Pls help-neighbours threatening court for 'unsafe' fence

Dr.Shoe_2

I'd take it down and replace it with razor wire if it were my property.

pimento

Is the fence a six footer? If not, it's a good excuse to put a six foot fence between you and him anyway. How long is the boundary? It shouldn't be that expensive and you could always paint his side dayglo orange.

Soot2006

Dr. Shoe and Pimento have said just what I was thinking ...

6 ft chainlink replacement ... loooooovely.

Rince

prudryden wrote: »

Check your deeds just to be sure it is (1) your fence and (2) it states that you have to have a fence. Maybe, it is a party wall fence and he has to chip in for the repairs. But check anyway.

I agree with this statement. check your title deeds, you should have a copy of them from when you bought the house. It will show your house on the street and where the boundarys are. It also states which are shared boundarys. Sometimes you'll be responsible for the right hand side and your neighbour the left hand side, or you can be both responsible for all boundarys. So first thing is to double check it's not his responsibility or a shared responsibility. That'll be funny if it is :rotfl:

If you haven't got this bit of paper you can apply to the land registry. I'll ask my mum which form it is as she works there.

tomstickland

Sounds like a weirdo to me.

BitterAndTwisted

Of course he's an effing weirdo! Jumping over fences to interfere with the next-door neighbour's back-garden without permission. Taking plants away from the front garden without permission. Leaving notes threatening "legal action" about alleged unsafe fences which he's probably made unsafe himself. Ipso facto, I rest my case. And of course, very possibly laying the ground-work for a civil action for grievous injury after an unsafe fence fell on him in the dead of night.

blckbrd

:T @ BitterandTwisted for cutting the crap today.

The longer you lie down, OP, the easier you are to be stepped upon.

As FireFox suggests, this is harassment. Formally advise your neighbour that her lodger's behaviour is unwarranted and antisocial; that any further threats or interference will be reported to the police in addition to any civil proceedings that you may initiate.

Elderly people can be the best friends/acquaintances - such great stories - but when they turn feral it's pretty scary because of their sense of entitlement.

Foot-down time OP

summerday

blckbrd wrote: »

:T @ BitterandTwisted for cutting the crap today.

The longer you lie down, OP, the easier you are to be stepped upon.

As FireFox suggests, this is harassment. Formally advise your neighbour that her lodger's behaviour is unwarranted and antisocial; that any further threats or interference will be reported to the police in addition to any civil proceedings that you may initiate.

Elderly people can be the best friends/acquaintances - such great stories - but when they turn feral it's pretty scary because of their sense of entitlement.

Foot-down time OP

We are going this afternoon to inspect the fence, but given that we were there 2 weeks ago and there didn't appear to be any problem, I'd be very surprised if it's deteriorated to the extent that his letter suggests.

Just to clarify, yes we are certain that the fence is our responsibility, and of course we want to ensure that it does not pose a heath risk to anyone, but neither are we happy about shelling out for a new one if it's not necessary. He is her lodger, she owns the house, but he's lived there a long time and she seems to go along with everything, I think it's her handwriting on the letters (English is a second language for him, he's Italian). The neighbour made very similar heavy threats before we moved out about the garage roof needing replacing, with comments in the letter then stating 'if you don't have the money to replace it within 2 months then you will have to borrow it from your parents, or we will take legal action', the same heavy threats about us being taken to court and losing the house to pay solicitors bills, which is why part of me wonders what will be next.

Oh, and when I rang the tenants to arrange to go over there this afternoon to look at the fence, they said that the neighbour had wondered into their back garden the other day without asking to look at the fence from their side!

Really I just want an end to all his letters of complaint and the heavy demands. I do find it stressful and upsetting, but if he knew that I'm sure he'd feel pleased. I almost feel harassed and when we lived there before it started to affect my health. I'm so grateful to all of you who have taken time to reply and I will let you know how we find the state of the fence this afternoon!

keith969

Let's see, he's trespassed on your property and caused criminal damage, and he's been harassing you. He hasn't got a leg to stand on so ignore his bluffing about court action - as that's all it is.

I would collect all the evidence and go and make a formal complaint at your local police station as soon as possible.

olly300

I personally think that you, OP, need to have a word with your community police officers about this guy's actions especially if you have kept his notes.

He is harassing you pure and simple and the community police can, if you talk to them nicely, have a word with him warning not to continue his actions.

After that you can get more heavy handed as if he is a lodger not a tenant, it is very easy for him to be kicked out of his home.