for a property manager trying to prepare the place for new tenants.
The backyard discovery at a duplex in Winter Park, which is under renovation by the property owners, created some setbacks, and News 6 had to get involved.
“Well, initially, when Reggie, the contractor, was going through the backyard, he saw three boxes that were in our backyard,” said property manager Karen Kuo. “He saw open cable boxes and wires flung over the PVC fence a few times.”
Kuo sent News 6 photos of the broken boxes and exposed wires, describing them as a safety hazard that limited her ability to renovate.
“But because Reggie said that there was no way any contractor would touch those cable boxes because they have easement rights, he wasn’t going to rectify the situation. He said, ‘Good luck finding a contractor who will,’” she explained.
Easement laws allow companies to access private property for certain services, which is why the boxes were there. However, they were old and destroyed, making it difficult for Kuo to determine which company they belonged to and who to contact to get them fixed.
After contacting the city and county for help, Kuo was informed they had no authority to remove the boxes. She then reached out to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Soon after, Spectrum came to take their box and informed her that the remaining one belonged to Comcast.
Kuo emailed News 6 for help and our team contacted Comcast about the issue and Comcast sent a crew to fix it. However, when News 6 arrived on the property Tuesday, we found an exposed wire was still there. We reached out to Comcast and sent them photos. Within hours, they dispatched a technician to investigate.
Comcast stated that the exposed wire didn’t belong to them and that theirs was buried. In a statement, a Comcast spokesperson said, “Comcast crews quickly responded to the property after News 6 alerted local teams. Technicians secured the equipment and replaced the line. The pedestal, located in a public easement, contains network infrastructure which connects Xfinity customers to services.”
Kuo, however, recommends a different approach based on her experience.
“So, you can try to talk directly to the cable company just so you have a paper trail, but I doubt you’re going to get anywhere. I think the FCC is the best way to go,” she said.
News 6 continues working to get results and we have reached out to Spectrum for comment on the exposed wire and we are waiting to hear back.
