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
?

I’d just talk to them. Pop over and say the builders had told you they wanted a temp fence for dogs, sorry if been any misunderstanding. The project is due to finish on x date and the boundary will be secure then with a wall. Do they want their fence or should you dispose of it? Thank them for patience with noise/dust etc.

You left your old fence in their garden for a few weeks. Yabu.
Throw the pots away and keep your own rubbish your side in future

You need to be super nice to them and get a party wall agreement or house sales prob will fall through

If there’s no agreement at the time of sale, their conveyancing solicitor can obtain aParty Wall Act indemnity policy, also known as Party Wall insurance. It’s a type of legal indemnity insurance designed to protect property owners in situations where previous work affecting a party wall was not carried out in full compliance with the Party Wall Act.

I refused when my neighbour asked to do this and they had no right to use a wall to replace the fence. They didn't get the party wall agreement. I'd be very careful if I were you as they could easily get you to knock it all down. Flowers and chocolates will help!

No Party Wall Agreement is required! Please stop scaremongering.

I also wish people would stop thinking that Indemnity Policies magically fix everything.

It was probably the last straw on their nerves. This sort of disruption is a massive headache to the neighbours, those building never seem to give a shit that they're doing their neighbours head in. No I wouldn't seek compensation if you want some sort of relationship with them once you've stopped the noise

I'd go and speak to them. You'll not really get constructive comments here as half the posters are determined to wilfully misinterpret what you've said to declare you a CF.

If the construction currently means that their garden is not secure for their dogs, I would definitely go and ask what they want you to do, as dogs getting loose is a real catalyst for neighbour disputes and aggro!

Aw mate sounds like you fucked up a bit!

Your builder should have remove the fence properly - not left it on their property. Your builder is telling fibs - 1) the builder should not be leaving rubbish in any garden. 2) If he has to e.g. all the materials are already at the site and he comes in his car not his van, and then is left with something too big to remove in his car, he should be leaving them in YOUR garden, not the neighbours.

If the fences were left somewhere that precarious, better they should fall on your plants than the neighbours' dogs.

If you really think the builder is to blame then talk to him, but as for the neighbours, count yourself lucky that your building work only caused you to have to replace a few pots, not pay enormous vet bills!

YABU
not surprised the neighbours did this. I call reverse and if it is then you are even more unreasonable for starting a reverse.

Why not do it now and offer your neighbour compensation for the problems you've caused already

Did you personally (not just via your builder) have their agreement to keeping your old fence on their land for the time it’s been there?
If yes - they’re in the wrong.
If no - you’re in the wrong.

The very LAST thing you want to start is a neighbour dispute over a few pots if you are planning on selling soon, especially after you've disrupted their lives with your building work.

Mind you that'll be the leat of your worries if your paperwork for the extension isn't all AOK

Of course you are 100% right- and you should ask for a contribution towards your extension as this too will improve their lives.

OP, I suggest you take a read of the Party Wall Act guidance….

Rather than asking your neighbour to compensate you for your broken pots, I think you should be compensating them for their fence.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-resolving-disputes-in-relation-to-party-walls/the-party-wall-etc-act-1996-explanatory-booklet

I posted about an indemnity policy from recent experience. We required two - and one was for an extension not done strictly in line with the Party Wall Act. Not saying it’s a magic fix but it solved things for us.

First poster nails it again

and he rebuilt it with about 6 new posts and created a box which went o to their land only by about 2 foot - this allowed us to build the wall

You annexed a portion of their land to build your extension? Good grief 😮 No wonder they threw the fence back.

... they moved the fence, temporarily to avoid the neighbours free-roaming dogs escaping through the no longer secure proper boundary.

With the agreement of the neighbour.

So yes, I can understand the OP's confusion as to why the fence has been taken down and chucked over - unless the boundary IS now secure as far as the neighbour is concerned.

I can see misunderstanding occurring there - my dogs would need a 6ft fence to stay my side of it. So I would welcome a temporary fence preventing their escape until the building work is pretty much complete, to the new wall.

However if this neighbours dogs only need a 2ft fence to remain secure... they may consider the need for the temporary fence to be over, and irritated that it is still there...

This. 🙄

Asking them for money?! You’re nuts. Try apologising for the inconvenience

"We required two - and one was for an extension not done strictly in line with the Party Wall Act."

Wow! You sound exactly like the sort of person I would avoid.

You do understand that the Party Wall Act only applies before any relevant work has been completed?

Yes, this.