Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Forced to pay for neighbour's blown down fence

89 replies

Tarr · 10/03/2019 09:54

Earlier this morning I went over to my neighbour's house to discuss their fence which has blown down during the night. It runs along the length of my back garden. I know they own it as they only recently had it tended to. Thought it would be a straight forward conversation- I'm not really bothered as my elderly dog can be supervised closely. However, neighbour says I need to contribute to fixing it due to allowing some ivy to have overgrown which has compromised the "integrity of the fence". Is my neighbour trying it on with someone he hopes is young enough to fall for it? If I have messed up I will hold my hands up.

I have a long commute into London so don't prioritise gardening in the Winter. I normally pay for gardeners in summer, whereas my neighbour is retired and obsessed with his garden.

I was very friendly but my neighbour was very abrasive and quite frankly rude.

OP posts:

PickAChew · 10/03/2019 20:57

When we moved here, part of our fence was only held up by ivy. All of the posts were completely rotten!

But, yeah, if he'd say noticed ivy forcing itself through, he could have communicated this to you, long ago. It's not like it will have grown much over the last 4 or 5 months.

cranstonmanor · 10/03/2019 21:05

I really don't understand why you went over to discuss the fence if you're not bothered if it is up or down. That seems so strange to me.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 10/03/2019 21:05

Our previous neighbours had ivy that wrecked the fence between us. They weren't bothered about and the deeds didn't clearly show who's boundary it was but we wanted to put cat proof netting on the top so we replaced it. DH successfully killed the ivy in the process so thankfully it hasn't grown back.

BridlingtonSand · 10/03/2019 21:08

How are you being forced to pay for it?

havingabadhairday · 10/03/2019 21:21

A couple of months worth of ivy shouldn't help bring down a reasonably sturdy fence. I have more like 10 years worth of growth and the fence is still standing when many of our neighbours have blown down in the recent winds. But it is a good, well built fence.

I wouldn't pay.

Pewdie · 10/03/2019 21:49

I really don't understand why you went over to discuss the fence if you're not bothered if it is up or down. That seems so strange to me

I initially went over to acknowledge/reassure my neighbour who was pottering in the garden since 7:00 (as usual). I saw it as my only opportunity as we rarely see each other during the week due to my long commute. I'm not bothered in the sense that I rarely use the garden and there's no rush but I would prefer the fence goes up in the next month or so for privacy reasons.

How are you being forced to pay for it?

Perhaps I'm exaggerating but my neighbour was pretty emphatic when he told me I'll have to pay to fix the fence. I told him I would think about it and get back to him.

Pewdie · 10/03/2019 21:53

I didn't discuss contributing 1/3. Will keep schtum for now. I'm sure he's itching to fix the fence asap.

Pewdie · 10/03/2019 22:00

(name changed as I was quite direct on the TERF thread, pointless now I suppose)

ScrumptiousBears · 10/03/2019 22:07

Personally I'd put the fence back in his garden and leave it. Don't offer any money. If he is garden proud he'll get pissed off before you do.

Dippypippy1980 · 11/03/2019 06:48

If you want him to put the fence back up, I think it’s only neighbourly to contribute.

ScrumptiousBears · 11/03/2019 13:19

I own the fences on both sides. I wouldn't dream of asking the neighbours to pay.

badlydrawnperson · 11/03/2019 13:45

I was lucky as my neighbours fixed up (my) fence on their side after it was totally fucked up by their rapacious climbing plants.

I did know though that it was up to me ultimately though - if they'd not agreed to fix it, I'd probably have removed the fence altogether.

MidniteScribbler · 12/03/2019 00:24

I'm not bothered in the sense that I rarely use the garden and there's no rush but I would prefer the fence goes up in the next month or so for privacy reasons.

So you're not really bothered, but you are bothered enough to be over there on a Sunday morning and expecting it up within the month?

EleanorRigbey · 14/03/2019 22:27

I'm not bothered in the sense that I rarely use the garden and there's no rush but I would prefer the fence goes up in the next month or so for privacy reasons.

Again, if you want a fence for ‘privacy reasons’ either contribute to your neighbors fence or pay for your own fence.

The way I read it is you want a fence put up in the next month or so but not contribute or help.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread