Neighbours Fence

bathwiggle

Hi, wondering if anyone can help me.

Next doors fence came down, all 6 panels Christmas eve in the storms, she has 5 dogs, and still has not repaired the fence. She tells me she can't afford it, she is a council tenant and the council are telling me that it is her responsibility and they won't do it.

I've already had to replace all of my fencing and the cladding on the house following the storms; i can not afford to do her fence as well but i'm getting fed up of the dogs coming into the garden and the Alsations trying to attack me.

Do the council have a duty of care to maintain the property including the fence or am i going to have to live with the dogs having 2 gardens and me unable to use my garden all summer?

This is in Dunstable if that makes a difference?

Thank you.

muckybutt

Council don't have DOC to repair her fence, they would only do that if it was a health and safety issue.

The tenant however does have to keep her dogs under control if she is letting them out into an unsecured area, I would have a polite word with her about this and if you get no response then call the dog warden, then they will act especially if they are defecating on your garden and charging at you etc.

bathwiggle

muckybutt wrote: »

Council don't have DOC to repair her fence, they would only do that if it was a health and safety issue.

The tenant however does have to keep her dogs under control if she is letting them out into an unsecured area, I would have a polite word with her about this and if you get no response then call the dog warden, then they will act especially if they are defecating on your garden and charging at you etc.

I've tried a polite word.. it ended up with her shouting abuse, terrorising my lodgers and her telling me 'this is war'.

The council dog wardens won't deal with it, the website says:
We deal with:

collecting stray dogs
enforcement of legislation involved with dog fouling

What we don't deal with:
rehoming
welfare
dangerous dogs

marlot

If you genuinely feel at risk from the dogs, then there is a new law which has just come in making that an offence. Even if they have not bitten.

It would involve making a report to the police.

stef73

Looking at https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/overview its the police and council.

27col

Amazing that she can afford to keep 5 dogs and yet doesn't have enough money to keep them where they belong.

bathwiggle

27col wrote: »

Amazing that she can afford to keep 5 dogs and yet doesn't have enough money to keep them where they belong.

Well i have considered leaving my back gate open and liberating them, but that is worse than her sadly. That's why i was hoping the council would have a duty.

comeandgo

I thought council tenants could only have one dog or do individual councils have different rules?

bathwiggle

comeandgo wrote: »

I thought council tenants could only have one dog or do individual councils have different rules?

She officially is allowed up to 2 small ones or one big one, the most she has had there is 13... and they know this and don't seem to care.

I don't care how many dogs personally, i just want to be able to sit in my garden and relax without one coming in barking and growling. for the first 2 months i didn't mind as thats fair time to sort it but now its a joke.

zaax

What ever you do don't feed them dark chocolate or leave Antifreeze around as these can kill them.

Sagz_2

I'd contact the LA dog warden and ask for advice, despite what the LA website says most I've worked with are interested in the welfare of dogs and would certainly have a word with a council tenant if their dogs were causing a problem to others.

If the dogs are fouling in your garden you could also contact the Environmental Health dept.