To kick these people out?

[CompletePushover]

7 yrs and this is my first AIBU, and I'm so cowardly I've name changed

So... After years of renting crappy places dh, the 4dcs and I have finally bought a lovely house.

It's great. Needs loads of work doing on it. Lots of potential, completely neglected and now ours. The people who had it before us had some problems and had criminally neglected their animals. The house comes with a field.

Now begins the lovely story. A few years ago Some people passing by saw how neglected the horse in the field was and took it upon themselves to look after it. They did amazing things, built him a shelter, bought him food, trimmed his hooves, all of it.

The horse is a stallion and unbroken but of nice temperament. But it means he can be flighty.

Move on a year and one of the group has taken on most of the care and bought their own horse who now lives rent free in the field.

Two weeks before completion the owner tells us we will be inheriting a cat and that the horses are staying (he's gifted the stallion to the other horse owner)

So... We panicked until lovely horse person came to our door and seemed very nice, and we said they could stay until Easter and then we'd see (rent free).

This all seemed ok, but there have been annoyances: There's no where else to park but in our drive, when we want to wander around the field with the dcs we have to struggle through two horses and it's a nightmare, and now finally we have bought out longed for dog and I can't walk him on my field without someone with me because I can't carry a baby and a puppy and fend off the horses on my own, in December we were told they use one of our sheds for feed, And there are other people who are part of the group who have not introduced themselves to me, but who go on to my field regularly.

So this evening we've let the horse owner know that beyond the end of march we want our field back. At the moment I've used it twice since we moved in and I want to use it daily.

They're not happy. I tell a lie, one is not happy, the other is completely understanding.

I know they did a good thing, I know they put work into the field (shelter and fencing) but I also know they've had free pasture for 18 months in return, and I think it's become a picnic spot for them all.

AIBU? And should I be growing a backbone, because I'm already trying to think of a way to section off some of it, which I know would only end up delaying the inevitable? I'm also worried because I'm in no way insured to have this all going on on my property.

I want nice things for the people who have done good, but at the same time I want to enjoy my home. I also have PND and desperately want to be outside but can't cope with being around people. Just to throw that in there.

[DameDeepRedBetty]

Surely 30 is getting on a bit for a horse isn't it?

[Pixel]

Not knowing much about stallions I've had a quick google and it seems the main concern with late gelding is that the horse has already developed a stallion temperament and may not change that afterwards. I can't see that it poses more risk for the horse but as I say I only had a quick look so I might be wrong, perhaps someone else knows or you could ask a vet? (just thought you might want some research as ammunition if they try the sob story on you).
What I do know about gelding is that vets are reluctant to do it in the summer because of the greater risk of infection due to flies, so if he was done now he'd have a couple of months to recover before being moved.

[TalkativeJim]

I think I'd have a meeting with nice lady and make it super-clear that you are very worried as your mortgage does not allow business use of the field, and that you are currently unable to get insurance for part of your property as well as being unable to use the field because of the children. Emphasise that if there were any accident, you would potentially be in a very messy situation. Say then in a very innocent voice that you had looked into the costs of stabling as you were concerned that they might be out of pocket for fencing and were astonished to find that through the use of the field they had already had more than £7000 worth of savings! Imagine that!! How lucky for them :)

Hopefully that should put pay to any sadfaces on their part and make it clear that you are worried about the situation and want them out PRONTO.

Do something along these lines please, otherwise it WILL get to March and it will be 'We have nowhere to go, another 3 weeks please please please...

[Viviennemary]

This is your house. If anything because you have been so kind and understanding these people instead of being grateful are putting more pressure on you. You are now suffering because of the previous owner's failures to maintain things properly. I agree they were in no position to tell these people their horses could stay in the field.

[CompletePushover]

Nothing in the contract, although I did verbally say that they could stay until Easter and then we'd see. But having lived with it I'm not happy.

Do you want to hear something even funnier? There's a water pipe to the land with its own meter. Guess which idiot is paying to water the horses?

(Disclaimer I only found out about this this week when I got a notice to fix a leak to a tap I didn't know existed, from the waterboard)

[NigellasDealer]

i don't think any vet would agree to geld a 30 year old stallion!
it is a hell of a job that would have to be done under general anaesthetic, at a vet hospital (not nice I have seen it done) - unlike a yearling where they just snip them off.......
anyway this is all by the by - these things are their problem, not yours.

[theimposter]

It should be gelded anyway unless it is of rare breed or sporting significance. YANBU

[CompletePushover]

That's what I thought nigella. For a stallion he is very nice. But not bloody safe around my dcs.

I want them to be able to go over and kick a football about :(

[Pixel]

Ah sorry, posted too soon to see he was 30. Yes he would be too old!

[CailinDana]

Hang on, the previous owner sold you land that, according to him, he was not free to sell due to a verbal agreement with the horse owners? And you just accepted that? The minute he said that you should have been straight onto your solicitor to make eviction of the horses a condition of the sale. It might be too late now but I would still consult the solicitor. The whole thing is very dodgy from a legal standpoint.

When we bought our house we made it a condition of the sale that the loft be emptied (it was full of junk). We found after completion that it wasn't and in the end the previous owners had to give us £100 for a skip. We paid £50 for a skip and sold some of the junk so we made a profit in the end!

[CompletePushover]

Should I get MUG tattoo'd on my forehead?

[CompletePushover]

Cailin, the owners had some quite major issues, they left rooms full of stuff etc. they couldn't cope. I wouldn't burden them with anything more.

[NigellasDealer]

no, just compose your eviction letter, and look up some local solicitors.
can we help compose the letter?

[CompletePushover]

But it is possible we'll have problems evicting. I truly hope not. If it gets nasty then I think I will not be quite such a pushover. I am completely rubbish with giving my all to the deserving, but I won't give in if they push it. And I think nice lady would fight for me and take away all her support if it came to a battle.

[CompletePushover]

Nigella, I think it's your duty

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Shoot the horses to feed the puppy ?

[Foxred10]

You have been more than reasonable and very accommodating. It also sounds like they are not exactly going out of their way to be unobtrusive and helpful either.... Do not back down!

[ENormaSnob]

Yadnbu at all

[CompletePushover]

Itsallgoingtobefine, I just snorted wine!

Two birds? One stone.

[CompletePushover]

Enorma, it's particularly helpful to have horsey people post that I'm being fair. Damnit I shouldn't have name changed!

[PoshPenny]

ah 30 years old, hmmm then no chance of getting him gelded, that's very old for a horse. so you may get the we will have to have him PTS instead. that will cost them.
Get the money off them for them for the field water, no reason at all why you should not get that money back, especially when you want to get rid of them all, perfectly reasonable to expect them to pay it.

[LessMissAbs]

Your first time was a house with land? Are you in the UK? You are so lucky!

The horse will be put to sleep, at age 30 no-one is going to buy it and if its been in one place all its life moving a stallion that age is completely unfeasible. So you will probably be condemning it to death.

I actually think it sounds like quite a good set up. Can you not simply arrange a group meeting with these kind people who like looking after a horse in their neighbourhood and tell them where you don't want them to park and that you want to know who is coming and going? After all, there are advantages to you, which you might not come to appreciate unless you get used to them. They probably maintain your field and fences, the land is grazed and there are people coming and going which means you are less likely to be burgled and also when you are on holiday there will be someone looking after the place.

You and your children can get used to animals without having the hassle of ownership, and of course you can still use a field with horses in it. They might be curious at first but will soon lose interest. I often sunbathe in my the with my horses, they are really nice and friendly then after they realise you have no food for them, they ignore you.

£345 a month is not the average cost per month of a horse in a field. That would be the average price for full livery, where everything is done for you, the horse is fed and brought into a stable at nights and turned out into a field during the day, with all mucking out done. I would say if you are in a rural area, you might pay £50 a month or less for a basic field.

And horses are herd animals, they need other equine company. I would tend to let it run on a see how it goes basis, you might regret it once they are gone.

I would say your solicitor should have checked for vacant possession but some solicitors will have years of experience of dealing with this sort of thing and have more humanity than you can think, especially if they are rural solicitors, and tend to adopt a "it isn't hurting anyone" policy.

[NigellasDealer]

seriously would be happy to help but i think you need to contact a solicitor who specialises in this kind of thing
link here they have a quick enquiry box you can complete

[GlaikitFizzog]

I would be charging them for the water for a start. Giving them until the end of March is more than reasonable.

Can you get something I writing from the reasonable one, stating they will vacate the land?

[AnUnearthlyChild]

You are totallyresonable. I think I'd just keep stressing that it is a condition of your mortgage that they cannot occupy the land( white lie) and you are not insured.

Stress how reasonable you are by giving them a generous notice period.