Problem with neighbours.

[Coaster]

As a continuation of a previous post I put in the Garden Forum "paving slab against wooden fence"

I have a question on legallity etc.. basically, a neighbour has presumably been given permission to maintain and enhance public land outside my fence. He just does things without asking, and about 4 or 5 months ago, heaped soil up along the length of a breeze block wall, ending against my fence.
I dug out the loose soil against my fence, then recently he's leant paving slabs against it and put even more soil on, about 18" high, again I have dug out the soil and removed the paving slabs.
My concern being it;ll damage my fence with the weight, and also the damp against it.

Could anyone tell me how I stand legally with this situation and where would I start? it;s on public land so not sure if I should approach the council first.
I have had issues with different neighbours and went to speak to them directly but told that wasn't a good idea,. in case of a face to face confrontation.
I have thought about putting a letter through the door instead

Any thoughts on how I should proceed ? thanks in advance.

 

[festive]

I had a bit of a dispute at my old address years ago. Right or wrong what they're doing unless you threaten to burn their house down authorities dont seem to care much.
Procedure seems to be, talk first, letter next, wait and if that doesn't happen go to council and then solicitor.
My neighbour in the end after coming round to my way knocked on door apologised and gave me a letter permitting me to what i felt was always fair and then died about 2 weeks later! Anyway.

 

[Mottie]

Unless you can catch him in the act, there's not a lot you can prove. I have a similar problem in that there is an alleyway at the rear of our houses that (presumably) belongs to the terraced houses that back on to ours. I say presumably as those houses are a lot older than ours and I heard that the residents had given up a piece of their gardens when our houses were built to maintain a rear access to their properties. Some of the houses have a garage at the bottom of their garden whereas nobody on our side does - we just have our fences and the back of our garage backing on to the alley (we are all semi's down our road so we access our garages from our drives). Occasionally, people in the older houses have a clear out of their gardens and got in the habit over the years of piling their crap up against our fences and garages - garden rubbish, tree cuttings, general rubbish and even spoil from excavations when they've had building work done. Again, catching someone in the act is virtually impossible although there is one person that takes it on himself to cut the grass along the whole length of the alley as he uses it to access his garage at the very end - he used to pile the clippings against my fence. After I paid good money a few years ago to remove the years of crap that had been piled up against my fence, as well as replacing the fence itself as it had rotted, I took to walking down the alley at least once a week when I take my dog out. Whenever I found grass and tree cuttings or anything against my fence, I moved the whole lot into the middle of the alley so that it has to be moved to get cars down there. Another of my neighbours does the same after clearing rubbish and replacing his fence. We haven't had any rubbish tipped for nearly a year now against our fences so I think the message has got through although many of my neighbours that have taken no action still have stuff piled up against their fences. Perhaps just keep moving whatever he puts up against your fence and make it obvious - after all, he's hardly likely to come round and ask you why you keep moving the crap he's put up against your fence, is he? Perhaps move it to his fence?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My concern being it;ll damage my fence with the weight, and also the damp against it.

Any wooden fence continually in contact with wet soil, will quickly rot. Maybe point that out to him, photograph the rubbish, then threaten to charge him for its early replaced due to his rubbish.

Motman's suggestion would be another way to resolve it, put the removed soil and slabs in his drive so he has to shift them.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Find out who owns the land and tell them that they are liable

 

[bernardgreen]

If is public land and maintained by the council ( or a contractor employed by the council ) then ask the council to remove the soil that is damaging your fence.

In most cases local councils are more than happy for local residents to "take over " and maintain areas of public land, it saves the council having to do it.

BUT councils are also very aware that they can be held liable for any damage caused by the maintainance work that the local residents carry out on council land.

 

[durhamplumber]

Bernard
Bedfordshire
Living in a 509 year old thatched cottage

Read more:
Why tell the whole world where you live? Bizarre.

 

[Notch7]

you want to ask Festive did to make his neighbour drop dead after a couple of weeks -that'll sort the issue out

 

[bernardgreen]

Why tell the whole world where you live? Bizarre.

It is no secret.........

 

[durhamplumber]

It is no secret.........

It certainly is not now,,

 

[bernardgreen]

It certainly is not now,,

Have you found something that I have missed, There are more than a few 500+ year old cottages in Bedfordshire....

 

[motorbiking]

It would be trespass. It’s not clear why he’s doing it? If you tell him to stop doing it because it’s causing damage and he does it again - There is just about enough of a criminal damage argument, unlikely that it would go anywhere though.