Neighbours fence issue

[Lavender14]

Hi all, my neighbours fence has broken in a storm about 4 months ago. It's hanging into my garden but hasn't fully come down yet.

I've spoken to the neighbour and they've said 'it'll be fixed' and I know they rent but they won't say when the work will be done or who their landlord is so I can chase it up.

I have a small child who now can't use their own garden in the nice weather because if it came down on top of them it could really hurt them.

My landlord obviously won't fix it since it's not his fence and I can't afford to fix a fence that's not mine either.

What do I do here?

Borrow a dog and let it run amok?! My neighbours fence came down and it took them 4 months to see to it but thankfully during Winter so it didn't cause me too much pain. When my friend visited I'd let her dogs run around, often into my neighbours garden to make a point! ;)

Too tall and old for a play pen unfortunately. So child is very mobile and wants to run about and play which makes it harder. If it was a baby or even young toddler it would be easier to contain..

It's the main posts that are damaged so two full panels with about 12 vertical beams in each that are leaning right in the middle of the garden.

I would just push it back over the neighbours side

If the OP did have that kind of insurance, it wouldn’t cover someone else’s fence though would it?

I don't think it would cover this as its not my fence or technically part of the property that's insured. Plus it's storm damage which can fall under 'act of god' - not usually covered as opposed to accidental damage.

Yes, it’s impacting the property she is responsible for. It’s accidental damage to the property covered. If not that insurance company can argue and claim the cost with the neighbours insurer who they will be able to trace.

OP, all I read from you is ‘no’. Whilst you have pushed the agents I don’t actually see you looking for solutions or alternative ways to solve this. You push back at everyone trying to help.

there are many ways to overcome this, and probably several that will be successful if you put some effort in.

That’s really interesting to learn, thanks!

"Your insurance may cover a neighbour's fence if you are found legally liable for damaging it (e.g., your tree falls due to negligence). However, it generally does not cover damage caused by natural events like wind or storms."

My insurance will not cover someone else's fence that I have not damaged. Nor will my insurance take on a hunt for something that's not being claimed against my insurance. It's quite literally nothing to do with them. It's also due for renewal and I don't want my premium to increase due to an open dispute. (As has happened to me before).

Land registry I looked into and as others have pointed out, costs money without giving any useful contact details. I'm not sure how exactly you expect me to 'trace' the landlord when I would know their name and nothing else. I don't have money to waste.

Council I also looked into and have sent an email requesting advice on whether they can help under the remit of unsafe structures.

I've reported to my estate agent and landlord. I've flagged it with the neighbour repeatedly.

I'd consider that effort.

OP, if you want to sort this, send me the address by PM and I will find them for you. In most circles it really is not difficult.

I will not be sending a stranger on the Internet what would effectively be my address. For all the obvious reasons.

There's no legal requirement for them to have a fence on the boundary.

I'd put it in writing to your agents and let them know it's a hazard, and that if it isnt removed within the week youll remove it yourself and put it into the neighbour's garden or keep it yourself, according to who the fence belongs to. Then just tell your child they can play in the garden but not enter the neighbors garden. Theres not much else you can do.

If you can, I'd shove it back over their side, under cover of darkness.
My neighbour, who this happened to, took it down and had a bonfire. Not suggesting you do that tho.

Land registry I looked into and as others have pointed out, costs money without giving any useful contact details. I'm not sure how exactly you expect me to 'trace' the landlord when I would know their name and nothing else. I don't have money to waste

You could write to the owner c/o the neighbour's address and hope they pass the letter on. Plus Google might help you track down where the landlord lives.

I get that, what I don't get is you have asked for advise and everything suggested you say NO to. There are ways to do this and I am offering to help. I don't need to, don't know why I should when you have such an attitude.

If you want to use this as a place to feel sorry for yourself then do. If you genuinely want to sort it out you have options.

That's a good idea posting via the tenant. I will try that.

Just take the panels fully down, carry them into neighbour's garden and prop somewhere safe. I know you're both tenants but come on.

I am simply picking up the attitude you are putting down.

I have not "simply said no" to everything. Lots of the suggestions on here have been helpful and I have taken action on the ones I think will work in my circumstances since starting the thread. Some I will keep as a back up incase they complicate things but may come back to if others don't work out.

I'm not sure what else you are expecting from me. We all provide free advice on this site and we all know its ultimately for the op to then take that advice and decide what makes sense in their circumstances to act on and what doesn't or they might decide to sit on an idea for a bit as a last resort. I never give advice on here thinking I know better than the op, or that I have the full idea of their circumstances or that by simply giving advice I suddenly have any right to critique the decisions they make or follow up questions they might ask or concerns they might raise.

If they are not willing to do anything about it then when they are out push it down towards and into their garden they will think it just fell.

Then maybe something up temporary so you can enjoy your garden.

Many years ago my neighbors fence blew down into my garden they just left it for a good few months so we picked it up and put it in their garden and told them its getting in my way and its their fence.

Yes, and plenty of times on here we give opinions, thoughts, suggestions. Other times there are black and white facts or ways to sort problems. There isn't one way to do this OP, there are lots of options to go for, all of which are factual and correct. You need to work through them to find the one that get a result.
Your refusal to use the land registry is absurd. It's about £6 and will tell you who owns it, you can then set about tracing them. If your neighbour is so reluctant to tell you, my bet is they own don't rent, or it's one of their extended family in the street you refer to.

And what do you plan to do then

I agree with this

Tenants are often reluctant to disclose the name of their LLto potentially snitching neighbours. When I was renting my LL moved to another part of the city and left me both her new address, phone numbers and emails. When my whinging NDN asked me for these details I told her that the information had been given to me privately and I was not at liberty to pass it on. Any queries about the property would have to go through me, When some fence panels deteriorated I arranged for the LL to send their handyman with new panels.

Send to OP