Neighbour's fall effed up our garden

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Hi all

Last year we installed fake grass and composite decking, butting up to our neighbour's featherboard fence.

In October, when it was windy, one of their fence posts became loose. It kept banging against one of the stainless steel posts that I had fitted to the edge of the decking, causing it to become wobbly. Fortunately, I had not got around to fitting the glass screens around the raised decking.

The house next door is a rental property. We did ask the tenant to ask the landlord to fix the rotten post. The landlord did nothing and, unsurprisingly, a number of the other wooden posts eventually snapped, leaving the tenant to construct a barricade of garden furniture to separate their dog and our dogs.

The landlord finally got someone in to repair the fence today (9 months later).

The company used concrete posts and wooden arris rails. Unfortunately they reversed the orientation, putting the feather edge on our neighbour's side rather than our side.

We now have between 4 and 6 inch gaps between the new fence our decking and fake grass (previously there was no gap).

Are we unreasonable in expecting them to rectify things? I don't see why we should be out of pocket because they couldn't be bothered to fix their fence when the first post became lose 9 months ago.

Their last fence panel, the one that previously butted up to our decking is on our land, by about 10 inches at the near end. In the event that they are unwilling to cooperate, I am inclined to ask then to take it off the side of our extension and tie it to their own extension (which is set further back).

I am not the kind of person that wants to be confrontational and would therefore appreciate advice.

Thanks.

Oh, and two of the concrete posts that were fitted at least 4 to 8 hours earlier, I can push them buy an inch or two (at the top) using my little finger. I wouldn't be surprised if the new posts are so lose that they will hit my stainless steel posts and result in the toughened glass being damaged once we get stormy weather.
 
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There is no law that says the arris rail should be on the owners side, but common courtesy means that is the way it is usually done so the neighbour sees the "pretty" side.
Worth a try to get it changed but it depends on the neighbouring landlords attitude I am afraid.
 
how high was youre decking to there fence and always nice side to whos fence unless detached

you chose to go up to there fence lesson learnt
 
I don't see why we should be out of pocket because they couldn't be bothered to fix their fence

nobody is under any obligation to build or maintain a fence if they don't want to.
 
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Think yourself lucky, we've just redone both sides front and back more than likely 100meters of fence in all.

Should be greatful they've done anything at all with it tbh..
 
how high was youre decking to there fence and always nice side to whos fence unless detached

you chose to go up to there fence lesson learnt

Erm, where would you suggested terminating raised decking in a terraced house? It is common practice to butt up to fences.
 
Only if you want problems as you have just found out
As for fake grass always use a boarder not the neighbours fence
 
Only if you want problems as you have just found out
As for fake grass always use a boarder not the neighbours fence

So how would you terminate raised decking? A series of warning signs suggesting that people shouldn't approach the edge?

Are you equally dismissive of people who block pave, tarmac, slab pave their front gardens and fail to leave a "border" where it meets the neighbour's brick wall?
 
unreasonable hmmm... but 3rd party under no obligation .

Fair comment.

Given that the brand new concrete posts are loose, I will no longer do the "good" neighbour thing. If their posts bang against out stainless steel posts and break the 45Kg sheet of 10mm glass, I will insist that they pay for the replacement. I will then ask them to put their fence on their side of the division between the two properties and then ask them to remove the roof felt that they bridged on to our extension. And then ask them to pay for the water damage to the interior of our property that has resulted as a consequence of their roofer using ridge tiles between the two properties but forgetting to cap the end with cement. Then ask them to remove the paint splatters left on our block paving by their decorators.

Oh, and it is highly unlikely that will allow their contractors to access next door through our house... and then use our electricity because the tenant refuses to give them access. Hell, I even gave the landlord access to our wifi whilst he was doing the place up and sleeping in the shed at the end of the garden, we also offered up our bathroom (an offer that wasn't taken up though).

Based upon the answers posted, yes, I concede that, in respect of the fence, I have no rights. I do how ever have other rights that I could exercise that will make the landord's life difficult.

Smart neighbours stay on good terms. Stoopid people get treated like sh!te by people lacking a moral compass.
 

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