Disagreement with neighbour over fence

tinkerfairy

One of our neighbours wanted to replace the fence along the back of our garden with concrete fence posts and gravel boards. We said no as this is next to the children's raised playhouse and two of them angry young aged 3 and 1 so we didn't feel it was safe. The deeds say the fence is the responsibility of both of us, according to the housing association. If it's 50/50 surely I have as much say in the fence as him.

I woke up this morning to find him in my garden just replacing the fence, he didn't tell me. He has snapped off our solar lights as opposed to unscrew them. To gain access we have a 6 foot gate that is kept locked as we have had someone in our garden at night several times belfry putting the lock on. He has unscrewed the bracket to get in and we now can't lock the gate as he has taken it.

Before he done the work we had the front of the panel now we have the back of the fence panel. Now we can't even put up the wall decorations we had in place for my children .

Anyway my point is does anyone know if he has dome this legally? Is it legal to aether my garden the way he did and even without asking me?

CKhalvashi

One fence will be yours, one will be theirs, you need to call the HA and find out which is what.

Are you/neighbour owners or tenants? This will impact the advice I give.

CK

Mark_Mark

CKhalvashi wrote: »

One fence will be yours, one will be theirs, you need to call the HA and find out which is what.

Are you/neighbour owners or tenants? This will impact the advice I give.

CK

Before you give advice you need to get up to speed yourself.

As stated the fence is a joint responsibility, it's not uncommon.

attila_

If they are paying for the whole fence i can see perhaps why they may be reacting like this.

Have you offered at least 50% plus any additional costs for the fence of your preference over theirs (if there is any)?

Personally i don't think gravel boards are the end of the world and will last a long time.

I would advise sorting it out amicably rather than legal route.

Hoof_Hearted

A decent fence with concrete posts and gravel boards is a plus. Just be happy your neighbour is paying and grow something up the fence if you don't like the look. Yes, the neighbour should ask, but you are the winner here.

Dumbe

Can you go round and ask for you lock back for your gate?

I don't know the answer but I imagine it's theft .

Regarding the fence as it's a joint responsibility not sure you can do much after the fact.

But that said it seems wrong he can damage your solar lights, enter your garden and steal your lock..

But going to the police would I imagine not help your relationship with your neighbour and if you sold you would have to declare any dispute.

Suggest you retrieve your lock and make it clear politely you will view any further entering of your property as trespass.

tinkerfairy

CKhalvashi wrote: »

One fence will be yours, one will be theirs, you need to call the HA and find out which is what.

Are you/neighbour owners or tenants? This will impact the advice I give.

CK

They are owners. HA said according to the deeds they share responsibility of the fence. Although about 5 years ago when it broke they repaired it after denying it was their responsibility then looking into it so I assumed it was on my border.

tinkerfairy

attila_ wrote: »

If they are paying for the whole fence i can see perhaps why they may be reacting like this.

Have you offered at least 50% plus any additional costs for the fence of your preference over theirs (if there is any)?

Personally i don't think gravel boards are the end of the world and will last a long time.

I would advise sorting it out amicably rather than legal route.

I have no intentions to go down the legal route. The HA paid him for the whole part of the fence that covers my back garden.

pinkteapot

I would be annoyed about the damage to my lights, and fuming about the stolen lock, and the fact he came into my garden without asking! That's just plain rude. He should have come to tell you he was going ahead with the fence, and to ask if it was OK to come onto your property to do some of the work.

I would definitely pop round and ask for the lock back. If the conversation isn't too unfriendly you could say that you'd be grateful if he could ask in future before coming into your garden. Re the lights, if you really cared about them and will want to replace, you could ask him to contribute. If you weren't that fussed about them you could let that slide in the interests of neighbourly relations.

Why can't you put decorations on the back of the panels? What are they made of? There's a method of fixing things to most surfaces...

Mark_Mark

Dumbe wrote: »

Can you go round and ask for you lock back for your gate?

I don't know the answer but I imagine it's theft .

Regarding the fence as it's a joint responsibility not sure you can do much after the fact.

But that said it seems wrong he can damage your solar lights, enter your garden and steal your lock..

But going to the police would I imagine not help your relationship with your neighbour and if you sold you would have to declare any dispute.

Suggest you retrieve your lock and make it clear politely you will view any further entering of your property as trespass.

That is of no concern to the op as it's not their house to sell.

spacey2012

Call the police and ask them to remove the trespasser who has broken in to your locked garden causing damage.