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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be so angry with anal neighbours

19 replies

Naboo · 25/08/2007 22:46

Noticed today that they have chopped some bush branches off (that i liked!), on MY SIDE OF MY GARDEN!

We had a bit of trellis up, they didn't like it, said it blocked their view - of what not sure as it looks into our small garden?!. We compromised, took it down.

A few of the bush branches next to it had grown so they brushed against the fence, but didn't fully block the view, it just looked pretty. They were all on my side - i was very careful not to have anything on their side.

Noticed tonight that they have cut them off! To do that they would have had to put their hands through the trellis and grab and pull them from my side to theirs.

I am sooooo angry about it. It feels such an infringement of my privacy and my rights over my own garden. I can't quite believe they've done it. Although when we go on holiday you can guarantee that they have 'trimmed' the vegetation along the fence to within an inch of it's life. They are so anal it's untrue. But this is one step too far. I'm so tempted to put the trellis top back and tell them the compromise is over if that's how under hand they are going to be. What do you think?

OP posts:

littlemissbossy · 25/08/2007 22:50

is the bush/tree planted in your garden or theirs?

Original poster

Naboo · 25/08/2007 22:59

Completely in my garden. It's not intrusive in anyway. It wasn't overly high, the branches were about chest height. There were only a few of them - so it wasn't even bushy. It's been there for years, so it's not a new 'offensive' shrubbery. It's well maintained, so it doesn't block any light. I know what they have done is illegal. I am just so in shock that someone can have the audacity and dis-respect to crop part of somebody elses garden, in such an under hand manner! I'm fuming about it.

OP posts:

cornsilk · 25/08/2007 22:59

Ignore them - they sound very sad.

cornsilk · 25/08/2007 23:00

Or you could throw slugs over in the night.

lazyemma · 25/08/2007 23:02

no, you're not being unreasonable. That sort of thing would enrage me too. Once, a neighbour of ours uprooted and threw away an entire clematis plant we'd been training up the wall of our house (adjoining theirs), on the grounds that she thought it was "a weed".

I wouldn't enter into tit-for-tat warfare by putting the trellis back up (could only provoke them into further garden terrorism) - instead, if you've got the balls, just go and ask them why they did it, explain that they had no right to, and ask that they refrain from any further incursions into your private land.

babyboo1and2 · 25/08/2007 23:04

my neighbour has done this too

we just ignore it and see her as being very anal about her garden

if you really want to you could replace the trellis with something he/she cant put their hand through?

MyTwopenceworth · 25/08/2007 23:05

Plant leylandii?
introduce bindweed or something to their garden?
Give them a framed photo of you all with the message "since you like to make sure you can see us at all times....."

Seriously, could you go round and say that you are not happy with them interfering with your garden and they are not to do it again.

MyTwopenceworth · 25/08/2007 23:06

OR - trellis with mouse traps dangling on the other side, ready for those hands to poke through??

Aefondkiss · 25/08/2007 23:08

slugs and mousetraps sound reasonable to me, or a very thorny bush?

Original poster

Naboo · 25/08/2007 23:09

Wish i could ignore it, but they are so cheeky for doing it, as they would go ballistic if we did that. I can't even imagine. It's so hypocritcal it's untrue.

I so want to put the trellis back up to say 'screw you' to them. If they are going to be that petty, i don't see why we should even bother trying to compromise with them.

It all sounds really petty, but if you knew what they were like and what we've put up with, you'd understand how bloody annoying this is!

OP posts:

Original poster

Naboo · 25/08/2007 23:15

Some of your replies have made me laugh! I'm calming down about it a bit more now. I might start walking around my garden naked with my pregnancy boobles hanging out and my wide load bottom on full view. They'll put the trellis up themselves. I'm putting my very big pants on the washing line tomorrow - right by that spot. With the sunshine at the mo, they'll glow so much they'll burn their retinas out. Oh, i feel so much better about it now...

OP posts:

bran · 25/08/2007 23:16

Could you find the bit of the law that deals with trespass and damage online (perhaps the CAB might to a real English version) and print it out. Then pop it through the door with a note saying that you're sure they didn't realise what they did was illegal as they have always seemed to be upright and honest people to you. Of course in the interest of good neighbourly relations you wouldn't dream of taking it any further, but you just though they should know in case they have less reasonable neighbours in the future.

If they come back and say it was accidental, then just tell them it's no problem, you can put the trellis back up to prevent future accidents.

littlemissbossy · 25/08/2007 23:20

Out of order. Why don't you just tell them they've upset you by cutting it down, it's yours and they'd no right to do that. Put the trellis back up and tell them you're entitled to privacy and you thought they'd like some too. Bloody cheek!

WendyWeber · 25/08/2007 23:24

I would attach wire mesh on top of the trellis so they couldn't stick their hands through (and then grow some lovely tall Leylandii )

maisym · 25/08/2007 23:30

Tell them your concerns about their actions. Let them know they are in the wrong.

EscapeFrom · 26/08/2007 00:32

Chicken wire.

KerryMumbledore · 26/08/2007 00:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SpeccieSeccie · 26/08/2007 00:37

I'd go with Bran's suggestion. If they're that up tight then the mention of the law might bother them.

The worst thing about petty people is that it brings out the really stressed, easily-wound-up, totally petty streak in me. And tbh, I'd be considering the leylandii idea too.

YANBU

RedFraggle · 26/08/2007 09:57

Plant a Rosa Rugosa. Quite fast growing and prickly but very pretty. Should stop them putting their hands through. I also second the print out of the law and polite comments. It will probably irritate them that you are in the right in and know it...

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