AIBU re this odd request from neighbours?

I'm astonished at what they are demanding, with no evident grounds. Talk about a misplaced sense of entitlement!

We don't have workmen in much, but when we had someone in to plaster/paper/paint he brought his own sandwich and flask, and he did take a couple of hot drinks from us but didn't seem to expect us to provide anything. I'd assume most workmen will bring food but provision of biscuits/tea/coffee makes the work go better. Provided by the person employing them, of course, not the neighbours!

Cheeky devils, there's no need for gardeners to have access to either property, usually their tools aren't wired. They'll have to eat, drink and piss at the local cafe it they don't bring their own grub.

scribblescrabble Download! That's just made me choke on lunch

I'll have to teach my DS that one.....

My experience with builders is that they shit, alot! especially on a Monday morning ..... I am actually willing them to download in your cheeky bastard ndn bushes, that'll learn 'em, :) :) :)

Make sure you take photos of your plants on your side or otherwise they can just deny it all!

they will have to wee in NDN's garden Of course it might not just be a wee - that would serve them right!

Now that the subject of plants has been raised, you have to get 'weeping into my bush' into the conversation somehow.

Ditto Collaborate. We've had fences replaced on both sides and it never involved digging plants up. We did lose a couple here and there from being stood on etc but nothing unreasonable. Oh, and it was all discussed beforehand (weeks, not the night before), access was agreed (terraced)and they brought their own power with them.

It's one thing agreeing to losing the odd plant, it's quite another to be informed that they'll have to go.

Trust the fence posts will be on the neighbour's side?

What Collaborate says. It has always worked for us

Unless the fence was in such a state of disrepair that the plants had replaced it, in which case you just need to snip those bits off.

Ivy just grows back anyway.

I don't get it. Why can't they just push your plants on to your side of the boundary and erect the fence? They shouldn't have to dig up your plants. Not at all.

I'm crying now howtorebuild
Please tell me they are not weeping into your newly trimmed bush

Have you and the other neighbour talked about what you will do if the builders knock asking to refill their flasks/go to the loo?

cheeky twats!

I wouldn't let them sacrifice your plants, and would possibly even threaten them with legal action if they go ahead. I know that sounds OTT, but they sounds like liberty-takers, and if you don't persuade them you're serious now, they're going to keep on taking. ESPECIALLY as they never mentioned this to you but left it to the builders. By all means cut whatever is overhanging the boundary (as you should) but nothing more.

It's not even the electricity it's the inconvenience, no one wants people around their house....that's why your bastard ndns cleared off for a few days!

OP my understanding has always been that they're allowed to trim anything that's overhanging into their property but you're not allowed to damage the plant.

I can't quite believe the ndns thought you would be perfectly happy for the builders to use your electricity. When we were doing a lot of diy with power tools, our smart meter was permanently red for hours. It's not a question of a few pence.

Amusing thread op.

I feel very sorry for you..

Trim your Bush back yourself, you don't want them weeping into it, in error.

Loving this thread!

I love a good confrontation though, OP! Why don't I get these entitled fuckers that everyone else seems to encounter?

It's all too fabulous. Especially the detour into weeping bicycle monkeys.

I love mad neighbour stories. I had one for about seven years and it was seriously awful but I can laugh about it now - six years after the bastards have gone.

One of the lesser of their crimes against us was similar to this. They'd just moved in. We had no idea of the hell that would bring.

She came round one Sunday and announced that builders were coming the next day and as she didn't have a basement and we did, could they store their equipment and materials down here?

It was phrased as a question but her manner suggested she was not expecting refusal.

I said: 'Er, well, I want to help but we lock the gate to the steps when we're out and I don't want to leave it open because the basement would be vulnerable to break-in.'

She said: 'Well you can just give them your key and they would lock up for you.'

I said: 'Er, no I don't think that would be a good idea.'

She then accused me of being unneighbourly and left. I thought that was the end of it but of course not. At 7.30am the next day the builders turned up with all their stuff, rattled the gate, loudly discussed whether to climb over or drill the lock out , then knocked on the door and asked us to open up.

I told them no so they went away without doing any work because there was nowhere to store their stuff.

Later that evening she came round again and ranted at us for wasting the builders' time and costing her money for a wasted day's work . We closed the door.

She eventually made other arrangements but that was just the start of it. She launched a fucking nightmarish boundary dispute on us. We won in the end and they moved but it was terrible.

I promised myself that the end of it all I'd do a Daily Mail Sadface feature about neighbours from hell that you don't expect to be cunts because they're not the stereotypical Shameless lot but really posh and outwardly respectable.

But at the end of it all I just wanted to forget it.

I still swivel like a meerkat whenever I hear a certain type of booming, posh 60-ish woman's voice or spy a 60-ish blonde woman in a bright jacket and fake fur hat.

Anyway, thanks for the update OP - I knew the builders would be round - and the chance for some more free therapy for me