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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour watering my fence

172 replies

crappytimes · 12/06/2021 00:14

Have lived in current house 15 yrs and always had a good, not close, relationship with neighbours. We very recently agreed to go halves on a fence between our back gardens as the previous one was rotten and about to collapse and had loads of ivy coming over from their side to ours. The team did a great job, took our a few trees and v larger ivy roots. The other day I noticed neighbour had a hose/sprinkler pointed at fence right by my back door so they're not really watering flowers (think he grows sunflowers there) but watering the entire 6ft fence and water seeping all the way through and also my plants and paving (and me if I walk out the door). I texted owner's son (also living there and my contact for them) and he said he'd ask his dad's to stop but gave a shirty reply about "sorry if he's not watering correctly". I said it's not about watering correctly just don't want new fence to go rotten like old one. Anyhow 2 days go by and no more watering of fence (something I admit he's done the last 15 yrs which has always bugged me). I've gone outside just now and it's midnight and he's watering the fence again- presumably assuming i wouldn't be out this late. I really am pissed off as I know it will ruin new fence and is really pointless. He's only got concrete breeze blocks with weeds and a few sunflowers. I don't want to seem rude- parents are elderly and have always been nice but given I've just paid for the fence I feel I should stand firm. AIBU?

OP posts:
DeathStare · 12/06/2021 06:49

I'm sure the fence will be fine. I'm hugely curious about why he's spending hours watering a fence though.

tara66 · 12/06/2021 06:50

Can you not just catch the neighbour when he is doing it and tell him he is flooding your garden and path? Could someone slip and fall on all that water? Does this elderly neighbour have alzheimer's or some mental problem? What is the fence made of ? You could put on a coat of exterior clear protective vanish on your side and ask them to do the same on their side if you think the fence will rot with all the watering. UANBU.

SpeakingFranglais · 12/06/2021 06:50

Why don’t you speak to him to discuss?

WildfirePonie · 12/06/2021 06:50

Sneak into his garden and make tiny holes in his hose pipe.

dayslikethese1 · 12/06/2021 06:56

Your neighbour sounds a bit dim, what a pointless waste of water. Next time he's in can you politely ask him to angle the hose down a bit so its aiming at the ground?

CrunchyCarrot · 12/06/2021 06:56

I find this very bizarre behaviour on the part of your neighbour! Especially leaving his hose running overnight. That's a terrible waste of water - his bills must be astronomical!

Suzi888 · 12/06/2021 06:57

@vodkaredbullgirl

Hmm fences get wet when it rains.
Yes and they dry out when it doesn’t! Otherwise it’ll rot. Jesus there’s some truly idiotic comments on this thread! Plus OP is getting wet. It comes under the council’s anti social behaviour policy, you could request a few officers speak to him about this.

HE isn’t allowed to wet your property, rain is a naturally occurring phenomenon.

Could he have dementia? Why is he watering wood?

Suzi888 · 12/06/2021 06:59

@HildegardeCrowe

Isn’t most everyone on a water meter now? Just content yourself with the fact that he must have high water bills and know that he’s a selfish moron for wasting water like that. And your fence must be super-clean (on his side at least) 😊
No they’re not Confused. You pay one standard amount to use as much as you like.
Confusedandshaken · 12/06/2021 07:00

I read the thread title and thought it meant the neighbour was weeing on the fence. That would be annoying.

You need to get a grip OP. Fences are made of wood so they are going to break down/rot over time. The only way to get an everlasting wooden fence would be to make it out of a hard wood of the sort used for boat hulls. That would be water resistant and with maintenance could last indefinitely but it would also cost ££££. Or build a brick wall. Much longer lasting but many times the expense.

You do realise that sunlight will also age and weaken wood? You can't stop the sun from shining any more than you can dictate to your neighbour when and how he waters his garden.

You say he has always done this and yet you have lived in your house 15 years before having to replace the fence that was there when you moved in. That's pretty good going.

Grin and bear it OP. A potential fallout with a previously good neighbour is a much more serious matter than possibly having to replace a fence in 20 years time rather than 25 years time. He paid his share of it and if he wants to water it there's not a thing you can do about it.

Soontobe60 · 12/06/2021 07:03

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

don't leave your fence out at night OP. it won't just get rained on. it will also get darked on and spiders will rub their willies on it
🤣🤣🤣🌂🕷🕷🕷
CanofCant · 12/06/2021 07:05

@BowtieBling

Oh come on. Directly pouring water on wood over a sustained period will age the wood prematurely, stop pretending it's the same as it raining It's weird and unnecessary and will shorten the lifespan of fence and increase need for wood treatment unnecessarily.

Neighbour can water plant without constantly watering the fence unless it's some amazing new plant that grows directly out of the fences rather than from the ground below.
Maybe they're trying to cultivate fungus?

Exactly. YANBU OP.
MrsExpo · 12/06/2021 07:11

Have you actually asked him why he’s doing this, and (if for no logical reason) could he please cease and desist?

HildegardeCrowe · 12/06/2021 07:12

In my area everyone’s been switched to a water meter whether they like it or not @Suzi888. Thought it was standard practice across the country but obvs not.

Herecomesanothernamechange · 12/06/2021 07:21

@crappytimes YANBU. It would piss me off too. One old neighbour watered the fence on a blazing hot day, it actually warped as the sun dried it out it was so hot. I was watching it bend in the heat & there was nothing I could do about it.
If he’s been doing it for 15 years though he isn’t going to stop now, plus, 15 years is a good time for a fence to last & either him or you could move in that time so I’d probably try to ignore it for the sake of neighbourly relations.

HolyMilkBoobiesBatman · 12/06/2021 07:26

Are these fence panels the ones in between concrete posts by any chance?
If so I have heard of people soaking them so the wood swells and warps to stop the panels rattling in the posts when it’s windy and to stop the panels being able to be lifted?
Perhaps he’s worried and thinks if he can make the wood swell his property will be more secure?

1Morewineplease · 12/06/2021 07:35

YANBU OP.
It would annoy me too.

Fences are designed to cope with lots of rain, but a sustained, 24 soaking will rot it more quickly.

Bbub · 12/06/2021 07:43

I don't get why he's been watering the fence for 15 years. Am I missing something

And if you have a good relationship with him why did he send a shirty reply after 1 message

HeronLanyon · 12/06/2021 07:50

This sounds really odd.
I agree with you a hose pointed at a wooden fence for hours on end will mean it will be to be replaced earlier than normal weathering.

The main thing which I do think causes a nuisance is the constant water run off into your property - if it creates constant puddles on your patio/garden then this is a nuisance.

The waste of water is shocking. Seems irrational behaviour.

Is he washing fox/dog/cat smells off? Is he thinking he’s providing water for a tree somewhere ?

Flibbitygibbit · 12/06/2021 07:54

If he’s using a sprinkler is he on a water meter ?

Thatswatshesaid · 12/06/2021 07:55

It’s weird and unnecessary but I’d say buying some new fence panels in a couple of years is preferable to a war with the neighbours.

roguetomato · 12/06/2021 07:57

"No they’re not confused. You pay one standard amount to use as much as you like."

It used to be like that here, but not anymore. They installed water meter, so we now pay the amount we use.

yikesanotherbooboo · 12/06/2021 07:58

It is reasonable for you to nicely point out that a lot of water is coming over the fence if it is water logging your side but beyond that you cannot really tell him what to do on his property.
It would irritate me for the waste of water ; a bit like I am in a constant state of annoyance at the moment with neighbours cutting their hedges despite the fact that there are still birds nests.
I think it is likely to accelerate rot but that will happen anyway so I really don't think it is something to fall out over.

CandidaAlbicans2 · 12/06/2021 07:59

YANBU OP. It’s odd behaviour and I suspect the posters who are taking the piss wouldn’t like it if their neighbours were doing it, especially for hours. Generally people avoid regularly soaking their wooden fencing when hosing the garden because it will make it rot quicker!

Oh come on. Directly pouring water on wood over a sustained period will age the wood prematurely, stop pretending it's the same as it raining. It's weird and unnecessary and will shorten the lifespan of fence and increase need for wood treatment unnecessarily.

Exactly @BowtieBling. These replies don’t seem to be taking that into account. It’s not the same as if it’s rained on, it’s extra, directed, and unnecessary on top of the rain, and doesn't get the chance to dry out. Why would anyone water a fence?!

Why did you share the cost of the fence? A fence always belongs to one side or the other

@DirectionsForUse. I thought that until I needed to get a new fence panel. It’s not uncommon for fences to belong to both neighbours rather than be the sole responsibility of one. Mine’s like that.

starfishmummy · 12/06/2021 08:03

You said you went halves on the fence, so he's watering his fence!!

MumofSpud · 12/06/2021 08:06

@DirectionsForUse

Why did you share the cost of the fence? A fence always belongs to one side or the other.

There must be a reason he's doing this. It can't just be to destroy a fence he's just paid for. Understanding that would be a better place to start.

Text is never a good way to deal with any even mildly difficult conversation.

Yes this is what I was going to say - but I cannot remember which side left or right is mine! So why did you go halves?