Real-life MMD: Should I pay for my neighbour's plants?

KDH001

An awful lot of people who have no idea about propery ownership here. There is nothing unusual about joint ownership of boundary fences, both sides of mine are the same. Ownership will be clearly defined in the deeds to your property.
Why was the fence replaced? and as has been asked did you consult your neighbour first? If not, then you are liable for all costs and damage that occured. It would be hard to prove there was none since you did the work without permission in the first place.

horse_sense

As the Meerkats say it is simple. Tell her to give you a bill for the plants and you will give her a bill for half the cost of the fence. I think she is having a laugh, she will not be doing so when she see's the bill you give her. This reply assumes the fence needed replacement and you discussed it with her.

ptrichardson

You say its a shared fence - but not if it was clearly damaged beyond a simple repair such that there was no option other than to get someone in to replace it.

If so, then you should have spoken to the neighbour about it - perhaps they would have paid half, perhaps they knew someone who would do it cheaply, or do it themselves.
If it wasn't too bad, they may have preferred to have it mended as a temporary fix.

Of course, you didn't ask at all, as you were "being nice" and covering the cost yourself.
Problem is, the neighbour wasn't aware, and didn't have a chance to object, or to mention about any important steps that needed to be taken when accessing her land (i.e. the plants).


IMO (and that's all this is), as you've assumed sole responsibility for the fence, you have inherited responsibility for her complaint.

You could of course ask her to pay her share of the bill, and then offer to deduct her losses from her share. But since she didn't agree to it, there's no way you can force her to pay.



Sorry. Sometimes trying to be nice doesn't work out for the best.

ptrichardson

dee01273 wrote: »

I am the original poster and several key points have been omitted from my post, That I am responsible for, and own the fences on three sides and 2 panels were blown down, falling into her garden.
I told the neighbour that the work was going to be done and the workmen would probably have to access from her side. She agreed and was pleased that the fence was being replaced at no cost to her.
She is a serial whiner and complained to the men about her plants and they insisted they had not pulled any plants up, and spoke to me about her complaints. I checked and saw no apparent damage. They, and I, think that she was trying it on. When she complained to me, she could not tell me the names of, or show me the "destroyed plants" but asked me to pay for them. I refused, as I feel that any flattened plants are still there as they are dormant at this time of the year and they will grow back later.

Puts a totally different spin on it.

DawnMo

As you paid for the fence and didn't ask her for anything - presumably she didn't offer? and you checked with the firm and they denied wrongdoing to her plants, it's her word against theirs and I wouldn't pay for them.

Mojisola

MSE_Debs wrote: »

Money Moral Dilemma: Should I pay for my neighbour's plants?

I recently paid for a replacement garden fence. Even though it's a shared fence, I didn't ask my neighbour for any contribution towards the cost. The work was completed to a high standard and I was pleased. Later my neighbour said the workmen had pulled up and thrown her plants away. I imagine some plants might have been flattened in the process, but she insists I pay for replacements. I've spoken to the company and they've assured me it didn't happen, but I feel as though I should just pay for her plants to keep the peace. Should I?

dee01273 wrote: »

I am the original poster and several key points have been omitted from my post, That I am responsible for, and own the fences on three sides and 2 panels were blown down, falling into her garden.

I told the neighbour that the work was going to be done and the workmen would probably have to access from her side. She agreed and was pleased that the fence was being replaced at no cost to her.

She is a serial whiner and complained to the men about her plants and they insisted they had not pulled any plants up, and spoke to me about her complaints. I checked and saw no apparent damage. They, and I, think that she was trying it on. When she complained to me, she could not tell me the names of, or show me the "destroyed plants" but asked me to pay for them. I refused, as I feel that any flattened plants are still there as they are dormant at this time of the year and they will grow back later.

There are two different scenarios being discussed now which are naturally producing very different answers.

essexfan_2

pollypenny wrote: »

As others have said, fences are rarely jointly owned. If it was your fence, then you are responsible for its maintenance.

I would try to come to some agreement with your neighbour, without spending a fortune.

Nobody seems to have mentioned...if the fence is jointly owned, wouldn't it have been polite to ask the neighbour if they wanted it replaced??

Squirrel2000

Make an offer of £50 towards new plants. Suck it up and move on. Neighbour wars are not worth the hassle. Life's too short.

quilter42

I personally do have a fence that is jointly owned with the neighbours as per the deeds so it is a possibility. I would always ask my neighbours opinion before doing any work on the fence. I would not be happy to have someone else's choice of fencing foisted on me especially if half the fence was mine.
It is sad when relationships between neighbours break down due to lack of communication. The damage, if caused, was entirely due to the contractors and it is their fault. Does the neighbour have photographic proof. If so, they should pursue the contractors.
Or perhaps just to keep the peace if you still want to a garden centre vouchers might still the troubled waters.