Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Who was unreasonable?

37 replies

LadyofTheManners · 04/07/2020 20:48

I've rented our house since 2016
Next door is also rented by a different landlord, mostly to students until recently.
These students have been evil. Rude, loud, obnoxious and none seem to have even basic hygiene skills or respect.
When we moved in, the garden fence was leaning over and split the entire way along, there are 5 panels. This was down to a huge amount of bin bags full of crap that had accumulated.
When they moved out in 2017, we spoke to the landlord of that house and said he needed to fix the fence as it was damaged beyond repair. He refused saying he didn't care, if we were bothered we should do it. After we had to get environmental health in to get him to sort the rubbish, the fence collapsed entirely, and knowing he wouldn't do it at that point we sorted for security purposes as there were alot of burglaries at the time.
Next lot moved in, worse than the last, bringing a dog with them that they locked in the garden most of the time. Dog was not happy with this. Garden was full of dog shit they never cleared up. RSPCA didn't want to know. Dog got so stressed it twice put holes in two of the new fence panels running and biting at it. We couldn't go in our garden as it would run through and snap at us. Couldn't have windows open in summer due to the stench of shit and flies.
They then moved out and we again raised the fence issue with their landlord. Got nowhere.
We patched the holes up as to be frank financially we weren't in a good place.
Then a family moved in. They were quiet. So at least that was something.
One afternoon, the mum locked them all out and asked could she climb over fence. Instead of climbing over smaller bits, she tries to go over 6ft fence. She was 5ft. She fell straight through the fence, absolutely smashing it and herself, and my DH who tried to catch her, to bits (he still has a scar). She apologised but no fence fixing. Had enough of fence being missing, so again, we fixed that one and the other 2 the dog had wrecked.
We then had the high winds. The panels came a bit loose but could've been fixed except their son kicking a ball repeatedly at the join bit that was very clearly loose. I asked him several times to stop. He didn't. Fence fucked.
On principal, I've left it. In a few years we have fixed it 3 times and at no point did we break it.
They moved out and landlord back again. This time I said I really must insist he paid to fix it, even saying if he bought the panels we would fit them. He again fobbed me off.

New tenant moved in two days ago. Hadn't seen her as yet until today. I could hear someone calling over fence so went to look. She knew my name- god knows how. Introduced herself, then launches into demands that we fix the fence or else she will report us to the police, council and our landlord. She was really rude and acted like I was beneath her.
When she had quite finished I told her no, we had fixed it 3 times already when we had done no damage, so no, we would not be fixing fence. Told her to speak to her landlord as he knew we had already fixed it down to previous tenants
She stamped her feet at me and says she doesn't care, she demands we sort it.
Now, I'm aware boundary lines are a thing, but I feel in this case we have fixed and replaced and fixed and replaced and it's cost us a bomb already. It's not like a storm did it, it was directly caused by next door.
What do I do now? Their landlord only turns up when someone moves out and I've never been able to get a name or number for him.
She was absolutely abusive to us, called my garden a mess (it's not at all) and said over and again she will report us to council who will force us to replace it.
If she'd have offered to share costs I may have agreed but she was so off!
Where do we stand?

OP posts:
PrayingandHoping · 04/07/2020 20:55

U rent your house too...? Are u absolutely sure next door owns it and not your LL?

If next door owns it for definite (and u have proof through deeds) then u tell her that it's not your fence and that's the end if it. Then ignore

properjambon · 04/07/2020 21:21

You need to ask your LL to check their deeds to see who owns the fence.

boredboredboredboredbored · 04/07/2020 21:25

Crikey you've had some bad neighbours. I'd have left a long time ago!

1Morewineplease · 04/07/2020 21:28

Check who owns the fence first.
Then leave.

yellowfishestoyou · 04/07/2020 21:33

Landlords need to fix it and I'd think of moving ASAP tbh.

LadyofTheManners · 04/07/2020 21:34

That's the thing, bar the shit students it's a nice house, we couldn't afford anywhere else now, certainly not where we are, 2 DC are settled in a good secondary and we have made a cracking life here.
Yes the students were tossers but we had thought now he's stopped getting students in and had families it would be better.
It's definitely not the same owner, our owner is a older English guy. Theirs is a Chinese guy who we think works at the uni (the house is registered as a science business that is still upto date with their reported accounts). Sadly the business that is registered has no website or contact number.
I think from boundary law isn't it set out that if you stand on the pavement outside your home, the left is your boundary responsibility and the right is the other side's? Their house is the left
But as I say, I strongly feel that since the damage has all been caused by the various tenants on that side and we've constantly been the ones fixing it, it's about time it was done by the landlord of that house.
She was just so condescending, I would think if you move into a new house you don't start off by being a part to the new neighbors.
I don't really want to drag our landlord in to be honest, I think that's why we've been able to stay so long as we barely have cause to speak to him.

OP posts:
bestbrowsintown · 04/07/2020 21:38

The two landlords need to sort the fence issues out between them. Why would you keep spending money on a fence you don't own.

CluelessBaker · 04/07/2020 21:38

You shouldn’t be fixing it at all as a tenant - if it belongs to the property you rent it should be your landlord fixing it, not you.

Ask your landlord to find out who owns the boundary. If it’s him, it’s his responsibility to replace. If it’s the other landlord you can tell this woman it’s her job to resolve the issue with her landlord.

You should definitely not spend any more money on a fence you don’t own.

PrayingandHoping · 04/07/2020 21:39

Ah.... it really isn't that simple at all OP! Who owns what fence varies with where u live! I've lived in several different houses and owned all different fences, sometimes even jointly owned!!

Without knowing you can't assume. U needed to approach your LL from day 1 and ask him who owned it. It could well have been his all along!

SunbathingDragon · 04/07/2020 21:40

It depends who owns the boundary line but ultimately, there is no requirement for a fence to divide you at all. I would leave her to do all her reporting and just ignore her from now on, but keep a note of dates and times and any evidence of her being abusive.

FizzyPink · 04/07/2020 21:40

Gosh, where on earth do you live to have been that unlucky with such awful neighbours Confused

notforonesecond · 04/07/2020 21:43

Even if it does belong to your property, why on earth are you paying for it and not your landlord?

ItsNotAGameOfSubbuteoMatthew · 04/07/2020 21:44

Possibly worth trying to get her onside? You're both in agreement the fence is shit you just need to agree it's her landlord who pays for it.

MrsMcCarthysFamousScones · 04/07/2020 21:46

she will report us to the police, council and our landlord

Let her. What on earth does she think the police and council will do?
Speak to your LL yourself and ask who’s boundary it is.

minielise · 04/07/2020 21:46

Double check with your landlord to find out who it belongs to. If it’s them then you can show his tenant it’s not your fence. If it’s yours can you suggest small claims court for the damages? It might worry them and lead to it being fixed... and the new tenant then being careful because they don’t want to piss you off again!

LadyofTheManners · 04/07/2020 21:50

Trust me we could and have lived in worse areas. The rest of our street is amazing, in fact after she naffed off indoors from shouting, the neighbors on the other side of her who are an elderly couple came out to see if we were OK, and said she is daft and ignore her.
I did laugh at her when she said about police, in the midst of a national crisis pandemic like the police would bother coming to the aid of a silly woman moaning about the fence.
Luckily for us we get on really well with our street and I know if it came to it she would be chucked out before we would be.
I think I may call the council on Monday and see what they say about the boundary. They were really helpful before and threatened to fine her landlord over the rubbish.
The stupid thing is, my friend has started a gardening business and said he would probably have a couple of fence panels soon as he gets asked to replace them. He deals with quite well to do houses and if the fence gets even slightly wobbly they get him in to replace the lot, so he said rather than us paying for new ones again, he would chuck us a couple of good second hand ones.
On principle I'm not bothering now. She can stuff her fence up her arse frankly 😂
And I was offended when she said my garden was a mess, I've spent years on my garden, potting and planting and making it look lovely. It's mostly containers as it's a patio garden but still, containers full of flowers and veggies is not a bloody mess.

OP posts:
LadyofTheManners · 04/07/2020 21:51

Oh I tried that at first as you know sometimes tone can be taken wrong but nope. She folded her arms and said she "demands" we fix it or else.

OP posts:
Queenoftheashes · 04/07/2020 21:51

Yes let her report it and landlords sort it. Also. Tell her to fuck off.

RandomMess · 04/07/2020 21:52

No one has to have a fence only a marked boundary. If she wants a nice shiny repaired fence she needs to get her landlord to put one in.

Ontheboardwalk · 04/07/2020 21:52

Why are you spending money to replace a fence that’s not yours?

Pass the issue over to your landlord

Joiningthegossip · 04/07/2020 21:55

It should be down to your landlord, that's why you pay rent.
Have you told your landlords the issues? May be worth giving them a call or email.

PrayingandHoping · 04/07/2020 21:57

The council won't know who owns a privately owned fence.

However if you're on good terms with your neighbours on the other side and they own their house they will probably know. It's usually the same along a row of houses

LadyofTheManners · 04/07/2020 22:03

Yeah he knew the fence had been damaged and needed repair and I said I would track their landlord down to ask them.
To be honest, I do try not to get him to fix stuff, our last landlord chucked us out (and 6 other households) all at once. When I asked why as we had spoken to them about a month before and he assured us it was ongoing, I was told he got sick of being asked by tenants to do repairs. We had needed a new front door as ours was so old and wooden so would swell to the point it wouldn't open. It's really put us off since. We've not needed to ask him to fix anything, he does the gas safety certificate every year, but other than that nothing has really needed doing.
I'm not suggesting he wouldn't do it though.
But whoever fixed it I don't think either we or our landlord should at this point.
Oh and after having enough of her abuse I did indeed tell her to fuck off.

I do think I may put it politely in writing that she can show to her landlord, basically saying we will not be fixing it this time and she should refrain from being abusive again or we will notify the relevant authorities and report her behaviour. She may shut up and think twice then if she thinks her landlord will see it, he never really gives his tenants notice he just turns up and tells them to go and they do within days. I should add they probably aren't aware of lettings laws and such as they are foreign nationals so he can probably very easily take the piss with them.

OP posts:
TimeWastingButFun · 04/07/2020 22:09

It's pretty bad, it should have been between the two landlords, not the tenants. You can check the deeds online yourself to see whether your landlord or theirs is responsible, then keep on at whoever it is to fix it.

TheTeenageYears · 04/07/2020 22:13

Don't let your previous experience of asking the landlord to fix things put you off asking now. It's a financial burden for you to repair the fence and one you are in no way responsible for. I'm a landlord and whilst I would rather not pay out for things unnecessarily I wouldn't want my tenants feeling like they couldn't report a problem. I draw the line at being expected to pay for things which most home owners would do for themselves rather than call someone out to do but it sounds like this has caused you a considerable amount of stress over the years and establishing who is responsible for the boundary would be a good start.