To want to knock nails back through to neighbour's garden

[FindingTheBalance]

We have obnoxious neighbours that we've had disputes with since they moved in. I made the mistake of asking them to turn music down so my baby could sleep and after two polite requests they said if we ever spoke to them again they'd report us for harrassment. Since then we've had issue after issue with them with them shouting abuse at us, spreading lies about us around our kids school and generally a-hole behaviour like encouraging their dogs to jump up at the fence and bark when we come in the garden.

Anyway, my husband just came in with a gash down his arm. Turns out they keep attaching items to their fence, but use crazily long nails to do so. We were already aware of a new set down one third of the fence so have blocked those off from the kids. But we've now discovered another set of them just behind our children's den that we're dismantling to build a bigger one. It's a blessing our kids haven't been stabbed by them as they climb around there all the time.

Would aibu to just hammer the nails back through? Or cut them flush with the panel? If they were reasonable neighbours I'd talk to them first but that's sadly not the case.

This

Your picture really shocked me. What a nasty thing your neighbours have done.

Nasty bastards. I would evidence it all, and for now add a cork. They will be waiting for a reaction, don’t give them one. When they stop adding more screws due to lack of a reaction, then cut them off on your side.

OP, your looney tunes neighbour is absolutely aware of what he is doing with those long screws. I’d cut them off immediately. What a complete douche!

I like the cork idea, thank you :) Feels less likely to cause retaliation if I damage the screws/whatever they may be holding up.

The fence idea is a good one but we've been here 7 years and in that time put extensive flower beds in with high shrubs, and an arbour, so it's not really feasible to add a fence along the whole length of the garden. Although obviously those shrubs and arbour stop the kids accessing any sharp screws.

On the uncovered stretches, we could add single fence panels/screens so I'll consider those too.

I will also document all of this with photos in case of further neighbour issues.

Thank you for the suggestions and letting me rant.

Or loop solar lights around the screws? So thoughtful of your neighbours to assist you with making your garden nice!

I’ll seek legal advice about this and start logging everything. They are harassing you and acting anti socially , you may have a claim if your husband has been injured by their negligence.

Pair of pliers for grip and unscrew the screw so it falls back off their side. It can’t be supporting anything heavy as it’s through the thin board not the support; they’re either idiots or deliberately fucking with you.

I know it's petty but the screws are trespassing on your land 😀, so I would say you can remove the overhanging screw in the way you can a branch.

I wouldn't hammer them back through, hammering a screw will split the wood. Just cut them off and offer the cut off screw back to them.

Take pictures of them all first.

Or even better, fit a six foot fence on your side, with the ugly side facing them like they have done, and any further screws will disappear into the void between the fences.

Just cut the end of the screws off and don't mention it to the neighbour.

They're either trying to get a reaction or just thick.

Agree. Get a bolt cutter and cut them off flush to the fence.

I did just this because my neighbours have 3 large dogs continually hurling themselves at the fence, growling and barking. I was worried about our safety so I had a fence installed on my side. Expensive, but worth it for the peace of mind.

I think people are over thinking it, some people are just not that practical; our neighbour repaired a fence panel and literally left 50+ screws poking out on our side.
Just a few screws like the OPs it would take longer to get the angle grinder out than to cut them.

Don't cut or remove the screws yet. These are evidence. Ensure you have a good range of photographs, time-stamped. Ensure that you are also keeping a diary and record of all conversations with them.

Based on what you are saying, this does seem designed to injure.

Speak to:
Local councillor (they probably won't do anything useful though)
Local police (log it with 101)
Citizens advice (to understand the law a bit more)
Legal advisor (to actively pursue the problem)

Do you have legal advice cover as part of your insurance, part of your job, or any other memberships you might have? Worth checking.

Take photos, including of your DH’s injury, showing the screws. If you have something to hold beside them to show the length of the protruding bit, do that too. You need to keep records of this.

Then, I’d wait until the neighbours were out and cut/saw the ends of all the screws so they’re flush against your side of the fence. Say nothing to your neighbours.

We put panels on our side of the fence because of this. It looks like the across bits of wood (don't know correct term) are on your side, so this could be a solution?

It's a civil matter, on private land, nothing to do with the local councillors, so no they won't do anything useful because it isn't within their remit.

It’s not a civil matter if they’re doing this to try and cause injury or upset. You should ask them to remove the screws. Then, unless they say they were unaware, apologise and fix it, contact police on 101.

Please don’t waste your time following this absolutely ridiculous advice 😂

Take some photos for your records then make the screws safe from your side.

If the fence is their's, in theory, the fence posts should be on their side of the boundary. It doesn't look as though the screws go any further than the fence posts jut out into the garden, so cutting them due to overhanging your garden may not be correct. They are clearly being petty and ridiculous, but if removing them in anyway damages anything on their side, it may well cause even more abuse from them.

I’d just cut them off and if they say anything I’d feign total innocence.
Neighbour “you cut our screws off the fence what are you playing at??”
You - “I don’t know what you mean. Surely you wouldn’t put in a screw that would come through the fence. That would be insane, and if someone in our family got injured, there’s a whole host of criminal offences you could have committed, as well as civil ones. So no, I don’t know anything about your fence screw”

I'd cut them off with some bolt cutters. Don't bother with corks.

Thank you for your absolutely ridiculous reply

Ask them to remove the screws

I'd be tempted to get a hammer and bash the sticking out ends so they lie flat against the fence (an L shape). That way it will be impossible for them to unscrew whatever they've attached without asking you to straighten the screws out first, but you haven't permanently damaged them by cutting.