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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU in thinking my land is my garden so p off

114 replies

creaseistheword · 27/03/2011 17:42

We live on some land. Caught some people taking a short cut through to the next set of field which back onto their house. They has to go through 2 sets of closed gates to do it. Why do people think that just because its a set of fields, its not someone's garden/private property. We are now putting a huge sign up (hope that helps). AIBU in thinking people whould respect our property?

OP posts:
grovel · 28/03/2011 11:15

It's only tricky because they are neighbours.

Silverlace · 28/03/2011 12:37

YANBU

We live on a farm near to a large town and regularly contend with

Men with dogs both day and night poaching
Youths with air guns
Fly tipping
Couples having nookie in their car on our drive, sometimes in broad daylight
Chinese lanterns with their dangerous wire injuring the animals
Neighbours thinking it is OK for their young children to play in a field full of cows
Thieves stealing anything not tied down

Welcome to the countryside!

Jude89 · 28/03/2011 12:41

Shotgun....

LessNarkyPuffin · 28/03/2011 12:48

'2 sets of closed gates'

Are these locked? Stick a lock and private property no trespassing signs on them.

itssnotfunny · 28/03/2011 12:57

Are they your neighbours? be neigbourly Grin

Seriously though piss taking aside i would get a shot gun and a loud hailer and shout at them then fire a warning shot in the air.

amyamyamy · 28/03/2011 17:41

Yes, a lock on the gates seems like an easy answer in the circs.

amyamyamy · 28/03/2011 17:42

oh, in answer to original question though: "AIBU to think that my land is my garden" Yes, YABU as it is clearly not.

Original poster
creaseistheword · 28/03/2011 18:11

Well its the back grassed and wooded area where my children play so feels like the garden. depend on your definition I guess, but take on board the zoning . Ultimately its still my private land though. If i could show you a picture it would be really clear what an invasion it has been.

OP posts:
Mirage · 28/03/2011 20:01

Silverlace,I know what you mean.Last year dh was out pest shooting,well away from any of our fields with footpaths on,when he came across a couple having a picnic.He said 'hello' politely, and carried on walking until he was well way from them before carrying on.

When he came home,he asked me whether they were able to do that on someone else's property,wasn't it trespass ect.I had to explain that there isn't much you can do,technically they shouldn't be there,but they weren't doing any harm.Dh didn't say anything to them at the time about it being private property,because as he said,if it got out of hand,all they had to do was ring the police and say a man with a gun had accosted them and he'd be the one in trouble.He did take down their car number plate when he left though-just in case.

And don't get me started on the people who think that the signs asking people to keep dogs on leads because of livestock,don't apply to them.

NetworkGuy · 29/03/2011 06:44

I get the impression that with a gate and fence between the 'garden' behind your home, and the 'field' garden (since you have described it as both, and 7 acres is clearly a lot larger than most gardens, apart from a stately home :) ), someone may think the field 'garden'' is common ground where someone has put some playthings for local youngsters.

You wrote "because my garden is slightly bigger" but that's a massive understatement.

Please don't get me wrong - fully respect it is your private ground but since one boundary is the railway, and the other is your fence/home, then what barriers are there on the other two sides (if 4 sides rather than triangular) ?

Animation · 29/03/2011 07:17

Always wanted to meet one of those 'trespassers will be prosecuted' types - I always expect them to be fierce - this is MY land!

MY land!

Original poster
creaseistheword · 29/03/2011 07:42

networkguy the boundaries are fenced and there are fireld on either side. the only access is through our home, or there is one horse fence which is locked and the fence. (so people leap over).

animation its no different to the ownership you would have of your own house or garden itself. Why should I be less entitled to express my ownership because the patch I worked my arse off to buy and own is larger?

OP posts:
Animation · 29/03/2011 08:27

Crease - Yes - you express your ownership and YOUR land!

Grin
Inertia · 29/03/2011 09:49

YANBU, I wouldn't like people trailing through my garden. (Though I don't fully understand the implications of land vs garden and how that affects public rights of way, I have to admit).

Given that they are not your neighbours ( :) ), there are 3 possibilities as I see it . One is that they are walkers who were lost/ confused, in which case better signage would help (is there a public footpath nearby that poor map-readers could confuse with your property?)

The second is that they were being nosey.

The third is that they could have been checking out your property for things of value, security etc- don't want to sound like a scaremonger, and of course most people who cross private property aren't burglars- but there are some out there. I have to admit that the fact that this man broke the fence down to escape, rather than just saying he was lost and was looking for x place, would worry me a bit.

cumfy · 30/03/2011 11:27

This bit next to your fence, does it resemble a path (ie worn away by walking) ?

Don't all you Bourgeoisie field owners need to get together to fund proper fuck-off-style fencing at the two end properties ?

Then you wouldn't have any [tick one box]:
a. hoodies to shoot
b. intrusions to grumble about
c. problems
d. money in your bank account, due to fencing costs.

PMSL grovel's country code.

Animation · 30/03/2011 11:33

MY LAANNND!!!!

Original poster
creaseistheword · 30/03/2011 11:38

cumfy its fenced off properly and there are no walking paths
Well apart from the bit then guy knocked down

OP posts:
cumfy · 30/03/2011 11:41

I'm not sure I understand ....

Surely if the 2 end properties had proper Fort Knox style fencing no-one other than the field-owners could gain access ?

So just club together to fund said fencing. No ?

Original poster
creaseistheword · 30/03/2011 11:42

I guess we could put up high fences but as I said there are already fences...these people climbed over to get in.

OP posts:
Original poster
creaseistheword · 30/03/2011 11:43

and its really easy to climb over a horse gate

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 30/03/2011 11:50

Can I hijak slightly and ask if anyone knows what the position is on this. We have a field next to our house there is a footpath that goes trhough the middle of the field so people have a right to go through it - no problem. Field is grass and has a couple of horses in it.

People walk through the field with their dogs off the lead, so dogs running about all over the place and not staying on the path. Wouldn't be so bad but the field is now full of shit as noone cleans up after their dog.

Have asked one woman I caught out to clean up after her dog, keep her dog to the path and was told to fuck off.

VivaLeBeaver · 30/03/2011 11:50

hijack even.

Original poster
creaseistheword · 30/03/2011 11:52

I think if its a public footpath, then the council would be the ones to contact? Not sure what they could do but they might at least put up signs or something?

OP posts:
Beamur · 30/03/2011 11:55

Just to be a bit of a pedant....
If you come across a blocked footpath/bridleway you are entitled to deviate around it, or move enough of the obstruction to get past. But in doing so it would be unreasonable to let stock out, so you should put it back again.
You can't prosecute a trespasser (its a civil wrong - you can sue them or take out an injunction) unless they have caused damage, then its an offence.
Whilst it is generous to tolerate use of your land but people doing no harm, make sure you protect yourself against rights being gained by use.
OP, I've come across motion activated sensors which triggered a loud message telling people they were trespassing and they should leave immediately or the Police would be called. Very off-putting! Maybe you should try this on your land-lurkers.

VivaLeBeaver · 30/03/2011 11:56

Thats a good idea, a council sign might be more official looking and they might even provide a dog poo in as well. I think that might help if there was actually a bin there. Personally I'm tempted to build huge big stiles with no dog gate so people can't get dogs into the field unless they're small enough to lift over. DH has vetoed my idea of borrowing a few sheep and then sitting in wait with a shotgun. Grin