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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what our rights/responsibilities if neighbour removes fence panels?

109 replies

victoriasnotsecret · 21/04/2024 13:10

DH and I are wondering what our legal rights are? We had a dispute with the neighbour they behaved illegally and we had to report them to the police. Yesterday the neighbour removed three panels of their fence leaving their garden open to ours. They know that we have two dogs who use the garden. I actually spoke to the neighbour and he told us that he taken them down because we've had to report him to the police.

So we know that he's being underhand but the same time we can't put our dogs out in our garden. He hasn't got the problem with the dogs per se but he has behaviour really aggressively towards us about various things and he's even told us he wants us to move because as he said to me yesterday "a lot our generation messed up his pension ". He then told me he was well off and didn't need to work. He is in his 70s we are in our late 40s and have only just become homeowners- beyond devastated.

OP posts:
Jeezitneverends · 21/04/2024 13:12

If it’s their fence, they have the right to remove it….if you have dogs, it’s your responsibility to keep them on your property, and I say that as a dog owner

It’s absolutely not his problem if you feel you can’t let your dogs into the garden

WittyFatball · 21/04/2024 13:12

You should put up your own fence if you have dogs.

Original poster
victoriasnotsecret · 21/04/2024 13:13

We are putting up a temporary fence but what if he never replaces it. Should have asked that in my original post.

OP posts:
patchworkpal · 21/04/2024 13:13

You need to put up a fence on your side to contain your dogs. You can't expect someone else to do it

patchworkpal · 21/04/2024 13:13

victoriasnotsecret · 21/04/2024 13:13

We are putting up a temporary fence but what if he never replaces it. Should have asked that in my original post.

Then he never replaces it.

Jeezitneverends · 21/04/2024 13:14

victoriasnotsecret · 21/04/2024 13:13

We are putting up a temporary fence but what if he never replaces it. Should have asked that in my original post.

Why temporary? You need something permanent

Mnk711 · 21/04/2024 13:14

Just put a temporary fence up on your side and report him to the council, if for no other reason than he may do the same to you if your dogs get into his garden. I'm sorry this has happened to you, it's so stressful.

Skillest · 21/04/2024 13:14

Put your own fence up, on your side of the boundary

OhHelloMiss · 21/04/2024 13:14

You put up a permanent fence, no faffing with temp

Dogs secured on a long lead in garden so they don't stray in the meantime

Then await his next trick

WittyFatball · 21/04/2024 13:14

Are you thinking of taking him to court to try to get him to put a new fence up?
It will be cheaper to put up your own fence.

everythinglooksbetterpaintedblack · 21/04/2024 13:15

Just take responsibility for your dogs and put up a fence with your boundaries

SleepySundaySloth · 21/04/2024 13:15

Don’t wait for him to put it back up, just get your own strong, high fence put up within your boundary and then he can do what he likes.

ToastyToes101 · 21/04/2024 13:16

What was the original thing the neighbour did that was illegal and caused you to report them to the police? Was it related to the fence? It seems a really odd thing to do in retaliation.

MereDintofPandiculation · 21/04/2024 13:16

Mnk711 · 21/04/2024 13:14

Just put a temporary fence up on your side and report him to the council, if for no other reason than he may do the same to you if your dogs get into his garden. I'm sorry this has happened to you, it's so stressful.

What can you report him for? "My neighbour took down his own fence?"

Different matter if it was your fence.

TheChosenTwo · 21/04/2024 13:16

Our neighbors fence panel was rotting and then about 3 panels collapsed, they pulled what was left of them down and just left it. We don’t have dogs but we did have a 3 year old ds at the time. He used to love being in the garden and they didn’t mind that he used to sometimes run through the gap and into their side but I did, they had a smashed up greenhouse with bits of broken glass everywhere. In the end we just asked them if we could replace the whole fence as we were sick of it. By this stage we didn’t care about the cost, we’d not long replace our side of the fence anyway and they didn’t care about it enough to have a say in what was put up so we were able to just match the other side.
It’s a pain if you’ve got dogs, temporary fence from your side for sure. Not sure re the legalities of it all.

LaurieFairyCake · 21/04/2024 13:17

Build your own fence all the way down and never speak to the fucker again Flowers

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 21/04/2024 13:17

He has no responsibility to provide a fence you however do have responsibility to ensure your dogs are secure in your garden. Put up a fence inside your boundary, if he does anything to that it becomes criminal damage.

Createausername1970 · 21/04/2024 13:17

Just put your own fence up on your side of the boundary line. Not ON the boundary, but a brick width in on your side. So if he deliberately damages the fence he has technically come on to your land to do it.

IncompleteSenten · 21/04/2024 13:18

He doesn't need to ever put a fence up if it's his fence unless it's some development with sets of rules saying what residents must do.

Your best bet is to put your own fence up. That way if he touches it you can take action.

BronwenFrideswide · 21/04/2024 13:18

You put up a permanent fence, no faffing with temp

This. You put up a permanent, sturdy fence on your side of the boundary, make sure it is clearly on your side and does not encroach at all on his boundary. He cannot object or do anything about you doing this, you are securing your property. He cannot touch your fence or damage it.

Okayornot · 21/04/2024 13:19

There is no obligation for him to have a fence up that can contain your dogs. You should get something suitable.

Talulahalula · 21/04/2024 13:19

Surely you just put up a fence on your side of the boundary line?
I am not sure the earlier dispute is relevant. Your dogs, your responsibility to keep them in.
Also not sure why his thoughts on pensions or his financial situation is relevant either.

GladysHeeler · 21/04/2024 13:20

Don't arse around with temporary fences. Put up your own proper 6 foot fence on your own land. It will be next to his fence or where his fence was. Keep your dogs in your house until then.

People do not have to have a fence, it's not a legal requirement. The boundary has to be marked but not by a fence.

PianPianPiano · 21/04/2024 13:20

There's no legal obligation to have a fence, so unless it's your fence he's removed or damaged, there's nothing you can do. You'll just need to put up your own fence within your boundary.

InTheShallowTheShalalalalalalalow · 21/04/2024 13:21

He can do what he likes with his own fence.

I wouldn't say a thing and just put up your own fence. Stop engaging.

Depending on the extent of the illegal behaviour I would have thought very carefully about reporting to the police, you have to declare neighbour disputes when selling AFAIK.

I can't say whether reporting him was petty on your part, but he's now being petty in retaliation, so it has to end somewhere, so I would just quietly get on with sorting this at your side and not mentioning it or this could escalate and that's no way to live.