Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think my neighbours are being unfair?

190 replies

TouYube · 02/01/2020 01:17

For background, and at the risk of sounding like a boast, we are on a ver naice housing estate, houses around the £700k mark. This is relevant.

There is a fence between us and next door. It’s their fence, we are responsible for the fence on the other side. They extended their garage backwards along the fence line. Three panels were damaged and despite loads of promises they never replaced them. So our boundary looks terrible, the garage has windows in it which overlook our garden while the fence panel isn’t there.

We have politely asked when they plan to fix it, they said they would but they couldn’t find anyone/tradesman didn’t turn up/getting more quotes.

Still not done. It pisses me off because I think we’ll why would anyone give up neighbourly goodwill etc for the sake of 3 panels? And say they were going to fix it and then not? They can’t see the panels but that doesn’t mean they’re not there! Argh!

DH is getting really cross about it and is muttering something about replacing the whole fence with max height panels (and sniper towers, search lights and razor wire...Wink) but I’d rather they just bloody fixed it.

OP posts:
Canadianpancake · 02/01/2020 14:50

However, put your own fence up on your own land. It will take 6 inches from your garden but it will be very satisfying. 2 m high max. No more angst. Your choice of fence. You get not to see them or their manky fence.

I will expand on this and suggest you paint their side of the fence a really offensive colour.

Khione · 02/01/2020 15:35

Not the point of the thread but there is no issue with windows in a garage overlooking your property. You can't have windows in a habitable room directly overlooking but you can have them in a garage, utility or similar. The windows are often (but not necessarily in this case) higher than living or bedroom windows and are about letting light in rather than looking out of. Useful for using as a workshop or hobby room - which could potentially cause it's own issues with noise.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 02/01/2020 16:55

I will expand on this and suggest you paint their side of the fence a really offensive colour.

Definitely given them the "wrong" side.Grin

FrancisCrawford · 02/01/2020 17:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

billy1966 · 02/01/2020 17:43

@Khione
If that's true OP, I would be plonking something directly in front of the window, on your land blocking out the light.

I have seen garages on built on the party line with a wall attached. But I've not see the windows looking into a neighbouring property.

MrsCollinssettled · 02/01/2020 18:45

As money isn't an issue I would just replace the panels yourself - you don't need tradesmen to do it. Even if they claim ownership of the panels it's an relatively inexpensive way of solving the problem and restoring your piece of mind.

I recently paid for a number of my neighbour's fence panels to be replaced. They couldn't afford to replace them and it was getting in the way of the work I wanted to do in my garden. We installed them together and then I was able to get on with my planting. It was worth it to me for the convenience but that might not be the case for you.

Somanysocks · 02/01/2020 19:10

Where's the diagram? I can't picture it.

Original poster
TouYube · 02/01/2020 20:43

Firstly the garage isn’t classed as a permanent structure, it’s a glorified shed really.

DH spoke to them earlier and it turns out that they have decided that ALL of their fencing could do with replacing and there’s no point in getting someone in for 2 panels but the whole job is a few thousand. And so they haven’t done it. After a bit of polite shuffling they’ve sort of agreed to get the panels replaced although I’ll believe it when I see it. DH said he was considering getting the whole lot of our side done, to 2m and they said please please don’t. And it’s hard to get fencing contractors. It’s a shame, they seemed nice at first. And apparently we haven’t done anything to piss them off, it’s just a far bigger and more complex job.

OP posts:
Myimaginarycathasfleas · 02/01/2020 21:28

DH said he was considering getting the whole lot of our side done, to 2m and they said please please don’t.

What was their reason for this?

BlackeyedSusan · 02/01/2020 21:46

Are he windows on your boundary? If so start peering in the garage when they are in there... Comment on the stuff they gave in there. They will soon put up panels, possibly 2m ones, just to get rid of you.

Purpleartichoke · 02/01/2020 22:17

They plan to replace the entire fence? So at this point, you are damaging the neighbor relationship over the cost of a couple of panels. If you can’t wait until they want to tackle the full job, then get the panels done yourself. Of course, that will be a waste when they put in a new fence and either need to tear out your panels or leave the fence mismatched, but it is your prerogative.

Pinkyyy · 02/01/2020 22:24

Two fence panels will cost you about £50. Just buy them. You can obviously afford it as you've made a point of showing off your affluence. You're being petty and the jokes on you because you're the only one to suffer.

Original poster
TouYube · 02/01/2020 22:57

Pinkyy “showing off”? How bizarre.

Apparently we can’t replace the panels ourselves because they will be attached to the neighbour’s fence AND inside their boundary. So the options we appear to have are to fence along the inside of our own boundary with our own fence, or risk further aggro by doing it ourselves.

OP posts:
busybarbara · 02/01/2020 22:59

Tape bin bags or tarp over the windows. They can remove it when they get the fence sorted

Original poster
TouYube · 02/01/2020 22:59

And the uprights have gone so they need dig out and resinking. But it’s not a huge amount to fix just that bit, £150 tops I’d guess. If they said they weren’t going to do it in the first place then at least we could have got on with it but they kept saying that they would!

OP posts:
SentimentalKiller · 02/01/2020 23:06

You want a fence so put one op. It's not compulsory to have a fence

GiveHerHellFromUs · 03/01/2020 07:07

Initially it was a garage extension, now it's a glorified shed. So what's it actually made of?

If it was an extension there'd have been a lot of work and planning permission.

If it's just a shed it's a bloody big shed to span over 3 fence panels.

Pinkyyy · 03/01/2020 08:56

Yes, showing off. There was no reason at all for you to mention the cost of your house. You then said that you can afford them without any issue. If you want it doing then do it yourself.

MsJaneAusten · 03/01/2020 09:49

And the uprights have gone so they need dig out and resinking.

They have no intention of replacing this fence. They are saying they’ll replace it so that you’ll leave them alone. They don’t want a fence. It will block their window.

You have two choices:

  1. do it yourself
  2. don’t
Inanothertime · 03/01/2020 09:56

I also came on here to say cover up the windows your side.

MrsCollinssettled · 03/01/2020 13:17

Cheap option: install your own panels/tall trellis as close as possible to the gap and grow climbers over it.

More expensive option: install something like this and add value to your garden and block the gap with a solid side to the structure.

They have no intention of doing anything to the fence. Whatever you suggest there's always going to be an excuse so just do something rather than letting it fester.

to think my neighbours are being unfair?
wildchild554 · 03/01/2020 17:37

Could they be planning to fix it themselves when the weathers better?

Trudij123 · 03/01/2020 17:49

Isn’t it rich
Aren’t we a pair
Me seeing windows and shed
You with fresh air....

Send in the whores
There has to be whores

We’ve got no fence
It’s your side that’s shared
Checked in the registry
It’s yours - you need to repair

Send in the whores
There’s got to be whores
Not windows or doors...

LakieLady · 03/01/2020 17:51

We have politely asked when they plan to fix it, they said they would but they couldn’t find anyone/tradesman didn’t turn up/getting more quotes.

I wouldn't be susprised if that was true.

We need a small section of fence replaced and a new side gate. I've lost count of the number of appointments for quotes I've made only for them not to show up, the ones who turned up and pronounced the job too small, and the ones who gave a quote but are always to busy to do the work.

I finally found a firm who gave a quote that was acceptable and we agreed that he'd do the work at the end of October, at a date to be agreed nearer the time. As the end of October approached, I left messages and sent emails trying to get a date. I got no reply.

I thought they might be rushed off their feet because of the storms, so left it a while and rang and emailed again. Nada. Not a damn thing.

And a near neighbour who had 3 fence panels blow down in the autumn hasn't been able to get anyone to come and fix them, either.

If anyone wants a great business opportunity, move to Sussex and start a fencing business, you'll make a bloody fortune.

Bunnyfuller · 03/01/2020 18:04

Very naive and housing estate are mutually exclusive. They don’t go together.

Yes, I’d get into a fight with your neighbours about a bit of fence you could fix. That always goes well.

I’m thinking the whores won’t be welcome on such a ver naice estate. I think you need to say where in the country it is that £700k is something to broadcast.