Fences, neighbours and responses !

[ajc]

I've lived in my hourse for nigh on 2 years, earlier this year I noticed the fence at the side of our house was almost falling over onto my neighbours patio. I went round and suggested we spilt the cost to fix it, his missus then told me it was the previous owners fault by putting too much gravel down the side of my house (which is mainly true). Now the fence belongs to my neighbour but I couldn't leave it as it lifting up a bit of our patio at the side of the house so I and a builder dug it up.

When digging we found that they had been putting soil up against the fence too (something they deny), either way the fence and post were rotten. We dug out 8 tonnes of soil, each post had 3 feet of concrete attached (4 posts in all), my builder bought some new posts and fences. The fences are stronger and better than the originals, however the panels are vertical and the old fence panels were horizontal (if that makes sense).

The builder put them up today, my neighbour has now complained that they don't match.

My response (considering its cost me around £700 to do this for a fence I don't even look at) is they've never offered help, either monetary or manually, so if they want something different then they can pay for it. However, it does match the fence round the other side of their house which is a similar mix . They only seem to bother about things when its put right in front of them, they obviously haven't painted the fence for a number of years.

However, I said that as the other fence panels fail then they can be replaced (and not by me), she said "would you want to look at that mix ?" I said "If it was free, yes".

Should i have just told her to "eff" off, I'm trying not to start a neighbour war, but I think I've done way more than is needed.

Any thoughts ?

God, I've just read this through, I'm very dull, I must get out more, I can always talk about my accident and my x-rays !

 

[dantheman]

you just cant please some people..
tell her, if SHE want it all to match, you will be happy to tell her where the panels were bought from..... (politely of course)

 

[fossyant]

Wen we first moved into our house we put a fence up (as none of the gardens had any, and it had to have a number of 8 foot runs due to drains (i.e. you couldn't get posts in). Neighbour went nuts... didn't like it - not that she was paying for it - it was a quality vertical slat fence, although she got the ugly side. We just said it's staying.... it's still there 13 years later and not one panel has ever blown out- she moved on years ago - she was a right pain in the butt !

 

[Mr Pig]

We're pretty cool, we like our neighbours and they like us, but even then you're always looking for little things to niggle about. My advice is to always resist saying or doing anything negative unless you're really sure it will have a long-term benefit. Sometimes it means loosing out a little but a poor relationship with people you see every day is a lot worse.

Our neighbour hit our gas meter box with one of their vans about six months ago, he's a builder. He said at the time he'd pay for a new box to be fitted, which costs £90. We finally got it done about a month ago but he's not given us the money as yet.

I'm not going to mention it and if he never does I'm not bothered. He's a totally decent guy who's done plenty of good turns for me so I'm not going to chase him for money. Money means nothing compared to a clear conscience and good relations.

My advice? Make light of it and look for the good in people :0) Which goes totally against my nature but I try! ;0)

 

[Mr Pig]

it was a quality vertical slat fence, although she got the ugly side.

In Scotland if you erect a new fence you 'have' to put the posts on your side. I don't know if it's law, but absolutely everyone does it.

 

[shimano]

neighbours and fences - a dangerous mix! The previous neighbour to our left and the one adjoining the end of his garden had a dispute over who had to repair the fence. The result? they both erected new fences and now the original has rotted away there's a good two feet of 'no-man's land' between the two fences - completely bonkers!

 

[Noodley]

...I must get out more..

..and take your neighbour with you :?:

 

[andyoxon]

ajc, take a look at this; maybe be something helpful.

http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=6

http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=4
Our neighbour's boundary fence is a bit ropey and leaning in places - so I'm considering these issues to.

 

[Night Train]

ajc, take a look at this; maybe be something helpful.

http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=6

http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=4
Our neighbour's boundary fence is a bit ropey and leaning in places - so I'm considering these issues to.

That is a really good link.

I have negotiated fully with my neighbour on one side regarding them putting up a new fence part way and we planting a hedge the rest of the way at the front of our houses. The neighbour maintains the fence and we maintain the hedge. We are both happy with this as we talk a lot and we both give a bit.
On the other side we don't get on so well. The neighbour dug up our hedge and put a fence in. I made sure the fence did not cross on to my side and I have now grown a hedge on my side to hide the fence. I have maintained key markers, the party line between our houses and the edge of my front garden wall to show the true boundary. We don't talk about it.

It isn't worth falling out with your neighbour about it if you can help it no matter how useless and petty they are. They have a new free fence out of you. If they don't like it you can remove it and put it just on your side of the boundary with the crappy side of the panels facing them and then they can't say anything about it. However, they may then take that to be the new boundary and you will have lost a few inches of land.

 

[spindrift]

Install CCTV.

Dress up as your neighbour and kick a puppy to death in view of the camera.

Call the cops and show them the footage.


Job done.

 

[Mr Pig]

The high fence between us and our neighbour blew down about three years ago. I took away the old planks and rotten posts. My neighbour put in new posts and bought a big pile of new planks. I put the new planks on and stained the whole fence on both sides.

We didn't agree or work this out before hand. We both just saw tasks that we could do and went out and did them. We tend to do that about everything, he put in a new tarmac drive, I put my boots on and help him. Everyone is happy.

 

[Fnaar]

Hmm... it's hard to decide what to do. I'm going to have to sit on the fence.

 

[ChrisKH]

I sympathise.

First stop with these sort of problems is the title deeds. I moved in seven years ago our title deeds with the appropriate "T"'s showing the boundary responsibilities were not ours on any side was filed with the mortgage company. The mortgage company has moved to a non retention policy supposedly filed a copy with HM land Registry (who also no longer keep copies) and sent the original to us. Except we never got it. Neither did HM Land Registry, or if they did they didn't note down who was responsible for the boundaries.

Cue to this summer, lots of rain and the wall retaining next door's garden (and house I would imagine) collapses into out garden. The whole lot needs replacing (30.50 metres) and I just heard in the last few minutes it's a big expensive job. Next door is responsible but I have no deeds. Fortunately I have a copy of their deeds showing their responsibility for the boundary but what if this happens on the other side? I now need to clear 30 metres of small trees and vegetation so the workmen can get to it and we can get a clearer idea on cost. I suspect it will be in the £000's). I doubt I'll be getting out on the bike much in the next six months.

 

[ChrisKH]

The high fence between us and our neighbour blew down about three years ago. I took away the old planks and rotten posts. My neighbour put in new posts and bought a big pile of new planks. I put the new planks on and stained the whole fence on both sides.

We didn't agree or work this out before hand. We both just saw tasks that we could do and went out and did them. We tend to do that about everything, he put in a new tarmac drive, I put my boots on and help him. Everyone is happy.

I think that can work with smaller jobs and jobs you can do yourself but when your neighbour is a 65 year old retired diabetic of about 18 stone with limited funds there's never going to be the same give and take. Regrettably.

 

[asterix]

My neighbour in York is nearly 90 and has recently survived prostate cancer so I am not too bothered about sorting out his side of the fence as well as mine (and nor is he!)