Discussion
Long story short, we fell out with the neighbour 5 years ago and haven't spoken since.
We fell out after i offered to pay for a new fence between our houses. Our neighbour (who is on medication and wished cancer on the landscaping company employees who fitted the fence) accused of us of trying to steal their land at the time, which was never our intention (as if!) and the nice new fence is in exactly the same place as the old decrepit concrete one.
The border is probably within one foot of a rear room but extends backwards into the garden.
In the last couple of years, the neighbour has planted leylandii along the border (nearest bit to the window) which will restrict our access to light soon and have also planted raspberry bushes along the fence and specifically the bit that borders our gardens - the raspberry bushes have fierce looking thorns which sometimes overhang our 5 foot fence and attract bees and wasps in the summer, right next to where my four year old and six year old play.
And now they have put barbed wire along the top of the fence - i've no idea why as if anyone was to scale the fence from our side they would land on the thorny raspberry bushes.
The barbed wire is easily within touching distance of both my kids.
Is this legal / normal and is there anything i can do about it?
We fell out after i offered to pay for a new fence between our houses. Our neighbour (who is on medication and wished cancer on the landscaping company employees who fitted the fence) accused of us of trying to steal their land at the time, which was never our intention (as if!) and the nice new fence is in exactly the same place as the old decrepit concrete one.
The border is probably within one foot of a rear room but extends backwards into the garden.
In the last couple of years, the neighbour has planted leylandii along the border (nearest bit to the window) which will restrict our access to light soon and have also planted raspberry bushes along the fence and specifically the bit that borders our gardens - the raspberry bushes have fierce looking thorns which sometimes overhang our 5 foot fence and attract bees and wasps in the summer, right next to where my four year old and six year old play.
And now they have put barbed wire along the top of the fence - i've no idea why as if anyone was to scale the fence from our side they would land on the thorny raspberry bushes.
The barbed wire is easily within touching distance of both my kids.
Is this legal / normal and is there anything i can do about it?
What a nasty, spiteful neighbour. Makes me ashamed to be human. Your poor family. You've put up a nice fence, probably to the tune of £500 or more (not sure how long it is) and that's what you get for your efforts. I can't see how it's legal to put barbed wire on a fence (especially YOUR fence) but i don't know the law. Just watch those thorn bushes as they'll forever creep under the fence if there's a gap. PITA! Good luck, matey
thats the thorns sorted but it doesn't kill barbed wire.
I would put something on the top of fence to to block the barbed wire from your side.
Or tell your neighbour they can have it as long as your kids can't reach it. If its a safety risk and your kids can reach it you will have no choice but to remove it.
Its your fence/liability you could argue they have no right to attache barbed wire and they have comitted criminal damage.
My new neighbour in nov 16 was round on day two to read my the riot act on his fence and not leaning (small kids trampoline) or attaching anything to it!
They wonder why the don't get xmas cards from the neighbours in our close!!!
I would put something on the top of fence to to block the barbed wire from your side.
Or tell your neighbour they can have it as long as your kids can't reach it. If its a safety risk and your kids can reach it you will have no choice but to remove it.
Its your fence/liability you could argue they have no right to attache barbed wire and they have comitted criminal damage.
My new neighbour in nov 16 was round on day two to read my the riot act on his fence and not leaning (small kids trampoline) or attaching anything to it!
They wonder why the don't get xmas cards from the neighbours in our close!!!
My parents have a similar issue with leylandii planted by neighbours right up on the boundary. So my dad religiously ensures any part overhanging the boundary is cut and returned to said neighbours. After 15+ years the neighbours now have a very odd triangular shaped hedge leaning into their garden 
OP, Your neighbour sounds like a right tosser but I wouldn't be spiteful and kill plants or bee's wasps etc. They all do good things. I'd ignore him.
I'd prune any plants that encroach onto your side or I'd eat the berries, yummy and keep the children off the fence. Like you said, they're not going to climb it so the barbed wire shouldn't be an issue. Tell the kids not to touch it? It's 5' high so not exactly in their way.
I'd prune any plants that encroach onto your side or I'd eat the berries, yummy and keep the children off the fence. Like you said, they're not going to climb it so the barbed wire shouldn't be an issue. Tell the kids not to touch it? It's 5' high so not exactly in their way.
Edited by Boosted LS1 on Friday 10th March 13:43
Thanks for the reassuring posts - you never quite know what response you're going to get on PH!
And i wouldn't dream of reading any more of your suggestions as to how to respond to this person, so please don't post any more
I'd love to know why now they've decided to put the barbed wire on the fence but whenever we've approached them in the past to speak they've slammed the door in our face (i even sent the wife for the softer touch!)
The irony is that 6 months after we moved in, and before we'd landscaped the overgrown garden, they sent me a letter saying requiring us to remove a tree that was causing shade to their house and was causing the adjoining fence to collapse (the last bit is nonsense) however we have since removed all trees and foliage yet they've now, in the same position on their side, planted a bloody fir tree!!
I'm going to bide my time for now but I would love to know if there's anything i can do within the law
And i wouldn't dream of reading any more of your suggestions as to how to respond to this person, so please don't post any more
I'd love to know why now they've decided to put the barbed wire on the fence but whenever we've approached them in the past to speak they've slammed the door in our face (i even sent the wife for the softer touch!)
The irony is that 6 months after we moved in, and before we'd landscaped the overgrown garden, they sent me a letter saying requiring us to remove a tree that was causing shade to their house and was causing the adjoining fence to collapse (the last bit is nonsense) however we have since removed all trees and foliage yet they've now, in the same position on their side, planted a bloody fir tree!!
I'm going to bide my time for now but I would love to know if there's anything i can do within the law
Grunt Futtock said:
Wait till they go out and bolt cutter it all off? Let the bits drop on their side and deny all knowledge.
Yes i could easily remove it but they need to know it's not acceptable and i don't know what they'll do next. The location of the barbed wire is along the fence panel which is nearest to my property and i can only assume that it's been put there with the intention to harm me or my family. There is no other reason for it to be thereIn spite or their spite, I've only ever treated them with respect - the fencing between my house and theirs cost me approx £1,300 and replaced the brittle concrete that was there.
Within a day of the fencing being completed, they'd painted, in white, two or three of the panels... god knows why. Annoyingly one of the panels was buckled and i'd intended to have it replaced but obviously couldn't once it had been defaced.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
When you're out and about, and come across any dead animals, birds, squirrels and the like, put them in a bag and that night impale them on the wire.
They might take it down themselves if they think animals are dying in agony on it.
You obviously haven't met them (!) They might take it down themselves if they think animals are dying in agony on it.
but on the other hand, if i was to injure myself on it....
Neighbour / boundary disputes are a nightmare.
A bit of guidance here: http://www.inbrief.co.uk/neighbour-disputes/owners...
It would seem as if you've assumed responsibility for it by paying for it and in theory they could commit damage by painting it / putting barbed wire on it.
In reality the police won't touch such an issue so any matters would be civil, but this is an £££ route to take.
I have little experience / no expertise in this area of law, FYI.
A bit of guidance here: http://www.inbrief.co.uk/neighbour-disputes/owners...
It would seem as if you've assumed responsibility for it by paying for it and in theory they could commit damage by painting it / putting barbed wire on it.
In reality the police won't touch such an issue so any matters would be civil, but this is an £££ route to take.
I have little experience / no expertise in this area of law, FYI.
Ignore the barbed wire. Unless your kids are climbing into their garden, they won't have a problem with it, and barbed wire is a lesson you learn once and then remember. Razor wire would be a different proposition.
Weed kill the leylandi. If you start a fight about the wire and then deploy the weedkiller, it is obviously you. If the leylandii just die, it could be anyone.
Weed kill the leylandi. If you start a fight about the wire and then deploy the weedkiller, it is obviously you. If the leylandii just die, it could be anyone.
Bigbox said:
Grunt Futtock said:
Wait till they go out and bolt cutter it all off? Let the bits drop on their side and deny all knowledge.
Yes i could easily remove it but they need to know it's not acceptable and i don't know what they'll do next. The location of the barbed wire is along the fence panel which is nearest to my property and i can only assume that it's been put there with the intention to harm me or my family. There is no other reason for it to be thereIn spite or their spite, I've only ever treated them with respect - the fencing between my house and theirs cost me approx £1,300 and replaced the brittle concrete that was there.
Within a day of the fencing being completed, they'd painted, in white, two or three of the panels... god knows why. Annoyingly one of the panels was buckled and i'd intended to have it replaced but obviously couldn't once it had been defaced.
Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff