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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask neighbour to remove nails and/or cat deterrent strips from our fence?

19 replies

TartyMcFarty · 30/03/2012 20:59

Gah! Try again with a title!

It's not personally a problem for us, but our tenant has complained about them. She actually said the neighbour had put lots of nails in the fence - he had put nails in the posts, but not the panels. The boundary is our responsibility, and based on our tenant's original description, I said I'd write and ask thr neighbour to remove them. However to my mind, these seem like a reasonable and safe deterrent.

Would I be within my rights to ask him to remove the 3 inch nails sticking out from the posts, if not the actual deterrent strips? I want to keep our tenant happy, buy I do sympathise with thr neighbour wanting to keep her cats out of his garden.

OP posts:

HalfPastWine · 30/03/2012 21:03

Horrible things. They won't deter a moggy.

AwkwardMary · 30/03/2012 21:04

Hmm....she has cats and he has put these up has he? I think you would be unreasonable...BUT probably within your rights...I understand the irritation of cats coming in and crapping and I LOVE cats and have two. If my neighbou put some of these up I would accept them...she sounds unreasonable...the nails, I assume are high up and unlikely to hurt anyone?

AwkwardMary · 30/03/2012 21:05

Wine my cats wouldn't walk on those.

rhondajean · 30/03/2012 21:06

I thought doing this leaves a huge risk of liability if a person injures themselves on tem, especially if they were put there deliberately, and if it's your responsibility and you are aware of them, some of that liability comes back to you, so yes I'd want them down ASAP.

CakeMixture · 30/03/2012 21:08

I think it was unreasonable of the neighbour not to ask permission of you/the tennant to put them up on your/the tennants fence.

But cat poo drives me nuts so I would put strips like that on my fence if I thought it would be of any use.

paulapantsdown · 30/03/2012 21:10

I'd leave traps for them if I thought I could get away with it.

moggle · 30/03/2012 21:10

To use those deterrent strips I believe you have to put notices up warning people they're in use.
The nails are out of order, but those strips are designed to not actually harm cats but just be uncomfortable. I don't think you have a chance of getting your neighbours to take them down legally speaking, unless they have put them on your fence- who owns the boundary?

rhondajean · 30/03/2012 21:11

I was talking about the nails btw.

Original poster

TartyMcFarty · 30/03/2012 21:15

I think it's the nails that are the issue really. It looks like there are 4 or 5 sticking up from each post. It's possible that someone could injure themselves on those. The strips look ridiculous but not harmful. There is actually a wall ay the back that the cats could walk along to get into his garden anyway.

So, when I write, what if he says no? Can I just take them out myself?

I don't think either party are suited as neighbours, but he's the one being passive aggressive!

OP posts:

JasperJohns · 30/03/2012 21:16

Our friend recently climbed over a gate with exactly those strips on - a wooden bar on gate gave way and he impaled himself on the spikes. (No notices)

They're really nasty. He looked like he'd been attacked by a shark!

Original poster

TartyMcFarty · 30/03/2012 21:16

It's our boundary.

OP posts:

Original poster

TartyMcFarty · 30/03/2012 21:17

Jasper, aren't they just plastic?

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 30/03/2012 21:17

you don't have to ask him at all if it's your boundary! it's your fence and you can do what you like with it.

so i would take them out. and if he says anything to the tenants then I would write, pointing out that the boundary is yours and that if he damages it again he'll be liable for any costs

GrahamTribe · 30/03/2012 21:21

If it's your fence then you're within your rights to take them out without asking. They should have asked you to put the nails in. There are other ways of deterring cats without using potentially dangerous methods. It's down to you whether you bother to advise the neighbour of the alternatives or not. I wouldn't, personally.

AwkwardMary · 30/03/2012 21:22

They look metal to me Tarty but I am sure even a plastic spike can penetrate skin if it's sharp enough or the fall is hard.

JasperJohns · 30/03/2012 21:25

They are plastic, yes. But they're also quite rigid. Falling on them as a 13 stone lardarse adult, is obviously quite dangerous. He is very accident prone however. I would still use them.

sleeplessinseatle · 30/03/2012 21:32

We're they def. put up against cats? People put things like that against getting burgled. Maybe the neighbour has been burgled recently?

Original poster

TartyMcFarty · 30/03/2012 21:37

No, not a security thing. He's only put them on the fence between the two gardens, not the other side. The gardens are completely enclosed, and even the back wall backs onto the garden of a larger property behind.

sigh We fell into becoming landlords when we couldn't sell. Such a bloody hassle.

OP posts:

sleeplessinseatle · 30/03/2012 21:57

TBH I'd probably just lie to my tenants and imply it is the neighbours border/shared responsibility and so you're not in a position to ask them to take it down. There is no reason for the tenants to know otherwise. Then politely ask neighbours if they mind removing/you removing the nails only.

You dont want to get into a dispute with the neighbour that you're then legally obliged to declare if and when you come to sell the house.

Flip