Fence repair semi - d

JJJJNR

Hi - we have a fence that is about to fall over, its been sagging for about two months, its sagging into the neighbours side as they have been climbing on to the fence aggravating my dog when I'm out, it can't sag on my side as there is a shed preventing it from moving, i don't know how it hasn't buckled and broken with the recent wind, but I'm afraid there's going to be a huge bill later so am prepared to contribute half of the repairs (even though it was clearly broken by them) if I get it repaired myself if they are not forthcoming, can I bring them to the small claims court as I know fence repairs if left can run into the 1000's if it all has to be replaced.

tina1040

How many fence panels are involved? They're not that expensive if regular garden fencing. Certainly couldn't be thousands to replace some.

JJJJNR

Its a timber lath fence, not the fence panel's , one timber bollard that holds them up is swinging, I could repair it myself easily by digging down and setting some concrete, that would mean entering their garden which I don't want to do, I got the front of my house fenced and got a quote for 750, and that was a good bit smaller than the back.

goz83

Maybe suggest that the neighbour digs their own hole and you can pour the concrete. Anything else could be grounds for a nasty neighbourly situation that could be prevented. i assume its kids climbing on the fence?

Peregrinus

You need to discuss it with him, and try and get agreement (a) that the fence needs to be repaired, and (b) how it should be done, and how paid for. You can't just barge in and then send him a bill afterwards. That won't end well.

If he takes the view that there's no need for a fence at all, and he doesn't mind if the present one is removed and not replaced, you're in a sticky situation. In the absence of some covenant or similar in your title deeds or some local bye-law, there's no general law requiring property to be fenced at the boundaries, and any property owner who wants to fence his property does so at his own expense. Usually both owners will want to do so, and will come to a sensible agreement to share the cost, but it doesn't have to be so.

If he's absolutely not interested in replacing the fence, and you don't want to bear the full cost of a new fence, consider doing some temporary work yourself to shore up the fence, and planting a hedge on your side of the boundary. With any luck the repaired fence will hold for long enough that, when it does go, the hedge provides an effective boundary marker and barrier. Choose your hedging plant wisely, and you won't have any problem with his kids climbing all over it. Something thorny would be good. Blackthorn hedges are stockproof and last more or less for ever. Just sayin'.

JJJJNR

Its adults climbing the fence, and aggravating the dog. If it was kids it would be ffine, they also caused damage to my flat roof shed which I had to repair, they were getting on the flat roof shed by climbing the fence, thats how the damage was caused.

goz83

JJJJNR wrote: »

Its adults climbing the fence, and aggravating the dog. If it was kids it would be ffine, they also caused damage to my flat roof shed which I had to repair, they were getting on the flat roof shed by climbing the fence, thats how the damage was caused.

Oh dear. My original reply mentioned kids, but I had quickly edited it when i realised you had not mentioned kids.

It sounds like you're dealing with inconsiderate clowns. One course of action would be to install cctv to "monitor your back garden" and erect a sign, or two which says this. If the neighbours are found to be unreasonable in assisting you to repair the damage they caused, then recordings might come in handy should you decide to take it further. But do consider your own actions. You could find that a damaged fence is much less painful than neighbour warfare. These things can escalate out of control.

seagull

Are the neighbours owners or tenants?

JJJJNR

owners .

seagull

Then it sounds like you might just be talking to the gards about your neighbours' behaviour.