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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Fence, neighbour, pettiness

24 replies

Abakiran · 07/06/2021 19:53

Dear all,

We’ve run into an issue with a neighbour over a fence panel he removed and couldn’t put back because a slab on our side was apparently preventing him from doing so. The slabs have been there for over 10 years and were put down WHILE his fence was up, so there was no question of us encroaching onto his side. I think his original panel may have been warped anyway so when we put the slabs down we may have gone closer to the fence than if the panel was straight.

Anyhow, he is annoyed and we told him the fence panel was fine (no visible damage) and didn’t need removing. In response, he took out another panel and painted our side a horrible neon green and put it back.

It’s so petty from his side to do this, especially as we were considering making a compromise on the slab by removing it and allowing him to put the fence panel back.

Is there anything I can do about the neon fence panel on my side?

OP posts:

User135792468 · 07/06/2021 20:05

The passive aggressive in me would be to wait until he goes out and then turn it around. Keep doing it every time he leaves the house if he turns it back. That should piss him off sufficiently

Abmaj · 07/06/2021 20:14

Haha yes, but knowing him he’d probably do me for touching his property.

giletrouge · 07/06/2021 20:15

God I think I'd repaint it. What an arse.
That's a point. You could paint his side. Paint an arse on it.
Sorry; not at all helpful but really he took all that trouble just to piss you off, and you have to live next to him. What. An. Arse.

colouringcrayons · 07/06/2021 20:19

You can't do anything about the neon, it is his fence. Honestly I would consider moving the slab to keep the peace - do you think it is in the right place in line with the boundary? If not, just move it if possible.

DogsSausages · 07/06/2021 20:20

who owns the fence panel, if it's his then you cannot legally paint over it, attach anything to it or remove it, if it's yours then you can do what you like. Why did he remove it. . Does he have a partner you can speak to who might tell him to not be such a tit. Can you put up something in front of it like screening.

User135792468 · 07/06/2021 20:26

@Abmaj

Haha yes, but knowing him he’d probably do me for touching his property.

What exactly could or would he do? The reality is, although as a pp mentioned you can’t legally do anything to it as it’s his, what exactly is he going to do about it? It’s not damage if you just turn it around 🤷‍♀️ I’m not sure who is going to enforce anything if he complains to them.

DogsSausages · 07/06/2021 20:30

You can always ask him what neon paint he used as you really love it and can he paint the rest of your side

FurierTransform · 07/06/2021 20:31

Sounds ridiculous. I'd probably just break the panel in half & push it into his garden.

He'll likely just replace it with a normal colour.

If your slates go past the boundary because they were originally laid next to a warped fence panel, you should have them fixed/cut straight.

User135792468 · 07/06/2021 20:33

There’s lot of petty things you could do back. Do you have a trampoline? I would put it right up against the fence near where they sit and encourage the dc to go out there regularly. Sorry, I’m just having lots of fun imagining the petty things I would do too . Another one would be to pop my head over the fence to say hello every time he goes out there. Peer right in and make comments about things you can see in his garden. All very polite of course.

Bonniegirlie · 07/06/2021 20:48

I would wait till he was out and turn it round to face his side. Then if you can, do something to it (without causing damage) so that he can't get it out. Then once it seems to be stuck, paint it a more reasonable colour. Or paint his side neon orange, so he gets how horrible it is. Good luck

TobyHouseMan · 07/06/2021 21:00

Take it down, push it into his garden and put your own up. With a massive cock drawn on his side.

youwouldthink · 07/06/2021 21:03

Have to say I'd wait till he goes out, turn it around and paint the other side neon too. The satisfaction would outweigh the colour annoyance!

Bluntness100 · 07/06/2021 21:03

Why didn’t you just move the slab and let him put his panel back up? You’ve now started a petty war with him.

PigletJohn · 07/06/2021 23:46

you can put up a panel of your own half an inch on your side of the boundary.

or a trellis or climbing plant, grapevine or runner beans

which will grow up wires to save the expense of a panel.

PigletJohn · 07/06/2021 23:48

you can zip a strip off the edge of the slab with an angle grinder. It is dusty work.

HimalayanBluepoppy · 08/06/2021 00:33

You need to consider whether having a fence that your neighbour has paid for and maintains benefits you also. If it does I would suggest the best course of action would be to cut back or remove the slab for him to be able to continue doing so. If you decide to play games by turning round fence panel etc then I would be prepared for him to take down the whole fence and you having to pay to put up your own, if you want privacy. As other posters have mentioned their is nothing stopping you putting in free standing shrubs to screen off the neon green fence or putting your own posts and trellis in front for climbing plants.

RealisticSketch · 08/06/2021 15:02

You could hire a stone saw and trim the slab a little to allow the new fence panel to go in.
sadly that won't change his personality. I think in the face of such twattery you need to ask him what he's playing at, as there are better ways to resolve this. Don't roll over but don't aggravate.

YelloYelloYello · 08/06/2021 15:18

I think I would draw attention to how petty he was rather than do anything in retaliation. I would very calmly confront him about it: “What reason do you have for painting only this panel? Why did you choose that specific colour? Back to the original issue you had with the slab; we were going to hire an angle grinder to trim it down but do you not want us to do that any more?” And after every question I would leave a lot of silence, just let him talk and prove how small and petty he is. If he gets irate just shake your head calmly and walk away.

AdobeWanKenobi · 08/06/2021 20:11

Who owns the fence? By this I mean who paid for it, not who's responsibility is the boundary.

If he bought and paid for it then it's his property, you can't even so much as hammer a nail in on your side. Annoyingly this means he can paint it any colour he likes and turn the panels.

If you bought and paid for it you need to send him a letter reminding him that the fence is your property and he has no legal right to touch it.

Personally, I'd erect a new, 2 meter fence on your side of the boundary and forget he even exisits.

Abmaj · 08/06/2021 20:31

Thank you all for your responses. As much as I like the more creative ideas suggested here, I think I ought to go with trimming the slab as a goodwill gesture and then remind him of his pettiness about the fence panel.

dane8 · 08/06/2021 20:55

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

PigletJohn · 08/06/2021 22:47

a jetwasher will blast the grey stain off your side before you restain it.

wheretoyougonow · 08/06/2021 22:59

Go round and thank him for the new panel. Say the colour is awesome and can he please tell you where he got the paint from as you'd like to do the rest of the fence the same. Watch his head explode 😂

SpeakingFranglais · 09/06/2021 06:00

If his fence was three foot I would fence my own side next to his and at six foot and the paint my new fence a nice colour. His will then be awful on his side as your will be a different colour and higher.

That said if you are wrong over the slab it’s your issue to sort first.

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