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Original poster

How to deal with new neighbours

64 replies

justmovedhouse · 23/03/2022 09:45

So we've just moved in. Conscious that this might be outing so I'll try to be brief and I've name changed.

We share a boundary with a couple who don't like an electric cable against 'their' fence on our side. It's all perfectly safe, it's armoured cable and is currently dead anyway). It was there when we looked round and when we moved in. They've pulled it off and damaged some plants. They've left a passive aggressive note in our garden about it and told us they take people to court.

My view -they go low, we got high. So move the cable (won't be easy and we need it to be out of the way of the kids) and just be polight but keep our distance.

Husband thinks they'll just walk all over us thinking we're wimps and what will it be next. Not sure what he wants but he's really upset by it.

Who is right? Am I being a wimp?

OP posts:
Teeturtle · 23/03/2022 09:50

A cable against your fence, why is it there? Did the neighbours come into your garden to move it? But you want it moved anyway, so you should both be happy if you finish moving it? I am not sure I understand this one.

RegardingMary · 23/03/2022 09:54

I'd be mad.

I'd be explaining to them that it was never in your plan to leave the cable there, that it was dead, and you'd planned to move it. But what they've done has made it unsafe and damaged your property. I'd be putting it back on the fence temporarily until I could make a permanent fix.

TheSpottedZebra · 23/03/2022 10:00

Was it attached to their fence? Or just lying there?

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 23/03/2022 10:02

What did the note say?

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 23/03/2022 10:03

They sound batshit BTW

Glenthebattleostrich · 23/03/2022 10:05

No, you tell them they have damaged your property and they will pay to replace the plants.

We've had 10 years of bullshit from our arsehole neighbours because we just ignored it initially.

PandoraVictoria · 23/03/2022 10:06

I can't understand the position of the cable? How did they remove it from your side?

I think I'm with your husband on this one. I think they will cause trouble if they think they can walk all over you. You can be polite, but firm.

PandoraVictoria · 23/03/2022 10:06

@Glenthebattleostrich

No, you tell them they have damaged your property and they will pay to replace the plants.

We've had 10 years of bullshit from our arsehole neighbours because we just ignored it initially.

This.

chesirecat99 · 23/03/2022 10:07

If it is "their fence", you can't attach anything to their property anyway, you would have had to remove the cable.

It does sound like rather a confrontational way to have dealt with it.

Original poster
justmovedhouse · 23/03/2022 10:18

So the cable supplies power to an outbuilding. We will want it live at some point but it's not at the moment.

The cable has pegs on it and the concrete fence posts have holes in them on our side. The pegs were in the holes holding the cable up off the ground.

This is how it was when we moved in.

They have leaned over (would have needed a ladder) and knocked the pegs out so the cable was dangling at the ends and in the middle crushed some plants.

They would also have needed a ladder to stick the note in our side of the fence.

The note said it's not a boundary fence and we are not (underlined) to fit anything to their fence. There was a bit more but not worth transcribing.

I've always had good relationships with neighbours, it's alien to me to be like this with someone, let alone someone so close to your home.

We could bury the cable but it'll be difficult because it's not long enough and there's tree roots. I also suspect the fence posts have a lot of concrete under them so we can't just dig a channel. I've thought about putting our own fence posts in and attaching the cable to that but again there's the tree roots and possible concrete.

I really don't like them leaving such notes in our garden. I think they need to be told that's just weird.

Interesting point is they don't know the correct name for the pervious owner but other neighbours do. Suggests the previous owner also kept her distance.

OP posts:
Original poster
justmovedhouse · 23/03/2022 10:21

Do we just work out something to do with the cable and ignore them or is my DH right and they'll just start on with something else?

OP posts:
Idontgiveagriffindamn · 23/03/2022 10:25

If they own the fence then they are within their rights to ask for nothing to be attached to it. However what a shitty way to go about it.

Ginandvomits · 23/03/2022 10:25

I don't understand the issue with the cable running along your side of the fence why would they care? I don't think it's any of their business and they're being weird. Also why isn't it a boundary if it's between both your houses?

whoruntheworldgirls · 23/03/2022 10:30

If you need the cable and are happy with it's placement and it's on your side then leave it, sod them, it's YOUR garden.

whoruntheworldgirls · 23/03/2022 10:33

Sorry, is it definitely their fence? If so i think your stuck unfortunately

megletthesecond · 23/03/2022 10:34

Is it actually their fence in the deeds?

My neighbours were pain from day 1. I really regret not going in hard and ignoring them.

TabithaTittlemouse · 23/03/2022 10:34

If you have just moved in I would knock on the door, introduce myself and ask about the note. Play dumb.

chesirecat99 · 23/03/2022 10:38

I really don't like them leaving such notes in our garden. I think they need to be told that's just weird.

I think that will just escalate things.

Their behaviour does seem a bit nuts but it is possible that this was an ongoing dispute with the previous owners. In the same way that your DH thinks you should assert yourselves so they don't walk all over you in the future, maybe they are doing this because the previous owner walked all over them. I would try to defuse the situation before starting neighbour wars. Talk to them, see if they are nutcases or just at the end of their tether.

You need to ascertain who is the legal owner of the fence. If it is theirs, you will have to remove the cable.

BlanketsBanned · 23/03/2022 10:38

Maybe it was a long running feud with the previous tenant and they are taking it out on you now and trying to be the kingpins. Are they scared it might catch fire and burn their fence down. If the holes are already there it seems very petty to stop you using it but if its their fence and their posts thats their right. Still they have damaged your plants which they should replace and pay for. If they threaten you with silly court again ask them if they need any recommendations as xxx in your family is a police officer and a solicitor. I would also install cameras to make sure they dont damage your property again. Can the cable be put the other side of the garden or you will have to bury it somehow.

SleepyRich · 23/03/2022 10:39

Is in documented as their fence in your deeds/on land registry? Is it built exactly on the boundary/their land? If it is and it's their fence then my understanding is that legally you cannot attach anything to it so it would be reasonable to ask you to remove it, of course what they've gone about it is completely over the top and unreasonable, I wonder if there was a lot of aggravation with the previous owners...

Two ways forward presuming it is their fence I feel 1) hope that it's just a case of pent up anger against previous owner, go and speak to them and explain that you understand electric cables should be safely routed and will make plans for it to be done so, however you didn't appreciate how they reacted, feel it was unnecessarily aggressive and to just speak with you in future,... They apologise for how they handled it, you correctly arrange for safe routing of the power cable that doesn't involve their fence and everyone is very happy/best of friends.

  1. If they;'re not reasonable and clearly not interested in neighbourly relations I would write a letter back, informing them that damaging property is a crime, it has been reported to the police (report on non-emergency website) and any further criminal activities will also be reported/you will push for prosecution. Then arrange for the tallest fence planning laws allow to be built as close to their fence as you can (it can't touch it/be built of their posts). Reattach power cable to your fence....

Regards the safety of armoured cable onto a fence there is some interpretation regards the regs which state the cable must be attached to a permanent structure, as in do you consider the fence to be permanent. It's not an unusual practice to run cables like this however.

PissedOffNeighbour22 · 23/03/2022 10:41

Agree completely with @Glenthebattleostrich. Deal with it immediately as they sound the type to have other issues that they want you to back down on. The ridiculous mention of taking you to court would piss me off massively. I had years of shit from my old neighbour because I didn't deal with her firmly as I didn't want to cause a disagreement.

At our new house the day after we moved in, the neighbours waited for us to leave in the moving van and erected a fence over our back gate with a threatening sign telling us they're watching and listening to us on CCTV and will prosecute if we so much as touch their fence.
All they had to say (or even leave a note) was 'are you aware you don't have access through that gate?' and we would have said yes, we know. Instead, they've assumed we're twats who intended to use their land (that they pretend to own but we know it's rented Grin).
I have to look at that fucking sign every day as it's in a bright colour and can be seen from most of our rooms and most of the bloody garden.
We've never spoken to them at all and it's made us want to move out already. We don't share a direct boundary so we don't see them, but if they were attached neighbours I'd have gone round and had a word as it's such twatty entitled behaviour.

nearlyspringyay · 23/03/2022 10:43

Whose fence is it?

CharlotteRose90 · 23/03/2022 10:45

Their fence their rules. I wouldn’t want an electric wire on my fence either. Put a fence up in your own boundary or bury the lines.

ProudAlly · 23/03/2022 10:46

See if your house insurance has a legal helpline, most do. Ask them for advice (it's free)

TunnelOfGoats · 23/03/2022 10:46

If it is their fence, I would install my own fence right next to it on your side, but even higher than theirs.