Petty civil case and solicitors letter

[nametapes]

Its a small petty civil case which has not gone anywhere i need some advice.
I live in the centre of town next door but one to an Antique/second hand furniture shop with a property in between which has some railing adjoining my front door.
I have for many months parked my bike to the railings. Three weeks ago the lady in the shop came up to me and said "Do not park/lock your bike to my railings!"
I told her she was being petty and what harm was it doing. Since then (until today) I havnt put my bike there, but I quickly plonked it there for 10 mins whilst i went into my house to get something. She and her partner knocked on the door threatening me with a Solicitors letter. I told her they were just causing trouble, to which she threatened me she would wire cut my bike from the railings.
I think a solicitors letter is a pathetic threat all over a bike attached to some railings right outside my front door, but of what clout can such a thing weal ?????
Background:-
About a year ago she told me to move my car from outside her shop , even though I have a parking permit, with rights to park in any permit bay. I kindly moved my car.
She went skiing with my Ex and my son Dec 2006 , after we had split up. He dumped her a few weeks later. She she not like me? Is she a bully?

[trixymalixy]

Have they actually sent you a solictor's letter, it's not clear from your post.

[prh47bridge]

A solicitor's letter does not carry any legal clout at all. You do not have to comply with it if one arrives.

It sounds like she had no right to tell you to move your car from outside her shop. From the description you give I very much doubt the railings are hers as it sounds like they don't adjoin her property at all but are between your house and another property. They are therefore likely to belong to either you or your next door neighbour. Unless you think the railings really do belong to her I would be tempted to tell her that if she wire cuts your bike from them you will take action against her for compensation.

[nametapes]

thank you guys. no they havnt sent me a solicitors letter. Just as i thought, i really doesnt carry much clout....especially over a bloomin bike.....

[Tyr]

As a general rule, a solicitor's letter is like toilet paper, only not as absorbent. If she owns the railings, she has a right to stop you chaining your bike to it. If she doesn't own the railings she doesn't.
Whether she owns them or not, she doesn't have the right to cut your bike chain- that is criminal damage. Next time she threatens that, call the plod.

[nametapes]

she cant cut my bike lock , its a solid hard loop of rock hard steel.....

[sneezecakesmum]

Even if she could cut your bike lock it would be criminal damage and the police would be involved!