neighbour dispute advice ** UPDATE**

[ifiwasarichfan]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

unfortunately we don't speak to the neighbours and have not done for over ten years, it started a long time ago when they had there garden landscaped with flagstones and drained there surface water onto our side which resulted in water flooding the garden and under the floorboards of the house, since then its just been stupid things from them like phoning the police if my car overlaps the front of there house, if my tax disc is due to expire there out on the first of the month checking up, so it always seemed the better option just to ignore them which we do however the fence has blown down in the wind and they have pushed a typed note through the letter box demanding £170 and reminding us of our legal obligations, i have a 20 section fence on the other side of the garden which i maintain myself as this is adjacent to the road, do i have no choice but to cough up here? if they were reasonable people i would have no problem but i resent handing money over to people like this

Did you get anything off them or their insurance for the damage to your floorboards ?

 

[m7mcfc]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

Everything you need to find out or to go about your problem will be in here.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/</a>

Me personally, I would just declare war.

 

[Ducado]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

If anything at all you are only responsible for maintaining a boundary. This only needs to be one strand of wire.

Is the correct answer (this is why I keep away from boundary disputes) the deeds of the property may have something in them, however all I would do is ask to see the quote if you think it is too expensive ask for another one or get one yourself

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

Depends. At our property at home, we are responsible for maintaining the fence on the left as I look down my garden from the house. The neighbors are responsible for maintaining the fence on their left (our right) I think it states it on the deeds of the house.

So check the deeds to your house. If indeed you are only responsible for the fence only on the one side of your house and they are on the other side,, then you are under no obligation to pay what they are demanding for this exact reason, it is their responsibility, not yours. By the sounds of it, if you are the end house with the fence adjacent to the road, it would make sense that you are responsible for that fence only. (Just my opinion/assumption)

thanks KP someone was on about this today, so i take it in my case if i'm stood on the back step of our house looking down the garden the fence to my left 'the big one' i maintain myself (i'm a corner house) is ours, to the right would be there's

That is what I would assume. I think it is normally the left fence, but this is not always the case. Like I say, check the deeds of your house. Or if they are speaking about 'legal obligations' ask them to prove this by showing the deeds to their house, although I imagine this may not be the best idea as you dont want to cause further conflict. They sound like the type of people who would call the police and accused you of harrassment if you asked to see the deeds to their house

You have to check your deeds. The responsibility may even be shared.

 

[marco]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

unfortunately we don't speak to the neighbours and have not done for over ten years, it started a long time ago when they had there garden landscaped with flagstones and drained there surface water onto our side which resulted in water flooding the garden and under the floorboards of the house, since then its just been stupid things from them like phoning the police if my car overlaps the front of there house, if my tax disc is due to expire there out on the first of the month checking up, so it always seemed the better option just to ignore them which we do however the fence has blown down in the wind and they have pushed a typed note through the letter box demanding £170 and reminding us of our legal obligations, i have a 20 section fence on the other side of the garden which i maintain myself as this is adjacent to the road, do i have no choice but to cough up here? if they were reasonable people i would have no problem but i resent handing money over to people like this

Did you get anything off them or their insurance for the damage to your floorboards ?

no nothing, i had to have a pump installed (at my expense) which is still working some ten years on

 

[Ste1969]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

unfortunately we don't speak to the neighbours and have not done for over ten years, it started a long time ago when they had there garden landscaped with flagstones and drained there surface water onto our side which resulted in water flooding the garden and under the floorboards of the house, since then its just been stupid things from them like phoning the police if my car overlaps the front of there house, if my tax disc is due to expire there out on the first of the month checking up, so it always seemed the better option just to ignore them which we do however the fence has blown down in the wind and they have pushed a typed note through the letter box demanding £170 and reminding us of our legal obligations, i have a 20 section fence on the other side of the garden which i maintain myself as this is adjacent to the road, do i have no choice but to cough up here? if they were reasonable people i would have no problem but i resent handing money over to people like this

Did you get anything off them or their insurance for the damage to your floorboards ?

no nothing, i had to have a pump installed (at my expense) which is still working some ten years on

Remind him of the water problem and how you nothing from them, then tell them to get fucked.

 

[mcfclovin88]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

If anything at all you are only responsible for maintaining a boundary. This only needs to be one strand of wire.

There is this argument also as the deed will probably only say 'boundary'.

That's it settled then, just post some string through their letterbox.

 

[Mustard Dave]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

As others say, check the deeds as they should say who is responsible for maintaining a boundary. While the fence is down, it may be an opportune time to sneak into his garden and hammer frozen sausages in his lawn. I'm told it attracts foxes and all sorts of critters that will try to dig them up and fuck up his lawn in the process.

 

[blueish swede]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

Depends. At our property at home, we are responsible for maintaining the fence on the left as I look down my garden from the house. The neighbors are responsible for maintaining the fence on their left (our right) I think it states it on the deeds of the house.

So check the deeds to your house. If indeed you are only responsible for the fence only on the one side of your house and they are on the other side,, then you are under no obligation to pay what they are demanding for this exact reason, it is their responsibility, not yours. By the sounds of it, if you are the end house with the fence adjacent to the road, it would make sense that you are responsible for that fence only. (Just my opinion/assumption)

This.

If your house is of any age it will almost certainly be one or the other property who has responsibility for maintaining the boundary. Basically it will state that the fence stands on one property or the other. This was done to avoid disputes like this.

If it's your responsibility you don't need to pay for any work that your neighbours have voluntarily done if you have not approved in advance that they will then bill you. You can tear down the fence they have put up and erect your own, as you see fit.
If they are responsible for the fence then you don't have to pay either, it's their responsibility only.

In the absence of a contract (verbal or written) they are going to have a very difficult time getting aything out of you through the courts. Find out where you stand, be polite and reasonable, but firm with your neighbours and keep a photocopy of your deeds on hand in case they call the police again. Ask the police to keep a log of all complaints made by your neighbours and tell them you wish to build evidence to obtain an ASBO against them.

 

[Manc in London]

Re: neighbour dispute advice

Like someone has already pointed, I would check your deeds. If you have a fence on the side of the road, then it may well be that the fence on the other side is your neighbour's responsibility.

Regardless, you are not obligated to replace the fence panel.

If it is any consolation, your neighbour sounds like a horrible, petty, tosser.

Best of luck.