To pour weed killer over the fence to next doors garden?

[sparechange]

I live in a mid-terrace house and get on well with neighbours 4 houses in each direction.
Except the house next door, which is semi-derelict and uninhabited, save for a visit once or twice a year. We've lived here for 4 years and in that time, all the curtains have been closed and an upstairs sash window has been open 24/7.

Next door but one (empty house's other next door neighbour) has lived there for 30 years and doesn't know the name of the person who owns it and why they only appear occasionally. The house appears abandoned.

We have a fairly new 6 foot panel fence between us and empty house, and there are now nettles and other weeds standing 2 feet above the top of our fence. All sorts is growing under the fence and through gaps, and it's starting to damage the fence.

WIBU to pour some weed killer over the fence into the garden?

[Ratbagcatbag]

Can you access the back garden at all? If yes I'd nip round and strim the big stuff and then pour week killer over it all. Only as its uninhabited though, I don't make a point of doing neighbours gardens.

[knittedslippersx2]

I would if I was in your situation.

[Floggingmolly]

I would. Who'd notice or care?

[Melonrunner]

Can you find out who owns it? If the weeds are so big it's damaging the fence then I would imagine they are obliged to sort it.

[sparechange]

There is no access to the garden other than through the house or hopping over a fence on either side, and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that!

This is how much higher than the fence the weeds currently are...

[LadyAntonella]

I would too. It's uninhabited and you have no idea how to contact the owner. I don't know what else you could do. Contact the council? Maybe do that anyway after you've killed the weeds.

[wulfy1010]

If it is really abandoned you could make some cash youspotproperty.com/
Maybe not if people visit every now and then though. But I think you would be totally justified to take action to prevent damage to your property, as long as you don't damage their property in the process.

[sparechange]

Melon,
The house has a window left open all year round so I don't think the owner has any interest in maintaining their own property, let alone my fence!
Within a week of moving in, all my neighbours had come to introduce themselves, within a month we had been invited to welcome drinks so to live here for 30 years and no one to have met him or know his name, he has done a pretty good job of avoiding everyone!

[BathshebaDarkstone]

Y probably WB a bit U. I can see U'm in the minority though, so ignore me!

[ANiceSliceOfCake]

Could you pull up a fence panel and get in that way? My fear with an overgrown garden next door would be rats!

[BathshebaDarkstone]

*I'm

[ceebie]

YABU but only because I don't agree with poisoning land. Although unsightly, it's a wildlife haven! I would get long-handled loppers or a scythe type thing and do it that way.

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

I would do it in your situation. If possible, I would pull up your fence panels and tackle it from your own property - if you can.

I can't see how the owner would either know or care.

[sparechange]

How, Ceebie? The nettles are taller than me and grow flush to the fence!
If I climbed over, I would land straight into a very painful situation.

[JudasInTheTescoVan]

We were in exactly this situation. Environmental health came round and got a court order to clear the garden. It looked amazing for about six months but now it's all growing back. Get in touch with your local council.

[HazelBite]

I would contact the council, they will know who the owner is. Explain your position.
They will come round and strim it, if its that bad, and then bill the owner.
If they are not prepared to do anything try and remove one of your panels and get in there are strim/trim/cut away, do not use weedkiller it could affect any wildlife or neighbourhood cats.
You can make up a "safe" weedkiller with white vinegar, washing up liquid and salt (I don't know the quantities but I'm sure there's a M'netter who does)

[WorraLiberty]

I think just tipping weed killer over the top of the fence and hoping for the best, probably won't work as well as you think it might.

I second what the PP said about lifting up the fence panel and getting in that way.

You're better off doing a proper job, as it will last longer.

[liz70]

I would just lop of the parts of the plants that extend above or overhang your fence, then keep it trimmed so that they're out of your sight.

It's only greenery - unless the garden is also full of litter, dog mess etc. I wouldn't be that bothered, myself.

[sparechange]

The only thing I know about this house is that around 18 years ago, he took down a load bearing wall and it caused the houses on either side to start to sag. He couldn't or wouldn't pay for repairs, so the council had to come and do emergency works to sure it up. They now have a charge on his house to recover the costs when it is sold.

Given he is steadfastly refusing to sell (and we are in London, so it would be a developers dream if it went on the market), I wonder if that would make the council less inclined to take more legal action against him, knowing they won't recover the costs.

[AlcoChocs]

I don't think there'll be a rat problem as long as there's no food rubbish. Have you looked over the fence?
I've got the same "weeds" against my fence, that I'm carefully cultivating because I think they're wild buddleias. Was looking forward to the flowers.

[liz70]

My DH has to get up a step ladder to trim the tops of our hedges!

[EveryoneElsie]

Weed killer and a wide strip of old carpet or black plastic will knock them back.

[sparechange]

I'm not massively concerned about the sight of the weeds, but there are creepers, bind weed and ivy poking through the overlapping parts of the fence panels, which is starting to make holes in the panels and damage them.

The recent combination of lots of rain and lots of sunshine means they are growing like wildfire. I've been snapping off the bits that grow through but they grow faster than I can garden!
One of them is has spiky leaves that irritates the skin if touched so I don't want it in my garden

[BarbaraofSeville]

Strangely, weeding someone else's garden without permission probably counts as criminal damage or trespass so I wouldn't do that I wouldn't be arsed either I have enough trouble keeping up with my own garden.

Second PPs suggestions to take it up with the council - they have powers to force the owner to make repairs etc as necessary.

They could possibly even take possession if he doesn't respond to orders to sort the garden and any defects in the house that are affecting neighbours (leaking roof, guttering etc).