Phone Mast Solicitors
If you've been approached by a telecoms operator or your mast lease is up for renewal, you may have been told to find a phone mast solicitor. Before you do, read this. Getting the legal side right matters. But instructing a solicitor too early is one of the most common and costly mistakes landowners make. Here's what you need to know.
What Does a Phone Mast Solicitor Do?
A phone mast solicitor is a specialist telecoms lawyer who reviews, drafts, and finalises the legal documentation for your mast agreement. Their role is to ensure the lease is legally sound and that your rights as a landowner are protected. They will typically:
Review the heads of terms agreed between you and the operator
Draft or check the lease document
Advise on your legal rights under the Electronic Communications Code
Handle any formal legal correspondence with the operator's lawyers
What they generally do not do is negotiate the commercial terms — the rent, access rights, upgrade provisions, or compensation. That's a different discipline entirely.
Do You Need A Solicitor or a Surveyor First?
This is the question most landowners don't know to ask- and it's the most important one. A telecoms surveyor negotiates the commercial terms of your agreement: how much you're paid, what the operator is allowed to do on your land, and what protection you have against rent reductions or unwanted upgrades. These are the terms that determine the value of your deal. A solicitor then takes those agreed terms and translates them into a legally binding document.
If you go to a solicitor first, they'll start drafting based on whatever the operator has proposed- which is almost always weighted in the operator's favour. By the time the commercial terms are locked in, there's very little a solicitor can do to improve them. If you come to us first, we negotiate the strongest possible commercial position before a single legal document is drafted. Most solicitors who specialise in this area will tell you the same thing: get a surveyor involved before you get a lawyer.
How Phone Mast People Work With Solicitors
We don't replace solicitors, we work alongside them, at the right stage of the process. Once we've negotiated your commercial terms, we introduce you to a trusted specialist telecoms solicitor to handle the legal documentation. This joined-up approach means you get expert commercial negotiation and watertight legal protection, without the confusion of managing two separate advisors independently.
In many cases, we're also able to recover both our fees and the solicitor's fees directly from the telecoms operator, meaning the entire process costs you nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use a solicitor for a phone mast agreement? Strictly speaking, you're not legally required to, but it's strongly advisable. A telecoms lease is a long-term, complex legal document with significant financial implications. Having a specialist solicitor review or draft it protects you from unfavourable clauses that could affect your income or property rights for decades.
How do I find a good phone mast solicitor? Look for a solicitor who specifically handles telecoms or Electronic Communications Code work, not just a general property solicitor. Firms with dedicated telecoms units will have experience of the tactics operators use. Alternatively, contact us and we'll introduce you to one we trust.
Can the telecoms operator pay my legal fees? Yes, in most cases they can. Under the Electronic Communications Code, operators are generally expected to contribute to reasonable professional costs. We handle this as part of our service. What's the difference between a solicitor and a telecoms surveyor for phone masts? A solicitor handles the legal documentation. A telecoms surveyor handles the commercial negotiation; rent, access, upgrades, and compensation. You need both, but in the right order. The surveyor should always come first.
When should I contact a phone mast solicitor? Once the commercial terms of your agreement have been agreed with the operator. If you haven't yet negotiated those terms, speak to a surveyor first. Contact us and we'll advise you on exactly where you are in the process and what to do next.
Get In Touch
If you've been approached by a telecoms operator, or your lease is due for renewal, the most valuable thing you can do right now is speak to a specialist surveyor. We've been representing landowners for over 15 years.
We work exclusively for landlords, never operators, and we manage the entire process from commercial negotiation through to legal completion.