Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour war who is right

34 replies

ByTealShark · 27/01/2025 08:52

14 years ago we put a 6ft fence up neighbour agreed it went in the boundery where the previous council fence was. Posts his side ( which i now no should of been our side. ) when we wanted a new one he refused so we didn't go ahead. This man is a bully who you cannot reason with he has been violent in the past and is very controling . I have just came out of an abusive marriage so im finding this triggering . Part of the fence blew down and i went to get it repaired no cost to him as its the right thing to do as we origionally paid fully for it to be put up with his agreement .The lad who came to quote was looking at the job and the neighbour told him he was not allowed on his side to repair it and every one i hire hes never happy with apparently none are ever qualified ( they are as i always check them out 1st ) i went round to talk to him after he posted a note through my door saying its his responsibility as posts his side . But then it said the owner of fence is liable to pay to be fixed well i am the owner. He told me to go and get the stuff and basically only he can do it. I do not agree with this as if my fence its up to me who i hire but if he wants to take full control then he can pay as he never helped with the cost at all when it was put up . I wanted it done quickly due to having autistic children and 2 dogs . How can you resolve something when its his way are no way i find him very intimidating and i shouldnt just roll over to keep the peace cause he bullys people.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 27/01/2025 08:54

TBH I would put up a new fence on my side of the boundary but that isn't a cheap option.

ComtesseDeSpair · 27/01/2025 08:57

If you own the fence then yes, it’s your responsibility to maintain it if you want it intact. You can hire whoever you want to do this, it’s nothing to do with your neighbour. If this is a council / ex council property (you mention a council fence) then you can contact the council and have them relay this to him, and warn him about being obstructive, But no, he doesn’t need to allow anyone into his garden in order for this to be done, so whilst he’s clearly being awkward, you’ll need to find a way of having this done from your garden only.

CockSpadget · 27/01/2025 08:57

SoupDragon · 27/01/2025 08:54

TBH I would put up a new fence on my side of the boundary but that isn't a cheap option.

I agree, I would just sacrifice some of my garden to put up a new fence, rather than have to deal with his bullshit.

Whyherewego · 27/01/2025 09:00

Just get the stuff and repair putting post your side on the repair bit and setting it back 1 inch from boundary. Fence may be a bit wonky but problem solved

BrightYellowStar · 27/01/2025 09:09

Are you friends with any farmers?

It seems you have some goats/sheep etc to look after for a few days. What a shame the fence is broken - it means they will have access to his garden. Oh well - you DID TRY to get it repaired....

heroinechic · 27/01/2025 09:23

I'd remove him from the conversation entirely and have a new fence put up a few inches or so into your boundary. Not cheap but you wanted to replace the whole thing anyway. It does mean losing a few inches of your garden but at least you don't have to deal with him on the issue anymore.

DustyLee123 · 27/01/2025 09:28

yep, take the panels down and leave the posts, then put a new fence in on your side.

Drollie · 27/01/2025 09:44

Put your own fence on your own side.

Nourishinghandcream · 27/01/2025 09:53

As above, just put the new fence up a couple of inches from the boundary.

We did this at our old house.
Our neighbours house was a rental and although the landlady was approachable (she lived in our village), she always put off spending on the house even though she usually ended up spending more in the long run (she was paying for replacement rather than maintenance/repair).
We wanted a new fence so sacrificed a few inches and had the fence of our choice built.
The old fence stayed in situ for many years looking more and more tatty until the tenant eventually took it down themselves.

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 27/01/2025 10:28

Agree with everyone here, if you can afford it, just erect a new fence.

Also, moving forward, put everything in writing to him. Don't waste your energy engaging further x

ChonkyRabbit · 27/01/2025 10:31

I can't really follow your post but agree that Garden Law is a great resource.

Even if you do own the fence you don't have to maintain it. You don't legally need any fence at all there. You also can't force a neighbour to erect a boundary. So ultimately if you want a fence you will have to pay and make sure it's on your land. If you're not bothered leave it and let him do what he wants on his land.

Didimum · 27/01/2025 11:21

Take the full fence out + posts (shouldn't need to cross into his garden to do this, and then add a new one with posts on your side, then you never have to bother with him and fences again.

HollyKnight · 27/01/2025 11:32

I wouldn't even take out the old fence and posts. Just put a new fence up with the posts on your side. Keep the note that he sent saying the old fence is his responsibility.

Original poster
ByTealShark · 27/01/2025 12:09

Yes defo not cheap i want to do that but what happens if there's a problem with the fence behind further down the line and he then claims it to be mine seems rather wrong to claim a fence we paid for as his just cause the posts are his side if i say its now yours do what u want hel probs argue that case . He is a control freak.

OP posts:
HollyKnight · 27/01/2025 12:23

There is no legal obligation for you to repair or maintain the fence. Check your deeds/title plans/land registry to see who actually owned the original fence on the boundary. If it is both of you, then it is just as much his responsibility to deal with as yours. But he can't remove it without your permission either. In future, to save yourself more trouble, only build on your own land.

snotathing · 27/01/2025 12:55

Could the tradesman who quoted for the repair do it from your side? If so, I'd go ahead with that.

Or would it be the worst thing if you bought the new fence panel and let the neighbour install it if he really wants to? Would he be capable of doing it properly?

Original poster
ByTealShark · 27/01/2025 17:11

HollyKnight · 27/01/2025 12:23

There is no legal obligation for you to repair or maintain the fence. Check your deeds/title plans/land registry to see who actually owned the original fence on the boundary. If it is both of you, then it is just as much his responsibility to deal with as yours. But he can't remove it without your permission either. In future, to save yourself more trouble, only build on your own land.

Edited

Its my fence we paid fully for it but the posts are on his boundery he refuses to let anyone i hire fix are do anything he controls anything to do with it because posts are his side im quite happy to let him fix it and be his responsibility from now on and build a new so i done have to deal with his control anymore . But if i build new and something happens again then hel likely to hoy the responsibility back to me , meaning id have to take new one down to get to it . He asked me to go and get the stuff to fix it on a fence he never paid for in the 1st place tBut im not allowed to have any say who fixes it as he chasea them he wants full control . I went to fix it and not asked for anything of him . Hes a cheeky twat

OP posts:
HollyKnight · 27/01/2025 17:24

You don't have to fix it though. You have no legal obligation to fix a broken fence. If a panel falls into his garden all you are required to do is remove it from his garden. He would have to give you access for that. But you don't have to replace it. So like others have said, put a new fence up in your own garden that won't require access to his. Leave him to look at the broken fence. And as it is still your fence, he isn't allowed to damage it.

SometimesCalmPerson · 27/01/2025 17:42

He has every right to not want people he hasn’t chosen on his property to rectify the mistake you made in putting the fence the wrong way round. Put in new posts and do it from your own side.

Yoheresthestory · 27/01/2025 17:45

Where the gap is put layers of pink bunting. Make it look pretty. I’m sure he’d prefer that to a new fence panel.

Butterflyreasons · 30/01/2025 06:45

SometimesCalmPerson · 27/01/2025 17:42

He has every right to not want people he hasn’t chosen on his property to rectify the mistake you made in putting the fence the wrong way round. Put in new posts and do it from your own side.

Did you read a different thread to what I did? No where does it say they made a mistake and put the fence in incorrectly?

Pinkcountrybumpkin · 30/01/2025 07:08

ByTealShark · 27/01/2025 12:09

Yes defo not cheap i want to do that but what happens if there's a problem with the fence behind further down the line and he then claims it to be mine seems rather wrong to claim a fence we paid for as his just cause the posts are his side if i say its now yours do what u want hel probs argue that case . He is a control freak.

This is why you should remove the panels and just leave posts as boundary markers, and erect your own inside them so he has no rights to it

CosyLemur · 30/01/2025 07:16

Butterflyreasons · 30/01/2025 06:45

Did you read a different thread to what I did? No where does it say they made a mistake and put the fence in incorrectly?

Show quote history

Yes she does she said 14 years ago she had a fence put in and they did it incorrectly and put the posts his side! Which is why she now needs him to allow access to his property - if it was done right in the first place she wouldn't have this issue! By having the posts on his property she's actually been using some of his land for 14 years.

Mh67 · 30/01/2025 07:17

If you can afford it get fence removed and put further in on your land. Then you don't need to deal with him