Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Replacing a gate attached to neighbours house

39 replies

Hjb2410 · 22/12/2018 10:28

Hello
After some advice rather urgently
We are new to the whole house business and we don't want to fall out with our neighbours.

We moved into a house where a gate was attached to a piece of wood and then attached to next doors house.

The gate has been rotting away and in the bad weather keeps breaking away. We have a puppy and for her safety and to stop people being able to walk into our back garden we decided to get the gate replaced.

No nasty comments, we assumed it would be a straight swop and as the previous gate was there would be no issues.

Fast forward to the gate being fitted, next door are saying they had an agreement with the old owners about the gate but as they have moved out where do we stand?

Obviously we have said if they aren't happy we will stop and look for another way round it. They have said they just want them to patch up where any old holes are.

Can I have any advice/ help if anyone has any experience

Thank you

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 22/12/2018 10:30

So what is their issues with the new gate?

Original poster
Hjb2410 · 22/12/2018 10:30

I know we may have gone around this in the wrong way but having no prior experience and knowledge so please no nasty comments I already feel awful enough

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 22/12/2018 10:31

What was the previous agreement? What are they unhappy about?

dementedpixie · 22/12/2018 10:32

Do they not want a gate there

Anythingforacatslife · 22/12/2018 10:32

Maybe they’re assuming you want them to pay?

combatbarbie · 22/12/2018 10:33

If it's attached to their property I doubt there's much you can do but make a boundary within your own land, is that feesible? A diagram would help with suggestions x

Original poster
Hjb2410 · 22/12/2018 10:34

@dementedpixie
The issue is the gate is attached to a piece of wood which is attached to their side of the house

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 22/12/2018 10:35

Yrs, but what is the specific issue this time as it was attached beforehand with no issues

dementedpixie · 22/12/2018 10:36

I diagram would help too

dementedpixie · 22/12/2018 10:37

Is there anywhere else you could put a gate where it doesn't touch their property

StoorieHoose · 22/12/2018 10:38

Did you not even speak to them before you replaced it? That was your first mistake. Also could the wood to attach the gate to not go on your house (sorry I’m assuming the gate is between two houses)

thecapitalsunited · 22/12/2018 10:39

You can always dig a post into the ground on your land if they don’t want it to touch their house. Or if you have concrete you can bolt a post holder to the floor. That’s what we did to install a gate when touching next doors fence wasn’t an option.

grauduroi · 22/12/2018 10:42

I don't see the problem. We have exactly the same setup and when we replace the gate we will just do it, replacing like for like. I doubt I would even mention it to the neighbours.

What is their objection?

MintyT · 22/12/2018 10:43

Ask them what they would like you to do, it sounds ok to me, what was the agreement they had with the previous owners, if there was an agreement that was officially agreed it would be on the deeds so I doubt this

Original poster
Hjb2410 · 22/12/2018 10:45

Previous agreement was that the old owners paid them some money to have the gate attached to their house wall. We weren't aware of this.

I agree the mistake was not speaking to them that's naivety on our parts, as we just thought it was straight forward swooping a gate. I believe they are just worried about any damage that maybe caused.

Unfortunately the gate is between two houses. We could possibly look at fencing it and leaving a gap where the boundaries end

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 22/12/2018 10:47

How much money do they want?

StoorieHoose · 22/12/2018 10:47

So your gate is attached to their wall and not yours? That is a bit cheeky! Swap the gate round. Fill in the holes in their wall and put in a post for the latch

Auntpetunia2015 · 22/12/2018 10:48

I don’t understand? Old neighbour paid them to attach a piece of wood to their wall so a gate could be fitted. Gate now rotten so you’re attaching a new gate..ok so what’s the problem. They want more money ?

SassitudeandSparkle · 22/12/2018 10:49

Why can't you attach the gate to your house instead, or put in a structure within your boundaries to attach it to? It's not clear why you need to use any part of your neighbour's property at all tbh.

MsChookandtheelvesofFahFah · 22/12/2018 10:49

Apologise, just fill the holes in and concrete in a new gate post a centimetre from their wall. Less hassle in the long run.

Original poster
Hjb2410 · 22/12/2018 10:55

The gates in between both our houses so one is attached to our house the other is attached to there house which was agreed with previous owners.

We naively thought as we were swopping the gates like for like there would be no problem.

OP posts:
Smidge001 · 22/12/2018 10:57

You really need to provide a diagram as I can't work out what the neighbours issue is. It sounds as though you're just replacing a rotten gate for an exact replica that is new. What is different from their perspective? There already was a piece of wood attached to theirs - you haven't changed that? I must be missing something. Diagram please!

PostNotInHaste · 22/12/2018 11:00

Agree with apologies plus new gate post, then all sorted.

Auntpetunia2015 · 22/12/2018 11:05

I think I get it. Two semis not connected with a side return between both. Both having gates ?

Bluntness100 · 22/12/2018 11:06

Honestly, you need to explain the issue.

It seems the previous owners paid to have the gate attached to their house, now they wish money from you, is this correct, and you don't want to pay it? How much is it?

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.