Can I have some advice with a hedge/shrub/fence question.

MrsE_2

Can I have some advice with a hedge/shrub/fence question.

On my right side (neighbours boundary) most of it is hedge, 115 foot back garden, about 25 foot front.

On my left side (my boundary) its all fencing, in the back I have a row of large shrubs along my side.

The front fence is new & lovely. The back (6 ft) is a bit old & tatty.

The neighbours want us to renew it. To be honest it needs new concrete posts put in (presently wood & getting manky) & will be a big & expensive job. We said we would.

However their son plays football in their garden & is battering our fence, bits have fallen off the upper panels from the pounding it takes.
I know its old, but its being made worse.
He can kick 6 balls over in a day:rolleyes:, but I only chuck them back when I'm out there otherwise I would be chucking them back constantly.

They have a couple of posts at a 45 degree angle in their garden against the fence posts to make them more secure, I guess they would be in their rights to remove these?

He's building a big pond right next to my fence & his digging has disturbed one of the concrete posts (this is near the front garden & its about a third concrete posts - all of the front & a little of the back- from the front & 2 thirds wood). He said he will bank/secure it up & hopefully my concrete post will stay upright, this is the last concrete post.

On my right hand neighbours side even though it is her very long hedge we cut & remove it ourselves all the time, I would never dream of asking her to do this, nor would I dream of returning the waste to her & its a big job, over 100 foot of hedging & Lleandi.

The other day the lady next door asked me if we can cut back the shrubs from our side over hanging her garden as they are bursting her sons footballs when the land it it.

Is this normal to tell me to cut it?
Should she, or do I have to?

I think they are telling their son to kick hell out of the fence so we have to change it quickly.
But to be honest I don't want to spend £££'s & have him kick hell out of a new fence too.

Can I have advice on the overhanging shrubs & fence please?

:beer:

PS I did look at that garden law site, but they all seem to want the neighbour NOT to prune any overhanging bits, I'm happy for them to prune anything overhanging their garden I think its a bit cheeky to ask me to do it. After all I trim a 100 foor plus hedge the oither side thats not mine.

Jawuk

I really think that the first thing you need to do is ascertain exactly which of you owns which fence - only then can you decide how to respond.
As to chopping down your hedge because of her son's football, personally I would tell her that you will get round to it when you can, and then just leave it at that. There's absolutely nothing they can do to force you to cut it unless it's Leylandii but you can say yes yet do nothing to save any face to face difficulties.

MrsE_2

Jawuk wrote: »

I really think that the first thing you need to do is ascertain exactly which of you owns which fence - only then can you decide how to respond.
As to chopping down your hedge because of her son's football, personally I would tell her that you will get round to it when you can, and then just leave it at that. There's absolutely nothing they can do to force you to cut it unless it's Leylandii but you can say yes yet do nothing to save any face to face difficulties.

Its my fence, there is no dispute about that.

Its a normal shrub, a prickly one.

valk_scot

I think you should come to an agreement that if you replace the fence her son will not play football against it. Point out that the current fence is being needlessly damaged and would have lasted years more if left alone. If she says she won't stop him, don't replace the fence.

And yes, say you'll cut the shrubs. Then fail to get round to it. If she starts moaning again say you're more than happy to allow her to trim any overhanging branches.

And you know what I'd do with the footballs? Lock them in the shed till they come and ask for them.

MrsE_2

valk_scot wrote: »

I think you should come to an agreement that if you replace the fence her son will not play football against it. Point out that the current fence is being needlessly damaged and would have lasted years more if left alone. If she says she won't stop him, don't replace the fence.

And yes, say you'll cut the shrubs. Then fail to get round to it. If she starts moaning again say you're more than happy to allow her to trim any overhanging branches.

And you know what I'd do with the footballs? Lock them in the shed till they come and ask for them.

TBH I don't want to replace the fence yet.

Its old looking, but with greenery grown up against it (my side) its fine. They want about 100 foot replaced & that will cost a fair few £££.

I've told DH if they mention the fence to say we will replace it when her son has outgrown his football years, as I'm not replacing it to get destroyed.

Can I or should I do anything about the damage that is being done now?
If I do they may deliberately weaken it from their side:rolleyes:

I don't chuck the footballs back over unless I'm down that way, otherwise I would be at it day & night:rolleyes:

I did say she could trim the shrubs overhanging, she said she can't reach. But her DH is a tall man

Sunnyday

Hi MrsE,

does the prickly shrub growing against the fence run the full length of your garden?

I guess what i`m really getting at is could you remove rather than replace the fence and just have the hedge as your boundary.

You could fill in any gaps with fast growing shrubs and then if the neighbours decide that they would rather have a fence then they would be the ones paying for it and maintaining it.

Even if you don`t really want to do this mention it to the neighbour concerned and it might [STRIKE]stop her moaning [/STRIKE] make her a bit more reasonable in her demands.

HTH

SD

MrsE_2

Sunnyday wrote: »

Hi MrsE,

does the prickly shrub growing against the fence run the full length of your garden? No, have other shrubs, but only one prickly one.

I guess what i`m really getting at is could you remove rather than replace the fence and just have the hedge as your boundary. Not really, its barely there in winter. Its shrubs not a hedge.

You could fill in any gaps with fast growing shrubs and then if the neighbours decide that they would rather have a fence then they would be the ones paying for it and maintaining it.

Even if you don`t really want to do this mention it to the neighbour concerned and it might [STRIKE]stop her moaning [/STRIKE] make her a bit more reasonable in her demands.

HTH

SD

:beer:
Well I think pointing out that I'm not spending £££s on a fence for her son to kick the bejesus out of should make her realise they need to stop deliberately battering the one that is there.

MunnyBoiler

If you don't want to replace the fence, then don't!

Tell the neighbours there is no point is having a lovely new fence if the darling son is just going to keep damaging it like the current one.

As for the overhanging shrubs, tell her you'll get around to it and just keep putting her off until you really have to do it.

You could tell the neighbour to just simply chop off the offending branches but I would be worried about them cutting back too much or causing permanent damage to the tree/shrub if they do a hacking job. I would much rather doing this kind of work myself than trust my neighbours!!!

valk_scot

How old is her son, btw? Any learning difficulties that might make you take a more sympathetic view? Or is he a biggish child that can't/won't take a telling, or is his mum the kind that thinks anything he wants to do is okay?

If she brings the subject up again tell her that you're intending to replace the fence one day but at the moment you don't have the money. So the old one will have to last a bit longer yet, or if it falls down you'll just have to string a temporary boundary wire. But if she is willing to contribute 50%...????

Valli

My son (and his mates) have 'kicked' holes in my fence with footballs. I am responsible for the back and one side. The other side fence is my neighbours responsibility, they have had it newly fenced and there is NO WAY I would 'allow' DS to hit THAT new fence with a football - fortunately the layout of my garden means it is reasonably protected but a 15 Yo football player with a good kick (he takes corners and goal kicks for his team) can do a lot of damage. If it were me my position would be regarding the fence if they want it replaced then their son doesn't play football - and they undertake to maintain (ie paint) it regularly or allow me (ie you) in to maintain it. Doesn't matter what his age/needs are fences cost a LOT of money and need care and maintainance.

SailorSam

Where i use to line the son played football against the fence and it was completely ruined. It was my fence but i wouldn't renew it, thinking that when he got older i would.
One day the guy next door said they were moving (thank god),, he asked me would i take out the broken panels that were between our houses and put them in the other side, then put the good ones in his side, so that when buyers came it looked better.
The second word i said was off.
Where i am now the people at the bottom of the garden said they planned to put up a new fence, don't know who is responsible but i told them when they get it done we should go halves, seems fair to me.