Neighbours have removed my boundary by taking down garage

DiscoCat54

Hi 27col.

I don't think it's their responsibility. I was wondering if they would shoulder any responsibility as the removal of their garage has caused the hole.

From what I've read on here it's not their responsibility, it's mine, and I will do the right thing.

I was only curious....

Mojisola

DiscoCat54 wrote: »

From what I've read on here it's not their responsibility, it's mine, and I will do the right thing.

It's your responsibility to keep your goats in your garden but you don't have to put up a particular fence - it doesn't have to match the rest of the fence, it doesn't have to be something that suits your neighbours.

You don't have to go to a lot of expense because they decided to redo their garden.

Snakey

DiscoCat54 wrote: »

To clarify, my animals are not at risk. My fence is temporary and rather short however it is strong enough to resist a determined goat. It just doesn't look very good and doesn't match the rest of the 6' fence panels.

I'd leave things as they are. You have a responsibility to stop your goats trampling their flowerbeds, but you don't have a responsibility to immediately (or at all) put up a fancy six foot fence that matches the rest of the fence, which is presumably what they are hoping you will do, essentially subsidising their construction project (and on their schedule).

Be polite and friendly. Tell them thanks but you can't afford anything like that for a long while yet, reassure them that the fence you've put there now will definitely keep your goats out of their garden (assuming that's the truth), and say you'll see how the finances look for a new fence but it definitely won't be next year. And that if they want to put one up instead (to match the rest of their poolside or whatever), you don't have a problem with that at all.

Then bide your time. Chances are they will crack first - if I were building a swimming pool I wouldn't want it to be overlooked, and if it looked as if my neighbour might be perfectly happy with chicken wire indefinitely then come the approach of swimming pool weather next May/June I'd probably sigh and dig into my own pocket for the six-foot solid wood construction that I wanted. If they don't, then eventually you'll get the money together to put up whatever you want. (Presumably you want it looking nice as well and this is just a cash flow thing.)

In short: I wouldn't fall out over it as nobody has done anything wrong (always remembering that you should never attribute to malice anything that can be explained by thoughtlessness), but don't feel obliged to dance to their tune.

mttylad

Concrete fence posts are about £10, wooden panels from £20.
Having removed a garage, that's 3-4 posts and panels between max.
Bags of postcrete cost about £5 - you need 1-2 per post.
If the ground is plain earth then it's a morning of some digging, filling with pole & postcrete & fitting panels.

Nothing but greed in that equates to £1200.

Get some pallets and make a temporary fence to keep the goats in & safe - leave gaps so that you can see through - eventually they may well repair the hole they have made in the fencing.

pendragon_arther

I think the neighbours are trying to get you to part pay for their olympic swimming pool. I had a new fence with 6 concrete posts and new panels for 27 foot length for £800.

Norman_Castle

Find a comfy chair and put it next to the hole in the fence. Sit in it, with the goats on leads, and watch them in their pool while quietly chuckling. They'll soon find £1200 for a fence.

brightontraveller

Personally I’d check your/there deeds ( copies available to download via land registry ) You would be checking for covenants etc requiring owner to fence the boundary heights, allowed construction materials who’s responsible etc anything else is irrelevant until you know if there are any or not,,,,,

System

covenants etc requiring owner to fence the boundary heights,

Which would only be applicable to those named in the original deeds as it is a positive covenant requiring expenditure.

The burden of a positive covenant does not 'run with the land' so cannot be enforced against subsequent owners.

brightontraveller

!!!!!! wrote: »

Which would only be applicable to those named in the original deeds as it is a positive covenant requiring expenditure.

The burden of a positive covenant does not 'run with the land' so cannot be enforced against subsequent owners.

I don’t know if either are original owners as poster has not mentioned it ? Maybe unlikely but not impossible they would know I or you wouldn’t ? and A conveyance deed or a transfer deed may include a covenant requiring the purchaser to fence the land and for him or his successors in title to forever maintain the fence

Infidel

8 concrete posts? Have your neighbours got a massive stretched Limo?

If it wasn't for your animals I'd have said wait it out - as seriously I don't think anyone would want to go swimming whilst the neighbours were watching... unless...er, no let's not go there ;-p.

If you really can't afford a 'decent' and nice looking fence then I guess you should put up something that will adequately stop your animals from roaming - but make sure it's "see-through" .....like wire fencing. Then wait it out until you can come to a better agreement with your neighbours (i.e. - share the cost).