CF garden related

[yolofish]

For background, we have a huge garden, part of which is actually a field, where we keep our chickens (no, the chickens are nothing to do with it).

The far corner, where I planted a shrubbery 20 years ago, got very overgrown, full of brambles etc. It was the corner behind the chicken run so difficult to access. Neighbour installed a gate into the field from her garden, we asked her not to use it.

Now, we've moved the chicken run and I'm clearing the area - hacking down brambles etc. Neighbour has continued to use her gate to dump all her garden rubbish in this previously unseen corner.

Having used a machete to get there, I asked her to get it moved, and advised that technically she was trespassing and please not to do it again.

She then decided she'd like to get some of our trees lopped, she was happy to pay for it, while getting her rubbish cleared.

Fine I said, and as a gesture of kindness, said her workmen could put the debris on our bonfire, thus saving them trailing it through her house.

Now, the workmen have gone, job not finished - maybe they are coming back? - bonfire is massive and they failed to light it and get the pile down as asked, and they havent cleared the rubbish.

And she's saying £150 is a bit steep in a not particularly subtle hint that she'd like a contribution.

Who is the CF here?

(sorry, long!)

Yeah, we're going to suck it up. But no more favours! Now I just need to construct a final message to her that says fuck off politely and get your fence up biatch!

Gosh I think I am going to go against the herd here. I thought her last message was quite civil and reasonable.

She's said she's getting rid of the gate and she won't do this again, so why do you need a solicitor's letter? Maybe wait and see if she does what she says...

She has a tiny garden and no light in her lounge if the trees grow big. She's alone and in ill-health you said. Have a heart OP.

She's willing to pay the 60.00 to have her debris moved.

I think it's fair that what comes from your trees goes back to your field. And if you decide not to let her cut the trees in future, I think that makes you a meanie. You've got masses of land and presumably lots of light. Walk a mile...

Sorry....

I'd reply:

Your contractors didn't do what they said they would do. They were supposed to dispose of the clippings they generated. Instead they left a massive heap of cuttings and branches on my land - which is why I don't want them back on my land again.

To clarify, the solicitor's letter is so that there is an official record of you being told that you have no right of access over my land via your gate. This is necessary because, despite me telling you that you were not allowed to do so, you have continued to use the gate to dump your garden waste on my land.

I don't want to discuss this any further with you, because I am already very frustrated and disappointed with what's taken place. As such I am drawing a line now and there is no need to respond to this message.

Forgot to add - I would tag in there:

Please be aware that you have no legal right to cut, prune or lop my trees unless they overhang your boundary - in which case you are allowed to remove the branches back to the fence line and no further.

Once again, BaolFan is on the money!

baolfan I think I love you, that is perfect! thank you so much.

I may have had experience with a CF of the hedge and garden variety. These people can sense weakness - show them no mercy

Sent it, she's received it. I will either do the bonfire myself with DH, or get someone in... again, thank you baolfan

I agree with @BrightYellowDaffodil : you absolutely do need to define your property boundaries.
We have a similar situation in that we own land through which a public footpath crosses.
We have absolutely no problem with there being a public footpath, but I resent the public assuming that they are entitled to access the surrounding land (and run it into the ground at our cost). Our solution was to keep the boundary defined by fencing and signage stating that it is trespassing onto private property.

For a future idea about that gate, an acquaintance had a similar problem. He ended up putting a 8ft pile of manure there. Funnily enough the gate wasn't used much after that.

And if the trees are such an inconvenience, I'd make sure that they weren't cut again. Since she's been so difficult about it all.

Jeez I have land and trees and would go utterly batshit if anyone touched them. You've been so patient with her!

AquaFaba we have exactly the same running across the end of our garden. We put a 2m fence in shortly after we bought the place.

Now if I could just find out who keeps flinging bags of dogshit over my fence (yes really) and flytipping their carrier bags of rubbish, then I'd be a happy lady.

I have at least got to the bottom of the phantom shitter. The start of the path is at the front of my house and goes past some of my flower beds. I managed to identify the bloke who used to let his dogs wander into them and crap everywhere and leave it. I waited out of sight one day, let him get a couple of steps up the path and then wandered out and calmly asked if he was going to pick up his dog mess. He had no bags (surprise, surprise) but fortunately for all concerned I'd got some in my pocket to give to him. He now scuttles past as quickly as possible and goes out of his way to avoid me

People are weird about trees and other people's land. Our field is one of the last ones left here.

If we lop the trees people complain; if we don't they complain. If we cut the grass they complain; if we don't they complain. You get the picture.

Our house is the oldest in the village. About 30 houses get a view of our field. Virtually every single one of our trees was here before their houses were built. So far, if a neighbour wants a tree lopped to get more light in their garden we've pretty much said ok but asked them to pay as the trees are not an issue for us - in fact provide us with screening. We also have a tree surgeon in every few years to deal with dangly bits, advise on safety etc - and have had some pretty major work done this year on his advice.

So I don't really know... they all claim to love nature, birds etc but the minute they lose a second of sunlight it's all our fault!! But of course if we do cut a tree down (necessarily) it's all about the birds again.

Fuck 'em!

@BaolFan we also have the same issue with dog poo and litter. Drives me mad. We got a lot of stick for putting the fencing up (think online trolling on local fb page), but asking people nicely had not worked.
I’d understand if we had obstructed or diverted the public footpath, but the sense of entitlement to land that isn’t public really makes me mad, especially as there is no care taken at all.

I got a bit of stick. I posted a week's worth of photos - one taken every day - to show what was being dumped and thrown over. They shut up when I asked how they would feel about waking up every morning to bags of shit lying all over their flower beds and lawn and hanging from shrubs.

One thing I have found is that the amount of care people take is directly linked to how well-kept it looks. If I litter pick regularly, then less litter is left. When I planted bushes and shrubs down the side of the path, raked and repaired the surface, kids stopped hanging about there and the previous petty vandalism stopped.

I don't mind the path - it was there when we bought the house! And I use it myself so want it to look nice and tidy, but people's selfishness and thoughtlessness drives me crackers. My next step is to lobby the council to have a litter bin put in on the main road where the path emerges. The nearest one at the moment is 150m away.

@Baolfan

Neighbour of mine had an issue with flying bags of shit from a path at the end of her garden......was driving her husband batty.

He had a camera installed at some expense and pointed on the path.

Turned out the teenage children of a couple of neighbours were flinging the bags over as a bit of sport!!

The photos were crystal clear and there was a lot of embarrassment when they were produced 😂

Billy we now have a CCTV camera covering the area as we had some issues with arson and vandalism last year. Fortunately the dog shit flinging is mostly diminished - I just need to find the person who keeps leaving their bags of rubbish there!

@yolofish how's the pile of wood? Anyone removed it yet

mummy

radio silence from CF neighbour. Got my own people coming to do the clearance when weather suits - they were really shocked when I told them what had been happening!!

I actually think yabu about the debris/stuff/bonfire on your land. You knew what she is like yet still entered into this very vague verbal tree cutting and removal arrangement.

Just do the bonfire yourself.