Neighbours’ ‘temporary’ structure overhangs into our garden

[Greigee]

Please tell me if IABU here.

We live in a row of terraces. Over a month ago our neighbours erected a square pagoda/marquee outside their kitchen. Obviously it’s not a permanent ‘built’ structure but it certainly looks like it’s here to stay for the summer.

It’s like the attached photo, but the roof of it overhangs the base. (I have tried to draw it in.)

The thing is that - you’ve guessed it - they’ve placed the vertical poles right against our fence and so the roof overhang comes into our garden. Which means, when it’s rainy, the rain runs off the ‘roof’ and right into our garden.

I think it’s cheeky, but I’m also menopausal and so lots of things give me the rage at the moment.

So I just wondered what the hive mind thought.

I'd be really pissed off with this, go round and ask them to move it

Yeah a bit cheeky but not worth falling out with otherwise good neighbours over. Unless it’s creating a swamp right outside your back door or similar!

I would tell them to move it

I'm not sure what to think since you haven't said whether you've spoken to them or not?

If you haven't, then do.

Why can't you go round and ask them to move it? They may not realise what's happening.

What do you mean not worth falling out over !! They clearly don’t give a thought for you!
I would ask them round and then explain the reason it is important to move it. Is it tall enough to miss hitting your head ?

My neighbours did exactly the same with their pagoda/gazebo/whatever it is and it annoyed me too. We didn't say anything because we assumed it wasn't going to stay there for long, but then we had a horrendous gale-force storm and the entire thing was blown into our garden and mangled into a twisted wreck. Amazingly, they didn't even apologise and come to remove it - we had to knock two days later and ask them to come over and shift it.

Personally I'd just ask them to move it by a foot or so and explain that it's hanging over and causing puddles when it rains. You can do it in a friendly way, I'm sure - you don't need to go over there all guns blazing.

Ask them to move it.

Ask them to move it
Or give it a push
Or maybe you need to water your border - let the hose run off their side of the roof
Or have a BBQ on your patio

Politely asking someone in a friendly way if they'd mind moving their pagoda thing a few inches because it's causing puddles isn't 'falling out' though, is it? I've had to ask neighbours about stuff like cutting back tree branches or blocking a hole in their fence when their dog kept squeezing through into our garden (I wouldn't actually have minded that, as I like dogs, but he usually chose our garden rather than theirs to have his thrice-daily shits) and there's never been a falling out as a result.

Tell them to move it across nicely, and happen to mention that if the water keeps falling onto your patio and it needs power washing/ re-grouting you assume they’ll be happy to foot the bill…

I'd say something like, you probably don't realise but your gazebo (or whatever it is) is running off on my side in rainstorms and causing (puddles, mud, damaging my plants or whatever). You'll need to move it about a foot away from the fence. Thanks!

Your patio would need re grouting!!!!

Please

They probably don't know about the runof from the rain,

If it was causing issues I’d mention it. Like if when it rained your flower bed now flooded or if leaving your back door nearly took your eye out.

This ^

In the interim- I've stick a bucket or water butt underneath and collect the water for my own garden 😉

Haven’t spoken to them, I guess that’s my AIBU - would I BU to mention it to them?

I would ask them to move it across to their side, if the6 refuse 8 would s8moly push it until it’s moved over

No, of course not. They're encroaching on your garden.

Ooh I like this. It’s direct rather than a question. I’m just annoyed I’ve been put in this position. There is no way they don’t realise that the roof of the structure comes over into our garden. Even some of the fairy light bulbs have come over our side of the fence! I hate awkward conversations.

I like this response.

Tell them you will be replacing the fence with a wall and putting a barbecue there, so it’s likely to set fire to their property that is in your garden.

It’s not a permanent structure so they should find it easy to move.

You have a good reason for asking them to move it so shouldn’t feel anxious about doing so. Make your approach friendly and breezy, try not to be apologetic.

“Hi Neighbour, could you move the gazebo over a foot or so? The rain’s running off over the fence into our garden. Thanks!”

Have a barbeque right under it...

This reminds me - they said a few months ago they’d be happy to cut back some trees/bushes, we did our side but they haven’t done theirs. Whenever we bumped into them they keep saying that they will do it. They haven’t.