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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour & potential Fence wars !!!

129 replies

supermario10 · 28/03/2022 21:23

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can help or offer some advice on a potential neighbour dispute / fence issue . We bought some land at the back of our house from a neighbour to increase our garden size and over the past year or so have been landscaping our whole garden. Part of this landscaping including erecting (and paying for) a fence on the new boundary where we bought the land. We agreed with the seller that we'd pay for and maintain the fence..anyway around 8 months ago the house was sold and new neighbour moved in. We haven't met them as they are on another street and new fence makes it private. Anyway today got back from the school run went out in the garden and new neighbour was painting his side of the fence. BUT the dark green paint has dripped down the back onto my side of the fence and looks awful. I'm gutted. He's also screwed a bird box into it (only noticed that when I looked over today. Can't tell if that's off the panel or the post yet though). We treated the panels as wanted natural wood look. What can I do? I obviously , clearly don't want a neighbour dispute but at the same time I feel really annoyed that someone did this without thinking to ask first. I'm sure I'll get a few 'get a grip ' comments and yes I understand 'first world problems' and all that but we spent a lot of time, effort and not to mention money on it. Really hope someone can help or advise what they would do in this situation. Maybe it's because we back onto them so don't really have contact with them in the same way as if they were next door.

OP posts:
Original poster
supermario10 · 28/03/2022 22:15

I think, and may be wrong, as we bought and erected the fence it belongs to us 🙈

OP posts:
LardyDee · 28/03/2022 22:18

Why didn't you say anything to him when you were out in the garden and saw him painting the fence?

I did!

Then YABU.

colette1970 · 28/03/2022 22:21

If they have only just done it try jet washing it off on your side where it has dripped down .

Easterbunnyiswindowshopping · 28/03/2022 22:21

We had a fence war.. Ndn painted our fence am awful colour and it dripped through. Solicitor wrote to them and they had to legally allow me into their garden to maintain my fence. I painted it all my chosen colour. Your ndn needs to make good the fence. Or replace.

Patented · 28/03/2022 22:28

This is a complete non issue. Bird nesting box - shock horror, small wooden box for valuable nesting habitat! Painting fence to prolong its life & fit their colour scheme - shock horror! Can't understand freaking out about a few splashes of paint. They're a new neighbour and not psychic to know about your previous deal and how precious it js

Original poster
supermario10 · 28/03/2022 22:30

@Easterbunnyiswindowshopping

We had a fence war.. Ndn painted our fence am awful colour and it dripped through. Solicitor wrote to them and they had to legally allow me into their garden to maintain my fence. I painted it all my chosen colour. Your ndn needs to make good the fence. Or replace.
That wouldn't really work for us as we wanted it to be left NOT painted 🙈
OP posts:
TheSpottedZebra · 28/03/2022 22:34

What did you say and what did they reply, OP?

Nanny0gg · 28/03/2022 22:44

@supermario10

I think, and may be wrong, as we bought and erected the fence it belongs to us 🙈
It is your fence.

What did he say when you spoke to him?

Original poster
supermario10 · 28/03/2022 22:47

@TheSpottedZebra

What did you say and what did they reply, OP?
I said 'can you stop painting my fence please?' 😅 I'm not a confrontational person at all just like a good moan on Mumsnet!!! But then basically explained its our fence and we don't want it painting he said 'oh but if you don't paint it it will be rotten in 5 years ' ... I told him how it had been treated with something to protect it already and we wanted to leave it plain.
OP posts:
OldTinHat · 28/03/2022 22:47

@supermario10 It's your property and I'm so fuming on your behalf. They've spoilt what you've paid a lot of money for.

Can you ask the CAB for advice?

Ask your neighbours to pay for half of the fence for the damages?

Those PP who have suggested the neighbours have done OP a favour by protecting the fence obviously have no experience of the expense, the the pleasure of it looking lovely and then having someone else damage it.

It's a nightmare because you don't want to fall out with your neighbours but at the end of the day, home is precious and when you spend money on doing things on your home and garden, you want to be able to enjoy your it without people damaging it.

Nanny0gg · 28/03/2022 22:47

@Patented

This is a complete non issue. Bird nesting box - shock horror, small wooden box for valuable nesting habitat! Painting fence to prolong its life & fit their colour scheme - shock horror! Can't understand freaking out about a few splashes of paint. They're a new neighbour and not psychic to know about your previous deal and how precious it js
OFGS

They've painted something that isn't theirs. It is visible on the other side and if the OP has just paid good money for it and they've damaged it, they're liable.

Might not bother you, but it bothers a lot of people when something they've paid for to enhance their garden (why is it ok to enhance neighbour's scheme but not the OP's?) is spoiled

Nanny0gg · 28/03/2022 22:48

OP - what was his response when you explained why you wanted it left alone? (and that it wasn't his to do what he liked with?)

Sub1required · 28/03/2022 22:51

@Patented

This is a complete non issue. Bird nesting box - shock horror, small wooden box for valuable nesting habitat! Painting fence to prolong its life & fit their colour scheme - shock horror! Can't understand freaking out about a few splashes of paint. They're a new neighbour and not psychic to know about your previous deal and how precious it js
This!!!

OP I'm struggling with what you would have wanted them to do? A second fence? Ask permission to paint or hang a bird box?
Hanging basket season is coming, you might want to have a word 😂

Original poster
supermario10 · 28/03/2022 22:51

Basically that we'd discuss further before anything else got done to it ... but now trying to come up with what the options actually are. In an ideal world I'd like him to replace the panels he painted but can't honestly see that happening!!! Got to think he's not totally unreasonable otherwise he'd have told me to bugger off and kept painting

OP posts:
carefullycourageous · 28/03/2022 22:57

@supermario10

Basically that we'd discuss further before anything else got done to it ... but now trying to come up with what the options actually are. In an ideal world I'd like him to replace the panels he painted but can't honestly see that happening!!! Got to think he's not totally unreasonable otherwise he'd have told me to bugger off and kept painting
I agree - if they stopped and were not aggressive then maybe it will be OK.

If I were you I would pause. I know you are annoyed but actually no harm will come from just leaving it be for a few days while you work things out.

Original poster
supermario10 · 28/03/2022 22:58

Definitely do get why you think I'm being ridiculous as I've probably read posts like this in the past and thought the same tbf ... but honestly think if you were in similar situation you'd feel the same. Such a lot of time, energy and money went into what we did and to see great big drips of DARK paint spoiling that is really crap. sorry if you don't agree, probably won't change your mind! and re bird box , I've nothing against birds or them being in my garden etc it's just that it's been screwed into my property without my permission thats annoyed me. It wouldn't matter what the item was hanging basket etc like I say fully expected to get adverse reactions and I get why too

OP posts:
Original poster
supermario10 · 28/03/2022 23:01

Yes thats what I'm hoping. Need to see how easy the drips can be removed (if at all) and go from there

OP posts:
ickky · 28/03/2022 23:08

If the fence is wholly on your land then it is yours, they cannot attach anything to it or paint it. It is legally enforceable, but would sour relations and be stressful and probably costly.

If it is stained, the only solutions are complete replacement or paint your side.

Your neighbours are right though, it will rot a lot faster without paint, even the treated ones need to be painted.

I don't think you are unreasonable, it would really annoy me too.

MadeForThis · 28/03/2022 23:08

How many panels did he paint before you stopped him?

Lou98 · 28/03/2022 23:10

So if he stopped painting when you asked him to - how far along did he get? From your OP, I was thinking it was the full fence.
Could you price up new panels and have a discussion with him if you want them to cover some or all the costs?

Realistically though, if they say no I'm not sure there's much you can do and if there is, I'm not sure it would be worth it (although obviously I don't know how much your fence was).

Some people don't realise that fences (unless stated otherwise in the deeds) aren't shared. The fact he stopped when you asked him to, it sounds like he perhaps wasn't aware so I don't necessarily think he's doing anything to intentionally damage the fence but would be worth going round and having a conversation

Sub1required · 28/03/2022 23:11

Was this discussed when he was buying the property/moved in?
If he hadn't been made aware then I think it's unreasonable that you are wanting it replaced. He's started now so won't his garden now look odd if it isn't finished?
When you bought the land and agreed to pay and maintain the fence did you not consider that the person on the other side might want to paint or add decorative features?

Hertsgirl10 · 28/03/2022 23:15

@carefullycourageous

Seems very unfair doesn’t it when someone’s spent the money and time to have the fencing put up it’s so annoying how people just think that they can do what they like.

Mountainpika · 28/03/2022 23:17

Dribble bright coloured paints through the little gaps in the fencing so they have a modern art fence to look at.

ickky · 28/03/2022 23:18

@Sub1required

If he hadn't been made aware then I think it's unreasonable that you are wanting it replaced. He's started now so won't his garden now look odd if it isn't finished

That is not OP's problem, ignorance is no excuse.

AdobeWanKenobi · 28/03/2022 23:18

He needs to make good the damage, it’s clearly not going to sand off so really he needs to replace all the panels he painted.
Of course that’s the difficult part unfortunately, both monetarily and neighbourly. It’s a fine line and bloody difficult so I have total sympathy with you. Put up and be a walkover or potentially start a war.

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