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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour seems to think he has the right to jump our fence

337 replies

Twatforaneighbour · 22/11/2021 20:24

We moved in about 3 years ago and put up a fence on top of an existing low height wall (which we own) across the front of our front garden which has a footpath the other side. We got planning to do this.

One of our neighbours had an issue with this, because his adult son (early 20s) liked to walk across our front garden and hop over our wall to save him from walking around. He put in a complaint when we went for planning saying that if the fence went up, we would need to make it safe as his son would be climbing over! The council made no comment on this.

This has made it inconvenient for him as it adds 5 mins walking time to walk down the road and up the public footpath. Since the fence went up, we clarified with the neighbour (the dad) that this was our property and our fence/wall, to make 100% sure there was no misunderstanding with who owns what, which he agreed.

We have now got video from our ring doorbell of "someone" walking across our garden and jumping the fence. It is unlikely to be anyone else as we are at the end if a small road.

What would you do? Trespassing is not a criminal offence. So far we cannot for sure identify the person as it was at night and not a great image.

They obviously see no issue with doing it so speaking to them wont help, Considered anti climb spikes but have seen you can be liable if trespasser gets injured on your property.
WIBU to get spikes if I put a warning with it?
Any suggestions? If he keeps doing it, it will end in damage to the fence and probably us paying for it Angry

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
HotPenguin · 22/11/2021 20:55

The sprinkler idea is good but I would suggest a "scarecrow" - it fires water very suddenly and is quite startling, it's meant for cats bit I think would be ideal for your neighbour.

mineofuselessinformation · 22/11/2021 20:55

@rrhuth, I hope you're not meaning me! Grin

Allthesefolks · 22/11/2021 20:56

@Cattenberg

I was on your side until I read that it takes the neighbour an extra five minutes to walk round. That adds up to a lot of wasted time. I’m not surprised he jumps the fence when he thinks you’re not looking.
That’s not the OP’s problem?! He’s just lazy.
Mellowyellow222 · 22/11/2021 20:56

@Cattenberg

I was on your side until I read that it takes the neighbour an extra five minutes to walk round. That adds up to a lot of wasted time. I’m not surprised he jumps the fence when he thinks you’re not looking.
Tough! A twenty year old man can walk for an extra five minutes. He shouldn’t be going into his neighbour’s garden and climbing the fence.

I had this problem in my last house, that fence panel had to be replaced several times. I also got abuse when I politely asked this adult man to stop damaging my fence and using my garden as a short cut.

People can be so bloody lazy, entitled and rude.

Meggie2008 · 22/11/2021 20:57

Vandal grease 🤷‍♀️

SavoyCabbage · 22/11/2021 20:57

@Cattenberg

I was on your side until I read that it takes the neighbour an extra five minutes to walk round. That adds up to a lot of wasted time. I’m not surprised he jumps the fence when he thinks you’re not looking.

But thousands of people could make journeys shorter every day if they could just walk through absolutely anyones garden. My dd catches the bus every morning from a bus stop that is opposite our house - but on a parallel road with a row of houses in between. She absolutely could shave ten minutes off her morning if she walked the garden of the people opposite. But that's not what people do!

Original poster
Twatforaneighbour · 22/11/2021 20:57

@Cattenberg

I was on your side until I read that it takes the neighbour an extra five minutes to walk round. That adds up to a lot of wasted time. I’m not surprised he jumps the fence when he thinks you’re not looking.
Do really believe that then gives you the right to traipse across someone else's property and potentially cause criminal damage just because you cant be bothered to walk on the actual footpath provided?! wow Hmm
OP posts:
Bahhhhhumbug · 22/11/2021 20:58

I need a diagram l just don't get this, surely he'd just have to walk from front of his house to yours.

MrsTerryPratchett · 22/11/2021 20:59

Big pit filled with marmite, cat pee, slugs and bottom of the compost juice. Just where he jumps over. Make sure it's all soft so he doesn't hurt himself, the little sweetie.

He he.

Cattenberg · 22/11/2021 21:00

Yes I am serious. The previous owners presumably had no problem with it.

Where I live, the postman often cuts across front gardens to get to neighbouring properties and no one gives a fig. And doing this saves him far less than five minutes.

rrhuth · 22/11/2021 21:02

[quote mineofuselessinformation]@rrhuth, I hope you're not meaning me! Grin[/quote]
No, not you Grin

Just always someone who takes the contrary view, in this case 'trespassing is fine if it saves time' Confused

Original poster
Twatforaneighbour · 22/11/2021 21:05

@Bahhhhhumbug

I need a diagram l just don't get this, surely he'd just have to walk from front of his house to yours.
Will do a diagram but baby is kicking off at the mo! If neighbour walks out his front door, he can turn right and it is the end of our road and my garden/house (facing his but further down). If he turns left as he should, he walks down our road with houses both sides, left again and theres a footpath that runs behind his property and to the front of mine. Technically, he could go through the back of his own house, across his back garden and jump his own fence but doesnt chose to do that!
OP posts:
doublemonkey · 22/11/2021 21:06

@TheSpottedZebra

Thorny pyracantha hedge.
Just about to say this exact thing!

Defensive planting will sort it out.

Cattenberg · 22/11/2021 21:09

He’s not a hoard of strangers, he’s your next door neighbour, accessing his home the way he always has done. Legally, you don’t have to let him take the short cut, but I personally wouldn’t have put up the fence.

Santaischeckinglists · 22/11/2021 21:10

Maybe offer him lunch on his way home if your fridge is closer to him than his?
Poor bloke might need a snack for the 5 min walk home.

Original poster
Twatforaneighbour · 22/11/2021 21:10

@Cattenberg

Yes I am serious. The previous owners presumably had no problem with it.

Where I live, the postman often cuts across front gardens to get to neighbouring properties and no one gives a fig. And doing this saves him far less than five minutes.

So would you pay for the broken fence then or is that my responsibility because you are lazy and criminal damage/trespassing is ok?
OP posts:
farnworth · 22/11/2021 21:10

Holly bushes

DontBeCatty · 22/11/2021 21:13

If the only reason that you know he does it because you see him doing it on your ring doorbell then I assume he isn’t damaging anything or doing it that often - if that’s the case does it really matter 🤔

BlankTimes · 22/11/2021 21:14

If someone always walks the same route across your land unchallenged, eventually they will establish a pedestrian right of way over it.

You don't want this to happen as it could cause problems when you sell.

needmoreshinys · 22/11/2021 21:16

@Cattenberg

I was on your side until I read that it takes the neighbour an extra five minutes to walk round. That adds up to a lot of wasted time. I’m not surprised he jumps the fence when he thinks you’re not looking.
This, also make sure you leave drinks and biscuits out for him.

You might also want to consider a ladder incase its too tiring for him to jump. It would be rude not to.

sarcasm

MeetMeAtOurSpot · 22/11/2021 21:17

I’d suggest getting these planted in front of the fence.
www.best4hedging.co.uk/berberis-x-stenophylla-hedge-plants-p12/s5218?vs_vat=inc

I actually hate our hedge of this because it’s so prickly that, even if I pick dead twigs up months after hedge trimming, I always get the thorny splinters stuck in my fingers. They are needle like and snap off really easily into the skin. He will soon stop.

Original poster
Twatforaneighbour · 22/11/2021 21:18

@Cattenberg

He’s not a hoard of strangers, he’s your next door neighbour, accessing his home the way he always has done. Legally, you don’t have to let him take the short cut, but I personally wouldn’t have put up the fence.
We also did it because you could see everyone walking back and forth the other side of the wall, looking directly into our lounge. Its much less exposed now and we can now put plants in our garden, he would be crushing anything we planted before and we should be able to plant stuff in our garden as its our property!
OP posts:
Original poster
Twatforaneighbour · 22/11/2021 21:20

@Santaischeckinglists

Maybe offer him lunch on his way home if your fridge is closer to him than his? Poor bloke might need a snack for the 5 min walk home.
Grin
OP posts:
Cattenberg · 22/11/2021 21:24

Personally, I wouldn’t have installed the fence.

My next door neighbour and I have installed a gate in the shared fence in our back garden, so we can water each other’s plants when one of us is away. This is a common arrangement here, but clearly not where any of the PPs live. Nearly all front gardens are open plan, too.

Hont1986 · 22/11/2021 21:25

Diagram absolutely needed, can't understand this at all.