Builders damaging our fence and ignore requests not to.

[Libre55]

We had a new fence put up last October, on our property. Next door neighbours have moved out whilst an extension and attic conversion is done. It has to be the most inconsiderate building company going. They are sewing in hoardings to our fence to make side entrance secure, peppering the fence post with holes.

When the fence was erected we sent notice to the neighbours explicitly NOT giving permission to hang, or attach or fix anything to the fence. We asked the builders not to use our fence to attach stuff to, and was assured it wouldn’t happen again. We called 101, and whilst waiting for them to visit, they just carried on doing it. Police came round yesterday and told them it was criminal damage, but hey, they just did it again. Police say they are unable to do anything as they do not know who did the damage (one building company, same employees everyday) last night we unscrewed the hoarding, but don’t want the hassle of doing that every evening, nor should we have to. Short of sitting around for a couple of hours waiting to film the individual doing it, does anyone have any ideas? (Unable to use cctv as installing a camera would be almost impossible for the angle needed to catch them. Both DH and I disabled so could not climb a 20 foot ladder, we did consider it)

At the moment the fence post has loads of holes, but continual screwing of 6inch nails into it needs a force that is going to weaken it, and it is attached to our property.

Do you have legal cover on your home insurance?

If not I would put together a cease and desist letter and ask for compensation for any damage already done (or ask them to make good if that's possible) otherwise you will take them to small claims.

Have you spoken to your neighbours about them replacing your fence when their work is complete?

That might be the least stressful solution all round.

Take pictures every night (with date/time stamps on them) Also take photos of their van (with registration visible) and of the workers daily too (so it can be seen who is there on what date).

Send an registered letter to the company boss, advising them that their employees are causing damage to your property.
Explain you have asked workers to cease and desist, and that they have ignored this repeatedly.
Tell them you have photographic evidence of the damage and of which employees have been working at the site. Also tell them you have reported this damage to the police and have a crime number (ask police for it) and will be following this up with a claim in the county court for damages unless they repair the existing damage to your satisfaction and cease and desist from causing any further damage to your property.

I'd also be asking my home insurance about whether I was covered for legal advice for this, as a solicitors letter can have a better response.

I'm wondering how they manage to screw nails into these posts

Wooden fence posts are a thing.

eh??? it’s easy to screw a nail into a wooden fence.

How can anyone screw in a nail ? They have not got a thread on them have they !

Some have yes, though we all know what OP meant.

Screwnails:

When the fence was erected we sent notice to the neighbours explicitly NOT giving permission to hang, or attach or fix anything to the fence.

Gosh, I'm surprised that they're not more motivated to deal with this behaviour from their builders considering how much good will and neighbourly feeling you must have generated.

Tbf that was my first thought.

You cannot screw those nails into anything. They are nails. You need a hammer.