Fence on Council Land

curpin

Right, I wasn't looking for a freebie or the council to cover any cost for me, I just wanted to know if they can force me to pay for the work. My problem is the current financial difficulty, that's all, and I didn't want them to get worse by another forced bill!
The fence is not dumped, just shifted outward a feet or two on the grass and nothing outrageous...

mrschaucer

curpin wrote: »

The fence is not dumped, just shifted outward a feet or two on the grass and nothing outrageous...

As somebody said above, the council do probably think you are doing a land grab.

Money_maker

curpin wrote: »

The fence is not dumped, just shifted outward a feet or two on the grass and nothing outrageous...

So cant you shift it back in? What type of fence is it? You said earlier it was moved 3' into the pedestrian path, not shifted outward a foot or two. Which is the truth? Why do you have a problem moving it yourself?

silvercar

I am confused, how can a fence be shifted a few feet without being dug in to the ground and supported properly?

Davesnave

I'm sure that moving it would be sufficient to stop the council pursuing you further, as they'll not want the hassle of doing that. The best thing to do is engage with them, explain you will move it within a sensible time frame, like two weeks, and get a few bodies to help you do it, soon.

It might take longer to save up for a proper reinstatement, but the council certainly have the rights to remove a fence erected on the wrong part of their land and charge whoever's at fault to put matters right. Their bills are often strangely uncompetitive as well!

Davesnave

silvercar wrote: »

I am confused, how can a fence be shifted a few feet without being dug in to the ground and supported properly?

It probably is. Sounds as if the OP was building up to their boundary and the contractor shifted the fence for access whilst maintaining security. Not hard if there's a digger on site.

curpin

Indeed, I am engaging now with the council, I asked them for a bit of time until I get a sensible quotation to reinstate the fence, that would be removing the old build a new one in the original border, or simply put back the old fence in the original place with some fixes and digging here and there...
Thank you all for your replies and valuable input.

G_M

What an amazingly long thread for an amazingly simple question.

Your fence - your problem.
Either move, get it moved or wait for the council to move it and bill you.

If the council bill you, either pay the bill or wait for the council to take you to court and add on their legal and court costs.

The word 'dumped' is emotive but essentially that's what you've done - abandoned something of yours on someone else's land: 'Dumped'.

InterestedParty2018

To the OP, if my neighbour took down their fence to facilitate any type of building works, and left it on my side of the boundary (instead of their own) temporarily or indefinitely, I would go mad.
Just because the land belongs to the council, it does not make any difference.

You also make reference to a footpath. I certainly hope that this fence is not causing any obstructions to anyone using the footpath.

Your issues with your builder is irrelevant, as is your financial position for reinstating it.

As GM has said, your fence, your problem.

If you cant get it reinstated, get it moved to within your boundary until you ARE ready to get it reinstated.
You are very fortunate the council have given you any time. If you were my neighbour I wouldn't be that sympathetic.

gingercordial

You don't have to have a fence at all. Take your fence down from the council's land immediately, pull out the posts and lay all the panels down in your own garden. This will not be hard.

Then wait until you can afford it to have someone put it back up in the right place.

In the meantime all you really need is a bit of string to mark the boundary. Push some bamboo canes into the ground at 6ft intervals and tie string between them.

You might not like this if it doesn't give you the privacy you would prefer but that is not the council's problem. It is only your preference and you might just have to live with it for a little while until you can afford to put it back properly, but this will stop the council from billing you in the meantime. You have no right to fence off their land especially if it is a public footpath and I am not surprised they are angry.