*WIBU* to move my fence back a few inches....

[TriciaH87]

For reference it would not be taking any land from a neighbouring house. We have wasted land about 5 meters wide behind our house followed by a big hill then a line of trees and then a train track. We purchased a 4meter swimming pool to go into the area behind the shed but we are about 4 inches short on the count of legs need a bit of extra space. When they tell you measurements it should really be for the whole area needed. I have 3 fence posts in my garden would you if you were me move the middle one back a few inches to allow for the pool legs. Our garden at the back slopes and gets shorter from the left to the right if the line had been straight it would of been fine. The land behind cannot be used for building on because its a huge hill follewed by train line so the only time anyone ever goes round there is the maintenance team to strim it every few months or usually me to fetch the bloody football when the kids kick it over which is a 15 minute walk to the area to access it. If I did move my fence back a couple inches should I put in a gate to fetch the ball. Had to go round 3 times today to fetch the bloody thing.

@12stepCAKE i can't move the pool a few inches because it is basically jammed in the area due to the slope of the fence if I move it I have to move the whole thing onto the grass. The garden isn't level to have it part on the path and part on the grass and without the post going back a couple inches on one post it may damage the fence. If it was a straight fence it would of been fine. Wasn't our fault we double checked the measurements but it didn't allow for the sodding legs which should have been included in the space needed.

As for those kicking off I get it I really do it's my other half who wants to move it back I actually told him I wasn't so sure about doing it but it's the easier solution in the sense of keeping the garden without spending another grand on bloody leveling and paving it all properly. If it was ever queried he would move the sodding thing back. Mind you looking on Google maps one house further along has already done it by and by a couple feet not inches to level the back of there's. Think I'm just going to cut chunk out of my fence panel.

There is a website called garden law that has a forum. You could post on there for advice.

It would be unreasonable Op, but honestly I wouldn't blame you.

I'd check the fence posts are in the right place first if that level of detail is on your deeds. The thing that would make me uncomfortable about sticking a leg through is that it makes it clear what you're doing. If the owner comes along to maintain it and sees a hole in the fence and a pool leg hidden in the weeds it will be very obvious. They aren't likely to notice a slightly straightened fence though (provided your neighbours won't notice and tell them). If you're happy to fix it if they notice and ask you then I'd probably do it.

Morally and legally, no it isn't the right thing to do, however I'd totally understand you gambling with the risk and reward profile the way it is.

The pool will be short term. Make a hole you can repair. Less hassle.

A colleague did what you suggested some years ago when she had a new fence put in. Her garden was alongside an old railway line which is overgrown and used by walkers. Within a week contact had been made with them and told to reposition it. Not sure if some one reported it but they had clear records and it cost them a load to relocate the posts. Whether they would notice a few inches who knows but surely your fence would be out of line anyway

Frankly...don't get into a boundary argument...they are not worth it h less you are clearly in the right, and you are not

I think the time period is a lot longer than ten years. And she'd have to prove that the owners had not accessed the land within that time period, which would be pretty impossible if they claimed otherwise.

Op, why can't you just move your shed? You really can't do a land grab to make way for that Olympic sized pool, just because it'll interfere with the rest of your garden.

I hope that your husband didn't measure it because what he says is 6 inches is probably nothing like it.

I'd just do it

They only started maintaining it after we complained and sent images showing it was over grown

So they maintain the land.
And next time they come out to cut it back they will see you've land grabbed.
Good luck.

OP, I can't see why you consider it acceptable to take land that belongs to someone else. Where is your moral compass?

Watch out when you post on MN threads in future - the minute you ever mention honesty or integrity, you'll be quite rightly lambasted for hypocracy.

I'm surprised at how many MNers are condoning this thieving behaviour.

If you cut a hole in the fence to put the leg through and the maintenance team come to strim the grass they are going to notice it. If they tell you to remove the leg are you going to end up having to empty the pool there and then to avoid it pushing into the fence and damaging it? After the summer are you planning to put the fence back and then move it out again next summer to accommodate the pool again, or are you planning to leave it there permanently?

We've been in our house 15 years. Behind us is waste land on a slope, leading to the railway. The land is owned by network rail. It was never picked up by our solicitors (or our neighbours solicitors) but the bottom couple of feet of our garden, and all of our neighbours, actually belongs to Network Rail. At some stage in the past, looking at the wire and posts - probably as far back as the 1980's - the occupants of the houses all moved their fences back. In our case network rail do know, it came to light when they cleared some of the trees along the bank for maintenance purposes a few years back. At the local residents information evening network rail told us all that they were aware, they had no plans to ask us to move their fences back but, theoretically, they could do...

Eventually it will come to light, particularly if people are maintaining the area on a regular basis...

@Disquieted1

I hope that your husband didn't measure it because what he says is 6 inches is probably nothing like it.

😂😂🙌🙌

Oh my god I am so shitting jealous about the pool!

I don't think they would notice. Obviously it is against the law though.

YABU, it's stealing!

Watch out when you post on MN threads in future - the minute you ever mention honesty or integrity, you'll be quite rightly lambasted for hypocracy.

Or just change your name regularly - serves me well

@TriciaH87 - is there a fence between the land owned by the housing company, that your garden backs onto, and the railway line?

If there is no barrier or fence, then please do not put a gate in your back fence - you cannot let your children or anyone else run the risk of trespassing on the railway.

My dh works for a train operating company, and in the past, he has had to attend the scene when a train has struck and killed a person on the tracks. Incidents like that have a lasting and profound effect on everyone involved - some train drivers never drive again, after hitting someone on the line. It takes a huge distance for a train to perform and emergency stop, so the driver simply has to sit there, and can do nothing to prevent their train hitting the trespasser and killing or injuring them.

Whose fence is it? If it belongs to the land owner you can’t touch it, let alone move it!
Of course you can’t move one panel if the fence, it’s a big job and then you’d need new panels both sides of the moved post if you could get them to fit as they’d be at the wrong angle.

Fence is ours. Like I say if a gate was put in it would have several bolts and locks on it. I'm aware of the tracks behind. But you would struggle to get through the line of trees. Plus if you tried going down the hill out their you would probably break a leg before you got there with how steep it is. We know it's a big job for a couple inches but so is leveling the whole garden. Going to look at the deeds first to see if our fence is in the correct place and take it from there.

You bought a giant pool despite having a tiny garden

Now you want to steal land “for the sake of your children”

Very good 🙄

If it’s just “5-6” inches that’s not going to impact on them at all,. The fact you’ve asked and they refused makes you a very CF indeed but I have no doubt you’re going to do it anyways. The fact you’ve asked means they’re more likely to check now for changes you realise

As far as I know you are not allowed to put a gate into a fence which borders someone else's land. It's technically trespass.

Going to look at the deeds first to see if our fence is in the correct place and take it from there.
Is there anything to suggest the fence is in the wrong place? It seems most unlikely
The pool is too big for your garden 🤷🏻‍♀️

@OutOfHours

Judging by your photo's, you have more than enough room to put the pool at different angle. Or turn it to be along your back fence.

I was about to say this. Can you turn your pool so it goes across the garden?

Its more about a garden looking nice and the pool fitting in that space than anything.

There is clearly enough room, you've been very clever in the way you have sent your photos.

You bought a pool that was too big.

We built a purpose built base for our pool, it cost less than £100, your going to do it anyway.

I hope you get caught out. :)