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Original poster

WWYD? Broken fence

31 replies

Lemonlemon88 · 26/09/2021 09:07

My friend has just bought her first home. She is sorting out the garden and asked if my partner could come and sort out an old tree stump for her. He was trying to get the last of it out and braced himself against the fence. The fence broke, a section has come away from the a main post. It's her front fence and not shared with anyone.

Partner tried to fix it but the wood is rotten and when he tried to push it back in to nail it in place, it fell apart more. Friend is obviously a bit upset about her broken fence and she has clearly been told by her mother that we should be paying to replace the fence. Partner says the fence broke because it was rotten and would have needed to be replaced anyway, he is happy to help her build a new fence but doesn't think we should pay for the materials.

What should we do in this situation? Should she make an insurance claim and we pay the excess? Should we make an insurance claim for damage to her property (I dont even know if we can?)? Should we paid for a professional to look at to make sure it definitely cant be fixed? Is it enough that he says he will build her a new fence but he doesnt feel he should pay for the materials? I really don't want to fall out but no good deed goes unpunished, does it? Should have just told her to get the professionals in when she asked if he could help her :(

OP posts:

RandomMess · 26/09/2021 09:09

He was helping her for free saving her a lot of money, the fence is rotten, he has offered his free help to replace the fence.

Do nothing more!

She should be saying "thank you"

If she'd paid a professional they wouldn't have been is insured but she didn't.

TheQueef · 26/09/2021 09:09

Insurance?
It's wear nd tear or misuse surely?
Did she pay your DP to remove the stump?

Mariell · 26/09/2021 09:12

He shouldn’t have meant in the fence without checking that the fence could take the pressure.

If he had checked he would have seen the fence was rotten and not leant on it.

I know it’s awkward because he was helping her with the tree stump but regardless of that he is at fault.

walksen · 26/09/2021 09:14

Is this a post and rail system?

Could the rail be replaced? If you were feeling generous your dp could offer to replace the rail and your friend could pay for the rail? She is probably being a bit overwhelmed maybe because a new house is expensive and has lots of little jobs to pay for but she has saved the cost of getting tree stump removed.....

Original poster

Lemonlemon88 · 26/09/2021 09:15

No she didn't pay him to remove the stump. He took over a whole lot of gardening equipment, including a chain saw, and was removing the stump and also pulled out some big bushes that were too much for her. I was thinking insurance because it was a complete accident that the fence was broken, he wasn't expecting to fall through it

OP posts:

MrsIPFreely · 26/09/2021 09:16

I find it weird that people would suggest he is at fault. The fence is rotten. It would have fallen apart soon enough. I don't think insurance will pay for it as it is just wear and tear. I think it's very kind that your partner has offered his time for free to help her out.

LIZS · 26/09/2021 09:19

Insurance rarely covers fence damage. How much is a new panel, £20/30? Tell her if she pays for it he will fit for free.

Original poster

Lemonlemon88 · 26/09/2021 09:19

@walksen I am not entirely sure how to describe the fence, I have seen a photo she sent me and to me it looks like it could just be pushed back into place and secured again but according to my partner it cant. I am wondering if I should just get an actual builder to have a look as while my partner is very handy, he isn't actually a builder, so may just not know how to fix it.

OP posts:

girlmom21 · 26/09/2021 09:19

Don't pay for anything. To be honest, I wouldn't even offer to help replace it. How ungrateful is she?!

"Take it out of the wages you're paying him" should help her understand .

Original poster

Lemonlemon88 · 26/09/2021 09:25

Yes, basically he has just hastened the end of the fence. But of course, it could have lasted a while longer if he hadn't put his bum through it! Honestly I'm never doing a friend another favour, this is so stressful knowing what the right thing is to do.

OP posts:

Bonheurdupasse · 26/09/2021 09:28

«Take it out of the wage you are paying him» - exactly, tell her that.

ANameChangeAgain · 26/09/2021 09:29

I think her and her mother are CFs.
Tell you fella to send her an invoice for time and equipment hire.
Even a paid contractor wouldn't expect to replace something that was already damaged or unfit for purpose.

walksen · 26/09/2021 09:33

Post and rail or closeboard means there are no panels . Usually there are 2 or 3 main horizontal rails screwed or nailed to a post and then there may be feather board which are like slats nailed vertically on to these rails.

If the post is rotten then the whole fence needs replacing. If the horizontal wood rails are rotten, they could be replaced. Sometimes a longer screw could work as a temporary fix or or a bolt through the post.

PegasusReturns · 26/09/2021 09:34

What a cheek!

Absolutely don’t pay for someone else to look at it.

If you’re feeling generous I’d give your friend two options:

“If you buy the materials, Dave is happy to replace the fence” (but obvs only the on piece)

“What do you want Dave to do? Do you want him to deduct the cost from what you’re paying him?”

GoWalkabout · 26/09/2021 09:41

Take her mother out of the equation. What has your friend actually said or asked for? If she has asked you for money I would gently say in a face to face or telephone conversation 'are you expecting us to reach into our pockets to pay for your fence when we have put ourselves out to help you - for free - with the tree stump? How fair do you think that feels for us? You are a homeowner now, and unexpected expenses will arise.' Your partner should get a thank you and an apology (that is, unless you literally forced the help on her and your partner is incompetent which doesn't sound like its the case).

Original poster

Lemonlemon88 · 26/09/2021 09:45

@walken, yes it's this. The two bottom rails have come off one of the main posts, the top one is still secure, but the whole bottom of the fence is leaning outwards and there is a gap between the post and bottom of the fence. I think from what he is saying that the post and the rails are disintegrating when he tries to nail it back together. He is going to try some giant screws and see if he can get it to hold in place.

He is perfectly happy to help her put a new fence in place if she pays for the materials. We're not going to pay for a builder to build her a new fence though.

OP posts:

Brollywasntneededafterall · 26/09/2021 09:48

Did she ask how he was if he fell?
Just tell her she can get a new fence instead of his wage...

Original poster

Lemonlemon88 · 26/09/2021 09:49

@GoWalkabout she hasn't actually asked us for money yet, she has asked for him to fix it /make it right. But it seems it is not fixable so I will take on board your comments if we have a further awkward conversation about a replacement fence.

OP posts:

Lindy2 · 26/09/2021 09:52

Insurance isn't going to pay to replace or repair a fence that was rotten. It sounds like the fence was reaching the end of its lifespan anyway.

I'd suggest your DH doing the best repair/patch up job with some screws and advising her it will all need replacing shortly due to being rotten.

Walk away and don't do her any other favours again. She's treating your DH as a free workman and it sounds like he's already helped her a lot without much gratitude if she is now after a new fence for free too.

walksen · 26/09/2021 09:55

Try using a coach screw with some cheap washers to resecure it to the fence. These are large screws for timber. If this fails try using coach bolts which go right through the wood and have nuts on the other side. Packs of these are cheap from places like toolstation etc.

Then avoid helping out your friend in the future.

Original poster

Lemonlemon88 · 26/09/2021 10:01

@walksen thank you! I will say that to him, I really appreciate your help.

And yes, no more favours ever again!

OP posts:

CheeseCakeSunflowers · 26/09/2021 10:03

He should tell her not to worry, although having a dangerous rotten fence in her garden could be considered a health and safety issue as he was working for her, he didn't get hurt so will not be making a claim against her. If she expects anything further I would walk away with all his tools and never return.

TidyDancer · 26/09/2021 10:07

Since she hasn't mentioned money (yet) I think going back to her and saying if she either sources or funds the materials your DP will help sort it out would be a good middle ground on this. You shouldn't be out of pocket on this though.

TidyDancer · 26/09/2021 10:08

@CheeseCakeSunflowers

Actually this is a very good point. If you have any kickback from her then make this clear.

Bluntness100 · 26/09/2021 10:23

To be fair he still broke it and although it was rotten with some preservative it could have lasted much longer. He should have checked it could bear his weight before he lent against it like that. Ultimately be broke it, so he should replace it

If I was your friend I’d have said it doesn’t matter and shrugged it off, but that’s not what she’s doing, so likely she’s now got a broken fence due to your partner and no money to fix it.

I don’t think it’s ok to say well it would have fallen down at some point in the future anyway.

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