Couple got billed $1,135 for damaging AT&T's utility line in their own yard. They produced AT&T’s own paperwork — and the company quietly backed off
Kelsey Pomeroy was lucky she saved the screenshots from AT&T
If the local utility company gave you the green light to dig, you assume they know what they're talking about. Kelsey Pomeroy (@kelsewhatelse) took to Instagram on June 17 to talk about how AT&T tried to charge them after they hit the company's utility line in their yard. The company had forgotten that Pomeroy had reached out to them years ago before they began digging. They demanded $1,135 for the damages, but Pomeroy shut them down when she showed them a sheet of paper. The video reached 1.9 million views, 100,000 likes, and 860 comments.
No due diligence
Kelsey Pomeroy advised anyone who was watching her video to take photos and videos before digging, even if it was in their own yard. "You need to take a picture of your entire yard, of all the places that they didn't mark too," she said. Years ago, she reached out to AT&T to check their yard and mark it before they began digging. She wanted to know which areas to avoid in case their lines were underneath. They replied, "We're not going to send anybody because you don't have any of our utilities in your yard." When the Pomeroys dug the land and actually hit AT&T's utility line, the company demanded they pay $1,135.
Pictures of 'nothing'
When Pomeroy retaliated, the company asked her to send photos of the 'nothing' they marked. She said they did not send anyone, and they responded with, "Well, if you don't have pictures of the lack of marking, then you owe us money." Thanks to the screenshots Pomeroy had when she requested the marking, she managed to show AT&T their own claims that the status of their yard was 'Clear/No conflict.' She argued that the documentation demonstrated she had followed the company's instructions before digging.
Six causes of underground utility line damage
Utility line damage is more common than people think. The 2023 DIRT Report found that six main factors were accounted for 76% of underground utility damage. These include not calling 811 before digging, digging too close to the marked lines, incorrectly marked utility lines, unsafe digging methods, inaccurate utility markings, and digging without confirming where the lines were. Pomeroy believed the documentation showed she had done what she was supposed to before digging, while AT&T's earlier response had indicated there was no conflict on the property.
Keep photos, screenshots, receipts, everything!
Netizens shared similar experiences in the comment section, while others were stunned that AT&T tried to put the blame on Pomeroy. @drunk.librarian commented, "How is a receipt they sent not enough acknowledgement on their own behalf?" @crimsonsonata compared it to renting a car. They wrote, "Kind of like when you rent a car. Whether or not there's damage, take a picture of every angle of the car before you leave the lot and after you return the car so they can't charge you for damage you didn't put on it."
You can follow Kelsey Pomeroy (@kelsewhatelse) on Instagram for more lifestyle content.
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