Sharing a fence with your neighbour can become a nightmare – especially if you don’t agree over what looks good. Keeping your home looking neat and tidy is important, but sometimes what you think looks presentable might not be the same as what your neighbour thinks.
While it’s not really anything to do with your neighbours how you maintain your home, it can make it a little awkward if you don’t listen, especially if you have to share the cost of building work. One woman is “appalled and shocked” after finding out her neighbours are building a fence after she had asked them not to – and she can’t afford it.
She claims she was consulted over the £3,000 charge but rejected the proposal as she doesn’t have the money. Taking to popular forum Mumsnet, the woman explained: “A new home was built a couple of years ago at the end of our garden – on the grounds of a much bigger house. The owner has built a horrible Footballer’s House-style mansion there.She went on: “Our next-door neighbours went 50/50 on a fence with him last year.
“He came around late last week to ask about us going 50/50 on a fence to screen off his driveway (a continuation of our neighbour’s fence).”
She refused to pay, but was shocked to discover the hedge had been destroyed when her husband was out of town.
“He said it would ‘only’ cost us £3k,” she added. “And the workers were ready to do it now, like that day. We were not consulted on the sort of fence.
“He said he couldn’t show us invoices as it was ‘through his building company’. We said no, we don’t want a fence, we don’t have £3k and the hedge is on our land.
“Today, his workers have gone ahead and mowed down the hedge saying it is their side of the boundary. I don’t trust them not to have moved the wire fence that was there. My husband is away and coming back today. They know this and have gone ahead before he gets back.
“I am appalled and shocked.” Seeking advice, she questioned: “The council say I need to get hold of deeds but beyond that – any other advice…?”
The Mirror reports that taking to the comment section, one shocked user wrote: “What a cheeky t***. What did he say when he came round?”
The Mumsnet user replied: “I didn’t let him get the chance. My barrister friend said not to speak to him or he’ll claim that verbal agreement was reached.
“Told him we’d speak when husband back and shut the door.”
