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

[Twatforaneighbour]

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

@Twatforaneighbour

Here's a slightly out of proportion diagram, my back garden is not actually as big as the neighbours plot but you get the gist of the layout of the road!

The neighbour opposite walks out of his door, turns right across my drive, over my little bit of garden and over the fence.

Absolute prick. Honestly. That sort of entitlement, which is obviously his parents’ work, gets on my wick.

That was different to how I imagined. Could the neighbour put a gate in his back fence? If so, he has no reason to cut across your garden.

Oohhh OK, it makes sense to me now. Why doesn't he just jump his dad's fence directly, or put a gate in his fence?

@BanditoShipman

He could solve it by putting a gate in his back fence, I think from the diagram?

I was going to ask why he can’t just jump over his own back fence rather than the OPs. Or like you suggest put a gate in his own fence.

@Cattenberg

That was different to how I imagined. Could the neighbour put a gate in his back fence? If so, he has no reason to cut across your garden.

There is a low wall, about 1m, running all the way down the properties with pillars and fence panels in between but technically he could but a gate in or even jump his own fence but probably doesn't want to damage it!

You can buy instant hedging online if you want something prickly. Personally I would paint the top of the fence with anti-climb paint so he gets covered should he attempt to climb over.

Why can't your neighbour install a gate in his fence and allow his son to come through his garden and through his back door? Surely it would solve it all.

We had one of those cat detector things attached to the hose, it soaks you if you forget to deactivate it when you walk past.

OP, your neighbour is an utter knob. Do anything you like to stop this - within the law - just don’t tolerate it. Little shit he is.

Oppen thing - either you’re the knob, or you’re doing a splendid impersonation of one. Quite tedious.

Having seen the diagram I can't understand why he doesn't just jump over his own back fence

Fresh horse shit should do it.

That's ridiculous. If he uses the footpath that often, his parents should add a lockable gate to their rear fence 🙄. Is there a fence between your garden and theirs, OP?

Long term plant spikey roses

Short term move plant pots (larger the better) in front of where he jumps over.

And yeah... pyracathia

Landmines?

Definitely time to put a few thick bushes in that corner.

Why can't he climb over his own back fence?

There is a low wall, about 1m, running all the way down the properties with pillars and fence panels in between but technically he could but a gate in or even jump his own fence but probably doesn't want to damage it!

Then he really is a twat.

Dig a flower bed parallel to the fence. Don't plant anything yet. Fill it with farmyard manure and keep it very wet. Jumping into a pebble of liquid horseshit a few times might break the habit. And when he stops doing it you will have a nice fertile bed to plant something thorny in.

@Mumof2bears

That's ridiculous. If he uses the footpath that often, his parents should add a lockable gate to their rear fence 🙄. Is there a fence between your garden and theirs, OP?

I wish they would install their own gate, it would solve the issue but they don't come across as the most reasonable and it would be their expense.

Theres a graduated wall in between our properties and they are slightly lower as we are higher up the hill.

We put a new fence up a few months ago, it's 6ft 6'. Raise your's and put something on the top like a trellis or even better a carpet tack strip

@FangsForTheMemory

Blackthorn hedge. It's a native species, lovely flowers in the spring, sloes for sloe gin in the autumn, AND VICIOUS THORNS 3CM LONG.

I just got goosebumps thinking about how much those thorns hurt! I have some in my garden.

Have you pointed out to his dad that he can just jump his own fence? And that you'll be charging him for any repairs of damage that is a result of his kid climbing over your property?

www.best4hedging.co.uk/prickly-hedge-plants-c122

OP, not sure if anyone else said this as I didn't read thru all the comments, but whatever you decide to do, just make sure you put extra cameras around your property too. I can see these people getting really pissed that they can't use your yard to get home quicker anymore and may vandalize your stuff.

Entitled people do not like it when others set boundaries so just keep that in mind.

@Floundery

Electric fence?

search lights and machine guns