about neighbours

[EustaciaBenson]

AIBU about my neighbours.

They have an electrical cable going to their shed, its fixed by resting it on nails along the fence. However its far too long and they have draped all the extra length down our side on the fence in amongst our plants. The fence between the two gardens is theirs, but AIBU for thinking this is not on, I'm concerned both that it makes our garden look messy and that when I go to prune my plants I could potentially cut through the cable.

Also they've out in a nail on our side to hold it, are they allowed to do that given its our fence, I only discovered this yesterday and as far as I know the parents are away and its only the older teenage/early 20's kids in the house. Because I've been ill and therefore not in the garden I dont know how long its been like this and if draping it on our side is something the kids have done if its fallen dow . On their side. I'm very tempted just to drop it over onto their side of the fence would this be okay?

I would pop it over yes

No, it is not on. It is your side of the fence and in your garden.

Unhook it and drop it back over the fence. Put the nail in an envelope and give that back to them too.

Tell the kids they cannot do that. When the parents get back explain what you did and why - that you do not want it in your garden as it is in your way and you could possibly damage it when gardening. You have no wish to be killed/injured by their cabling.

Why not just talk to them?

Thank you, I'll drop it over.

Luis I'd prefer to speak to the parents rather than the kids who may know nothing about it

Sorry - whose fence is it? At one point you say it's theirs, and at another that it's yours?

If it is their fence they can do what they like, nail, cable and all although it's not very neighbourly.

If the fence is yours - they can't attach anything to it, not even on their side.

Personally, no matter who owns the fence I would pop the excess back over, and if it reappears I'd keep doing so!

Sorry I missed a word out, I'm useless on a tablet! I meant our side of the fence, its their fence.

Can they really put this on our side given that the cable was draped into our bushes and therefore in our land?

I cant see how any of this can be legal in terms of electrical installation with drapping wires over nails

It's her side of the fence.. I think the excess cable has been coiled and dropped over her side of the fence, hung on a nail, to get it out of the neighbour's way!

So it doesn't matter whose fence, the cable that overhangs is intruding, just like tree branches etc.

Thanks Nomama thats its exactly. If they wanted to carefully clip a taut cable along the fence I would definately be less bothered. Its the fact that there were (I've dropped it back over) two loops of cable dangling nearly 2 foot down over my fence, draped over 2 nails, squashing my plants and making it awkward for me when I prune them

How annoying! I'd drape it back over and would probably speak to them too when they get back, if only to return the nail.

If a neighbour's plant overhangs then legally you're entitled to prune it and chuck the bits back over, not that I would, but I assume the same applies to their electrical cables.

I would ask, "is the cable on my side of the fence temporary? How long for? Oh that's excellent you are taking it in after the weekend because I'm concerned it is not safe, if it rains or when I do some gardening ect".
I assume it's temporary because you say the parents are away.

Definitely put it back on their side OP.

Sorry I meant talk to the parents not the kids

Just drape it back over their side and if they say anything point out you don't want their electricity cables in your garden. Good luck.

Word of warning about pruning neighbours' overhanging plants. When I did it to next door's climbing shrub which was overhanging and caught on our side, I did a few nifty clips with the secateurs and the whole thing fell over into their garden. Unfortunately they were sitting in the garden at the time so I had to apologise in surprise!

Just chuck the excess over to their side. On another note, they really should think about protecting the cable with some sort of conduit to stop it being cut through or damaged. Not very safe as it is.

I wouldn't have even thought twice about chucking it back over

It must have been a mistake, you are helping them by returning their cable :)

I thought electric cable outside needed to be encased in armoured tubes and buried so it is safe for everyone. But yes drop it back in to their garden.