Neighbours have thrown my fence into my garden and caused damage

[RedLollyYellowLolly0]

Obviously I’m not happy.
we’ve been having work done and converted the garage- extending it at single storey- this bit will now be what replaces the fence that was there (which they have thrown over damaging some pots which are on the other side)

the wooden fence that was the boundry was pushed back onto their property so my my builder could make the wall

AIBU to ask them to reimburse me for the damaged pots? From my POV the only thing I can see is that maybe they were unhappy about the surplus to requirements fence being there for a couple of weeks
?

Why didn't you store the redundant fence on your own property?!
You had no right to park it in their garden.

This.

Did you let them know ahead of time what was happening and/or apologise for encroaching on their property with your fence?

You pushed your fence onto their property so that you could build your extension??? You should be apologising to them for being so inconsiderate!

Did you explain in advance about the fence being pushed into their property as a temporary measure? Or just let them assume you were doing a sneaky land grab?
Your mistake I think

Your builder should have removed the posts and disposed of them. I’d have been annoyed and put the posts over into your garden, too.

If the fence was yours but on their property they have the right to return it, or ask you put it on your property.
They definitely shouldn't have thrown it or caused damage but leaning a fence into their garden without talking to them isn't exactly neighbourly either.

I think if it was me I'd be letting this go.

If the fence is on the party wall line and you're replacing this with a wall I assume you have a party wall agreement in place with them to protect you both?

😆😆😆😆😆😆😆

You left your fence in their garden for a couple of weeks? I'd say the damage is just unfortunately a consequence of your own initial actions being shitty.

Really? You can’t see why they might be a little upset?

You are in the wrong here.

Just sounds like you and your builders have not been very considerate during the works. On top of the noise and disruption you are encroaching on their land. It might have been petty for them to lob the fence back onto your side but it sounds like they have had enough.

Unless you want to be featured on a future episode of Neighbours from Hell, do not ask them to replace the pots. Apologise and smooth things over.

My builder is very polite and so that their two dogs wouldn’t escape into my garden offered to create a temporary fence for them which was only a foot further out.They were happy with this as their dogs have a flap and can come in and out of their home unsupervised. I think the builder had to push back the fence as it was not longer needed as the wall was then half built so pushed pack a couple of the posts.

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No the builder never mentioned this. There is no party wall for the garage that was there before and it’s my wall and my boundary not theirs. Theirs is on the other side.

BTW I do not mean to imply that you are the NfH, but that this is often how things get to that point. Something innocuous, a bit of tit for tat and then all hell breaks loose.

Do you want to escalate the dispute and make everyone more intolerant of each other, or do you want to resolve the dispute and have civil relations with your neighbours?

I would apologise to them for leaving the posts on their side, and not mention the pots.

This. You left your old fence on their property. Lesson learnt.

My builder is very polite
he asked them and they said they were fine and wanted to ensure that their dogs were safe and they seemed absolutely ok with it

it was a rickety ugly fence now being replaced by a really secure and well built wall. They should be happy their dogs will be most secure now.

But the work isn’t finished yet!

He asked them if it was ok to leave your tatty old fence in their garden, and they were fine with it? 🤔
Clearly your builder is telling porkies.

It sounds like you dont understand what a party wall is fully - given you didnt get a party wall agreement done I'd be very careful abput upsetting your neighbours further since they'd be within their rights to sue you for the lack of it. Unfortunately its not the builders responsibility to mention it, its yours as the homeowner. IIRC any work done within a metre of a boundary needs a party wall agreement technically!

This seems a little confusing... was it your old tatty fence that was left on their side? Or the temporary fence for containing their dogs? Or both?? Is the wall finished so their dogs are now contained again?

Huh? Surely you still keep everything on your side? You can't just use everyone else's property to store materials while you have building work done