AIBU to think neighbours are cheeky whatsits?

[Strotty]

Hi everyone
I'd really value your take on this. We have been away from home during lockdown - to explain, I'm a nurse and have been working on a covid positive ward throughout lockdown until this week. My DH, DS and DD decamped 100 miles away to MIL's home while it is empty and being sold to stay away from me!
My neighbours very kindly cut my lawn during DH's absence/ while I was at work. It's a small garden and doesn't take long but I was really grateful to them for doing this. It wasn't a great job, with chunks uncut, but I was grateful for the gesture regardless. HOWEVER, DH now returned home has noticed that they have built a shed up against our shared fence and ... this is the cheeky bit ... used our side of the fence to hold the shed in place by erecting a strut across the width of our side of the fence, thus holding their shed secure on their side.
They have not said anything to either of us about doing this.

I feel that we need to say something but the fact that they cut our lawn without being asked to mitigates their cheek somewhat? My DH is a gentle soul and doesn't want any falling out. I want to talk to them about it.

AIBU to be a bit shocked by their cheekily attaching a wooden strut to our side of the fence to keep their shed secure without saying anything??
What do you think?

Yes it's cheeky of them. How important is it for you all to get on ?

Smile and thank them for the lawn mowing then ask how long will the temporary fixing be there for

I would just remove it!

Can you see if from your side? Will it damage the fence?

Many years ago I saw sitting quietly in the back garden when I heard the neighbours discussing attaching their new fence to my fence posts. The builder suggested speaking to me but my neighbours (who I had never met) told him they didn’t want to do to just go ahead🤨.

I didn’t mind; and would have said yes; but always thought it was a bit rude.

YANBU but I’ve never had the same answer from anyone regarding fence issues - as in everyone has a completely different idea as to who ‘owns’ or should repair fences etc. If they lives there before you moved in and potentially paid for the fence, they may feel they have the right to do this without asking - if the see the fences as their responsibility. It would annoy me though.

I think if it's their fence, then technically they own both sides of it, and so can attach anything they like, particularly if its wholly on their side of the boundary. I think it's quite unneighbourly though if its particularly visible or intrusive.

Well, it's a conversation, isn't it? You start with how kind they've been, thanks, for mowing your lawn these last few months. And then you say you've noticed something going on with the shed - you don't remember them mentioning it, and obviously it's on your side of the fence.

It's worth knowing who the fence actually belongs to, though. Is it yours or theirs? It won't be shared ownership.

It honestly wouldn't really bother me but I've come to realise that I'm quite laid back about stuff like this Is it particularly unsightly or affecting your garden?

Tell them that you're a bit worried about it because you've noticed woodworm in the fence and you were about to take it down anyway.

Could you plant a shrub as cover?

I would just take it down if the shed won't fall down if you do.

Small lawn and still a shit job?! They only mowed it so that you wouldn't feel you could complain about the shed!

Take it off.

How did the neighbours get into your garden, did they climb the fence?
Is the strut ugly or likely to damage the fence/your garden? It’s a bit weird that they didn’t ask you beforehand because you were still living in the house, is that right?

I agree that the landlord mowing was probably out of guilt at the shed cheekyfuckery.

Not sure there's much you can do if they own the fence but it's pretty rude! I suppose technically if it's over the boundary to your side then you can make them move it but there's a risk they won't take kindly to that 😕

Lawn mowing! Not landlord mowing!

I feel that we need to say something but the fact that they cut our lawn without being asked to mitigates their cheek somewhat?

I suspect they are counting on this.

Any chance of a photo?

Couldn't get excited about this if he was putting shed up on his own perhaps he was using the to steady it whilst he screws it together.

You could just ask .

If its your fence, then just remove it from your side. If they do it again just explain that you cant have it touching the fence as it will eventually pull it to one side.

You have to say something otherwise it becomes ‘ a thing”

I’d put it out there and let them do the talking so....

“Thanks so much for doing the lawn. That strut across our fence....?“
And leave it for them to explain.

Take an axe to the strut. Sorted.

Is it your fence or theirs?

I'm a bit puzzled - why does their shed need to be attached to your fence at all? Sheds are supposed to be free-standing.

Unless - maybe one person erected it on their own, and found it difficult to hold all the bits up at once. Perhaps they attached it to the fence temporarily while they put it up, and then forgot to take the strut thing off at the end?

Whose fence is it?

There is generally no such thing as a shared fence, it belongs to the property that built it/ on whose side of the boundary it is. Is it your fence or theirs? If it’s theirs they can obviously do what they want to it.