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Original poster

I'm so upset with new neighbours

221 replies

hedgedrama · 19/04/2021 15:11

I started a thread a good few weeks ago here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4195576-I-need-some-Mumsnet-sense-knocking-into-me

And to update on the hedge, they basically tore it down. Despite the agreement that some would be left. They have offered to buy me some new hedging for my side. I was sort of OK with it all, I didn't end up having much choice, just as people warned me on the first thread but I tried to just let it go and not create a war. The (probable) nesting birds was incredibly upsetting, but it was just too late - they sort of did it anyway.

But today has really been a new level of awfulness. They brought in some diggers to landscape the garden to install their astroturf, and I noticed something moving. It was a frog. As I paid more attention I could see literally tens of frogs so I went out and bearing in mind our gardens literally are joined at the moment as there is no fence or hedge, I went onto their garden could see there were a LOT of frogs being caught up with the digger.

The driver of the digger stopped when he saw me come over into their garden, and when I said there are frogs here, he was like "Yeah I've seen loads"

There was a natural pond there for years. It is breeding season, and as I went over I can see frogs everywhere trying to escape for their lives.

The owner of the house came out and we started to catch some and move them into my garden, but there were honestly everywhere. I said "you can't just do this. It is against the law. You are intentionally killing frogs etc.".

They have stopped the works and they have been out and caught about 60 frogs (no exaggeration) in a bucket and I have taken them to a local pond (within a mile as the wildlife conservation trusts recommend).

But I now have a message from them that they are starting work with the digger tomorrow again and will be on "frog watch".

I am so upset they would have just killed the 60 odd frogs that I put in the local pond, about how many have died already, but then also that they are going to start work tomorrow without being sure they have captured all the frogs.

AIBU? I feel so disgusted. I have called the council Environmental Health and am waiting for a call back, but I don't know what else to do??

OP posts:
SchadenfreudePersonified · 19/04/2021 18:30

@porridgecake

Some people are just ignorant. A couple of years ago new arrivals in our street blocked up a nest in their eaves with the baby swallows still in it. Their neighbours informed the police and the RSPB (after having begged the people to stop) but by the time anybody did anything it was too late. The parent birds were absolutely frantic. Such a shame.
That's just bloody cruel!

Bastards!!!

DontBeRidiculous · 19/04/2021 18:32

I'm not sure what they were supposed to do... Are there frog traps they could have used a week or two before starting work? They stopped and helped save the frogs, delaying work by a day to do so. I think that's enough.

It's in your own best interests to busy yourself indoors or elsewhere when they continue work. Watching too closely, you'll likely find something else to be upset over, and to little effect.

Sitchervice · 19/04/2021 18:38

I freeking hate AstroTurf it needs to be banned. Its SO Bad for wild life and there are no benefits from having it other than... Ohh I don't need to cut the grass. Well guess what you have flooding and you have to hoover it instead!

Also ponds sometimes have newts in which are a protected species... Just going to put that out there..

RaininSummer · 19/04/2021 18:38

Poor frogs. I don't know how the neighbours can live with themselves. I am serious by the way. So sorry OP.

Itsjustricemichael · 19/04/2021 18:40

My point was.. go to your local council and wildlife trust - if there is nothing to be done they will tell you - I don't know if you live in a conservation area, if they are pool frogs, if the hedge is protected or any of the details of your area which would make a difference to whether anything will happen or not. If there isn't anything to be done your local council (all levels) and wildlife trust will tell you and it doesn't matter if you report. If there is then you should report. You're not going to be besties reregardless so go to your right local channel to get advice.

LST · 19/04/2021 18:40

@Sitchervice

I freeking hate AstroTurf it needs to be banned. Its SO Bad for wild life and there are no benefits from having it other than... Ohh I don't need to cut the grass. Well guess what you have flooding and you have to hoover it instead!

Also ponds sometimes have newts in which are a protected species... Just going to put that out there..

Never hoovered ours and our garden has never flooded. I can't cut the grass due to disability and it was literally a game changer when we moved into the home we are in now with it having an artificial lawn.
imalmostthere · 19/04/2021 18:41

Same pp, I love my AstroTurf 🤷🏻‍♀️

PatrickBatemann · 19/04/2021 18:45

@imalmostthere

Same pp, I love my AstroTurf 🤷🏻‍♀️
So does my DM. I'll just give her a ring and tell her what a dick she is Grin
Thighdentitycrisis · 19/04/2021 18:46

I can see how upsetting this is, sorry your upset

There was a thread earlier with OP complaining about flies in the garden

I don’t have any answers

Mrgrinch · 19/04/2021 18:50

OP you sound like extremely hard work to be honest. You keep going on about the hedge but it wasn't yours, surely it's obvious that if you want one, you plant one. If the house needs a full renovation then my guess is it's been empty for a while and you're used to having nobody next to you, now you're taking that out on them.

Moondust001 · 19/04/2021 18:51

I'm sorry, but you are selectively reading the law to suit yourself. Give it up. This is going to end badly for you if you don't.

purplepenguin91 · 19/04/2021 18:56

I am so shocked that most people are not on OPs side. How can anyone just happily kill hundreds of living creatures?!

I'm not sure what you can do about all of it without causing a certain about of bad feeling but if you think they are just planning to flip it and move then in some ways it doesn't matter. Tell them exactly your issues but be polite, it's not unreasonable to want your boundary restored and not have wild animals murdered

princessTiasmum · 19/04/2021 18:57

I agree with the op,it would distress me too seeing hedges with nests in it or frogs just being killed willy nilly
It is against the law to cut hedges and trees in nesting season, and terrible to just kill the frogs
I hope someone rings you back and tells those neighbours they are wrong

DiddlyWiddly · 19/04/2021 18:58

Never hoovered ours and our garden has never flooded. I can't cut the grass due to disability and it was literally a game changer when we moved into the home we are in now with it having an artificial lawn
I dont have grass in my garden because I’m allergic.
And I don’t mean allergic as in I sneeze a lot, I mean allergic as in if I don’t take high strength antihistamines early and often enough I will break out in a hot, red, welt filled rash where pollen touches my skin and my chest becomes so tight I struggle to breathe.

I planted a Thrift lawn, it looks exactly like grass, it never needs mowing, has lovely Pom Pom flowers bees love, it’s reliably evergreen, never needs watering, or fertilising and it’s so dense it chokes it weeds.

There ARE alternatives.
No one needs a plastic lawn.

Cocolapew · 19/04/2021 18:59

I don't know why it's so hard to believe the op caught 60 frogs, I have a tiny garden and there's a stream going under our road. Something disturbed the frogs in it and I caught over 20 in my garden to put back.
They're frogs not gazelles.

LST · 19/04/2021 18:59

@DiddlyWiddly

Never hoovered ours and our garden has never flooded. I can't cut the grass due to disability and it was literally a game changer when we moved into the home we are in now with it having an artificial lawn I dont have grass in my garden because I’m allergic. And I don’t mean allergic as in I sneeze a lot, I mean allergic as in if I don’t take high strength antihistamines early and often enough I will break out in a hot, red, welt filled rash where pollen touches my skin and my chest becomes so tight I struggle to breathe.

I planted a Thrift lawn, it looks exactly like grass, it never needs mowing, has lovely Pom Pom flowers bees love, it’s reliably evergreen, never needs watering, or fertilising and it’s so dense it chokes it weeds.

There ARE alternatives.
No one needs a plastic lawn.

It was down when I moved in. Shall I rip it up and send it to landfill?
NoToast · 19/04/2021 18:59

If ownership of the hedge was shared why shouldn't OP be upset and pursue costs for reinstatement on her side? In her other thread that wasn't resolved, the neighbour has tried to claim ownership but it certainly didn't sound like this was clear and he had agreed to leave the half on her side.

OP, for a small amount you can download title plans and deeds from the Land Registry for yourself and neighbours and check to see if there's any information on ownership. Replacing a 50m long hedge is not cheap.

LST · 19/04/2021 19:01

@purplepenguin91

I am so shocked that most people are not on OPs side. How can anyone just happily kill hundreds of living creatures?!

I'm not sure what you can do about all of it without causing a certain about of bad feeling but if you think they are just planning to flip it and move then in some ways it doesn't matter. Tell them exactly your issues but be polite, it's not unreasonable to want your boundary restored and not have wild animals murdered

I take it you don't eat meat, fish, eggs or drink dairy?

I'm surprised at the amount of people that pipe up on these threads but have a fridge full of rotting animal parts and then start bleating about the environment

imalmostthere · 19/04/2021 19:02

@DiddlyWiddly mine was here when I moved in,
And I love it. Good for you and your lawn? I'll enjoy mine over the summer - no one NEEDS to comment on other people's garden preference, there's an alternative, it's called minding your business.

EverythingRuined · 19/04/2021 19:02

Hmm, I don’t know about the hedge. I’ve about 150ft of 10ft beech hedge and there isn’t a single nest in it. I know because I’ve double checked. We are in a semi rural area.
I can’t get that upset about the frogs. I wouldn’t condone deliberately killing them but I bet a lot would have hopped away. They are surprisingly fast.

Environmental Health wouldnt have anything to do with a frog massacres.

HasaDigaEebowai · 19/04/2021 19:03

Look I love wildlife as much as the next person and I would be worried about the frogs but I've just had a look and the common frog is NOT protected in the way you think under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. It's section 9(5) protection only which means you can't trade in them.

This isn't the statute but its a summary.

naturenet.net/law/herps.html

Bluntness100 · 19/04/2021 19:05

@NoToast

If ownership of the hedge was shared why shouldn't OP be upset and pursue costs for reinstatement on her side? In her other thread that wasn't resolved, the neighbour has tried to claim ownership but it certainly didn't sound like this was clear and he had agreed to leave the half on her side.

OP, for a small amount you can download title plans and deeds from the Land Registry for yourself and neighbours and check to see if there's any information on ownership. Replacing a 50m long hedge is not cheap.

If the roots were on their side it’s their hedge. It would be cheaper for her to put her own hedge in than try to sue and claim it was hers.
SpringTides5 · 19/04/2021 19:05

To be perfectly frank OP, you need to concern yourself less with what your neighbours are or aren't doing within their own property.

You should not be constantly peering out your window to check what they're doing and you should not be rushing on to their property to remonstrate with them.

You have no right to dictate how they go about refurbishing their property nor can you stop them removing a hedge that belongs to them.

Imo this all stems from you being far too invested in what your neighbours are doing. Unless they are causing you harm, it should be none of your concern what goes on next door.

You are also trying to impose your will on matters that have absolutely nothing to do with you. My advice is frankly to but out of next door's business.

GreenTreeLeaves · 19/04/2021 19:07

OP I'm glad People like you exist.

Well done for doing all you can. If you hadn't it seems quite sure all frogs would be dead without any acknowledgement. It is illegal to move tadpoles (in Scotland) and hate seeing people go down with buckets to disturb them. You've done the right thing. I would go down again to see if I could spot anymore. The neighbours are creating a feud, not you.

Bluntness100 · 19/04/2021 19:07

@purplepenguin91

I am so shocked that most people are not on OPs side. How can anyone just happily kill hundreds of living creatures?!

I'm not sure what you can do about all of it without causing a certain about of bad feeling but if you think they are just planning to flip it and move then in some ways it doesn't matter. Tell them exactly your issues but be polite, it's not unreasonable to want your boundary restored and not have wild animals murdered

It’s not people are not “on her side” we are not children taking sides. We are simoly stating facts. It is highly. Highly unlikely hundreds of frogs were killed here. Yes maybe a few didn’t make it, but that’s about it. Frogs move fast, it’s not impossible for a few to have died, but it is hugely likely as soon as the digger started up the frogs hopped away. They aren’t stupid. They behave like any other animal. They hear a noise and they scarper.
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