Pls help-neighbours threatening court for 'unsafe' fence

Zazen999

saraht wrote: »

Zazen- the letter starts off by stating that one post is rotten, but then later states that the whole boundary fence needs to be relaced. Part of me thinks that if we just replace the whole thing then at least he can't moan about anything to do with that, and I can't think of many more maintenance issues that he could bring up in the future (but then people like that seem to find something don't they?) but if most of the fence is fine, why should we replace it?

He says jump - you say how high?

Nope - don't do it!

You have eyes - get over there and have a check and take photos to back yourself up! And make a decision based on what you see, not what some troublemaker is saying.

poppysarah

I hope you have kept every note they have ever sent. Get them done for harassment.

summerday

We have kept most, if not all of their letters. If it was anyone else but me in this situation, I know I'd advise people to not be bullied into replacing things for the sake of it, but I just don't trust the man, I wouldn't put it past him to loosen a fence panel himself and fake an accident to sue us, but how can we protect ourselves against that other than paying out for a whole new fence or hundereds for a surveyor to confirm it's safe?

BitterAndTwisted

I agree with Zazen999: you decide whether or not the fence needs attention and whether you should do anything about it or not. Just acting upon this idiot's demands will mean that those demands will escalate and become even more vexatious.

Sometimes the best way to deal with the sort of people who have far too much time on their hands and not enough to occupy them is to completely ignore them. Then perhaps he will find another more rewarding victim to annoy

Cannon_Fodder

Smashing wrote: »

But where do you draw the line? The more you pander to him, the more likely his demands are to escalate.
He'll be insisting half your garden is his next.

If there is nothing wrong with the fence, he's a crank.

If there is something wrong with the fence, he's a crank who has a point.

Assuming that he is always on a wind-up before checking what he has stated will feed his paranoia, not cure it.

It sounds like he's a sandwich short of a packed lunch, but there are 3 sides to every story. "Hers, His and the Truth. And no-one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently."


We've just had the worst winter in 30 years, and don't have a date when the property was last visited by the OP, so it could be that something like http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8360106.stm happened and hasn't been spotted yet.

Or, as said, he could be a crank. Who will prevent the OP from selling until his dying day, if this is allowed to escalate.

Maybe the tenants are being annoying, so he's found a small way to have a dig back.

Maybe its totally unjustified.

Making your mind up before the fence has even been looked at is premature.

poppysarah

Invest in CCTV.
It's not horribly expensive and will give you incredible peace of mind. Especially if you get some very subtle stuff that he doesn't know about.

Start keeping a diary.

Inspect the fence. Take lots of photos and video it.

poppysarah

If you want a professional's opinion then get a trusted (recommended) fencing bloke to come and have a look. If you get the right one they'll tell you whether it needs replacing or not.

BitterAndTwisted

If the old b*gger is fit enough to climb over your fence to mess with your garden then he's probably the one who has damaged it if it is damaged at all.

Smashing

Also check out the neighbours from hell forum, if only to make yourself feel better. He's probably on there, scouting for ideas.

mqandy

Get a quote from a reputable fencing contractor to "repair the boundary fence".

Be no more specific than that and see how much work they advise on.

If they say a panel or post needs replacing, pay up - that way, you've been a good neighbor without giving in to a grumpy bully!

Then keep the quote as evidence the whole fence did not need replacing.