I can't prove it of course. But one panel of the fence has been completely broken, the top part has come off, and half the slats are missing. I only saw it today for the first time as I can't see that part of the fence from inside the house, and hadn't been out there for a bit.
Definitely not storm damage, firstly because the storms weren't that bad here, and secondly because it's panels between concrete posts, as DP said it would be odd sort of storm damage to damage it from the top. No fallen trees or branches either. It looks like it's been broken by being climbed on/ over, and the neighbours children have form for this. They climbed over my garden gate before now until i put some wood in front of it, so it's not beyond the bounds of probability they've tried to find another way in.
I'm really annoyed because I only replaced the fence 3 years ago. One of the panels then had been destroyed by their kids hoofing a ball up against it constantly, but it was a 20 year old fence so needed replacing, their ball antics just hastened it's end. But I really resent paying now because the arsehole kids next door and their arsehole parents have no respect for other people/ other people's property.
I also don't know how I can protect the next panel from being climbed on...are pigeon spikes allowed or illegal now? A camera wouldn't work because I can't set one up other than in the middle of the garden due to the angles, and to film the fence it would film their garden, which wouldn't be legal either.
They are able to climb on the fence because the dad/ chief arsehole built them some kind of platform at the back of the garden about 5ft off the ground, near my fence. I've got trees/ bushes nearer the house as otherwise they'd see straight into my house from there and I'd have zero privacy, as the house is at a lower level than their 'viewing platform'
I know there's no point in speaking to them, they will just deny it and basically laugh in my face, suggest I must be a bit confused (headtilt) etc. I asked their children last year not to play on my driveway with their bikes and mum arsehole badmouthed me to a load of passersby, because my driveway was empty (it wasn't, my car was on it, and even if it was, it's still my bloody driveway!) And what an awful person I was etc.
I despise them all. Unfortunately I can't move for a few years so I am rather stuck with them for now (they also own). I've been told the police won't do anything unless one of them is violent to me. And I don't want to escalate any dispute so it becomes declarable on any future sale. I just feel totally powerless which is so frustrating.