Strange old retired neighbor
Discussion
Evening chaps,
I live opposite an old couple. Lived here for 25 years etc and generally mean no harm but are busy bodys.
The chap is out there pruning his garden roughly quicker than it can grow, no harm no foul even if I don’t like his multi coloured light up rockery.
Anyway I’ve only lived here a few months and today I’ve come home to 2 branches of bush thrown in my garden. Theres nothing wrong with the bush, it might be a little bushier than he would like but we have a lot of birds nesting in it so I’m happy to leave it as it is.
CCTV tells me he has been out with another neighbour making aggressive gestures at my bush (no sound unfortunately) hehe
So i’m up for a little neighborhood love. Shall I tell him to get fked and don’t cut my bush? Go and cut some of his? Any other humorous suggestions on a postcard.
I see the 2 branches as a passive aggressive, this is what is going to happen type ransom note.
I live opposite an old couple. Lived here for 25 years etc and generally mean no harm but are busy bodys.
The chap is out there pruning his garden roughly quicker than it can grow, no harm no foul even if I don’t like his multi coloured light up rockery.
Anyway I’ve only lived here a few months and today I’ve come home to 2 branches of bush thrown in my garden. Theres nothing wrong with the bush, it might be a little bushier than he would like but we have a lot of birds nesting in it so I’m happy to leave it as it is.
CCTV tells me he has been out with another neighbour making aggressive gestures at my bush (no sound unfortunately) hehe
So i’m up for a little neighborhood love. Shall I tell him to get fked and don’t cut my bush? Go and cut some of his? Any other humorous suggestions on a postcard.
I see the 2 branches as a passive aggressive, this is what is going to happen type ransom note.
Edited by sc0tt on Wednesday 19th May 19:41
PositronicRay said:
One neighbour likes to do a little gardening, the other one likes to film them. 
Now which one is strange?
BTW this belongs in the correct thread in the lounge
If you stick your head over my fence and start chucking stuff in my garden you get filmed. Me, odd? Probably not.Now which one is strange?
BTW this belongs in the correct thread in the lounge
deeen said:
sc0tt said:
I’ll be honest it’s a little bigger that the image now suggests but the drive is probably 1.75 cars wide.
I’d rather the old git had a chat with me TBH, i’m knee deep in doing the house up and if he thinks i’m worried about a bit of greenery over hanging by 3 inches he can suck a fat one.
Have you had a chat with him?I’d rather the old git had a chat with me TBH, i’m knee deep in doing the house up and if he thinks i’m worried about a bit of greenery over hanging by 3 inches he can suck a fat one.
popeyewhite said:
sc0tt said:
If you stick your head over my fence and start chucking stuff in my garden you get filmed. Me, odd? Probably not.
OK so what are you hoping to film with your gardencam? Does it also cover your car?I have Cctv all around.
WhiskyDisco said:
I'd be inclined to give the bush a proper trim ASAP and to thank him for trimming it earlier as it reminded you - you'd been meaning to get around to it. If he's a keen gardener, and he tends to the other bushes then he might not mind looking after yours at the same time as his. Always seek to remove complexity from your life.
I’m not likely to thank him for cutting off two 6 inch branches and throwing them over my fence 
I might go and trim some of his
DonkeyApple said:
Munter said:
Presumably the brick paving area is his property, though which the houses beyond have a right of passage type thing. Looks like the adopted road stops at the foot path. Hence he's planted a tree on his land (which appears to be in a foot path, but he's presumably using it to mark his border).
If the bush has got, bushier, he'd be within his rights to lop it off at the kerb, and if you prune something, the owner of the something has the right to the pruned bits. Hence he's put them in your garden, as they are your property.
Yes it's petty. But if you are doing up the house, you have a responsibility to look after the garden as well. 5 mins and you'd be done. Or start a war with a neighbour because you're in the wrong, but think he's being petty...
Tricky call that one.
The other way to look at it is that for as long as the old boy is alive and kicking he’s going to maintaining your shrubbery and all you ever need to is dispose of the waste. That is a bit of a bargain. If the bush has got, bushier, he'd be within his rights to lop it off at the kerb, and if you prune something, the owner of the something has the right to the pruned bits. Hence he's put them in your garden, as they are your property.
Yes it's petty. But if you are doing up the house, you have a responsibility to look after the garden as well. 5 mins and you'd be done. Or start a war with a neighbour because you're in the wrong, but think he's being petty...
Tricky call that one.
He is an odd chap, often sweeps the road twice a day. Unfortunately having to go to work I obviously don't adhere to his meticulous standards.
I've a week off at the end of July so I'll trim it then. If he does it again today I'll go and have a word with him. But I'll be getting a get well soon balloon.
XMT said:
I have to say I dont agree with others on here.
OK he might be a little annoying but he obviously cares about the street and how it looks and that is never a bad thing.
For the sake a bush your causing yourself pointless annoyance and stress.
Just call a gardner if you dont have time and get it trimmed. your happy, hes happy and the street looks even better.
People need to learn to compromise and get along. Time you have wasted on here making a thread and reading replies you could have called a garnder and had it dealt with.
I'm happy that he cares. I care too. But it isn't unsightly. Nor is it causing him any annoyance. OK he might be a little annoying but he obviously cares about the street and how it looks and that is never a bad thing.
For the sake a bush your causing yourself pointless annoyance and stress.
Just call a gardner if you dont have time and get it trimmed. your happy, hes happy and the street looks even better.
People need to learn to compromise and get along. Time you have wasted on here making a thread and reading replies you could have called a garnder and had it dealt with.
What I am annoyed about is the "letter of the law", throwing the two 6 inch branches in my garden. The absolute pettiness of it.
I'm happy to deal with it in a few weeks when I have time.
Johnnytheboy said:
He'll get even more annoyed if you just ignore the two branches where they lay.
Unfortunately he can't see them there.Here is an image of "garden cam", I'll be waiting for more branches to turn up today.
If more appear I'll go and have a word.
Edited by sc0tt on Thursday 12th July 16:44
budgie smuggler said:
sc0tt said:
I'm happy that he cares. I care too. But it isn't unsightly. Nor is it causing him any annoyance.
What I am annoyed about is the "letter of the law", throwing the two 6 inch branches in my garden. The absolute pettiness of it.
I'm happy to deal with it in a few weeks when I have time.
When you say 'letter of the law' is the law not that the branches have to be offered back, rather than just dumped on the owner's garden without permission? What I am annoyed about is the "letter of the law", throwing the two 6 inch branches in my garden. The absolute pettiness of it.
I'm happy to deal with it in a few weeks when I have time.
What I don't understand is coming over and cutting my bush that is not near his property.
Munter said:
Based on the pictures, your and his property share a boundary. They are adjoined. They touch. There is no gap between them. The border is one and the same. Your bush is overhanging his property. He can do what he likes to the bits that overhang, with the exception of stealing them. And he has.
Why are you getting annoyed about that?
Where are you seeing that it is his property?Why are you getting annoyed about that?
JamesRF said:
Presumably the estate car is a visitor and your parking area is the garage at the bottom of your garden accessed via the shared drive?
The combination of a badly parked car and overgrown bush probably makes his blood boil every time he looks out his window
What he should have done was introduce himself when you moved in and explained the bush annoys him offering to keep it trimmed for you, but he's gone about it the wrong way.
As others have said, for an easy life it would take 2 minutes of your time to pop over and say you've seen what he's done and that you plan on doing it yourself soon or you'd be happy for him to maintain it if it makes him happy.
The street view below was in 2014 and you say it's now bigger so I can understand why he probably wants to sort it.
The combination of a badly parked car and overgrown bush probably makes his blood boil every time he looks out his window
What he should have done was introduce himself when you moved in and explained the bush annoys him offering to keep it trimmed for you, but he's gone about it the wrong way.
As others have said, for an easy life it would take 2 minutes of your time to pop over and say you've seen what he's done and that you plan on doing it yourself soon or you'd be happy for him to maintain it if it makes him happy.
The street view below was in 2014 and you say it's now bigger so I can understand why he probably wants to sort it.
, That isn't my car, I've only been here 8 weeks. I don't park there either. I'm happy to trim it down. It's more the strangeness of the 2 branches that he has cut.hornmeister said:
I'd leave it be tbh.
I've first hand experience of old folks going a bit odd with silly little things like this. Can be a side affect of things like early parkinsons. Stuff that you would normally think nothing of, can suddenly be very important to them and they find it difficult to comprehend common sense. I've learned to cut them a little slack.
If nothing else, he's about all day, you're not and anything that escalates into a neighbourly dispute is going to be a waste of time, effort and need to be declared should you ever want to sell up.
What would pee me off however is that white estate car parking there. If it's on the pavement or adopted road then it's causing an obstruction. If he's the chap that owns it then he should be parking on his side or better still on the empty space on his drive.
I think I am less wound up about it now the England result has sunk in.I've first hand experience of old folks going a bit odd with silly little things like this. Can be a side affect of things like early parkinsons. Stuff that you would normally think nothing of, can suddenly be very important to them and they find it difficult to comprehend common sense. I've learned to cut them a little slack.
If nothing else, he's about all day, you're not and anything that escalates into a neighbourly dispute is going to be a waste of time, effort and need to be declared should you ever want to sell up.
What would pee me off however is that white estate car parking there. If it's on the pavement or adopted road then it's causing an obstruction. If he's the chap that owns it then he should be parking on his side or better still on the empty space on his drive.
That was the previous owners car. I park at the rear in the space.
Spumfry said:
JamesRF said:
Presumably the estate car is a visitor and your parking area is the garage at the bottom of your garden accessed via the shared drive?
The combination of a badly parked car and overgrown bush probably makes his blood boil every time he looks out his window
What he should have done was introduce himself when you moved in and explained the bush annoys him offering to keep it trimmed for you, but he's gone about it the wrong way.
As others have said, for an easy life it would take 2 minutes of your time to pop over and say you've seen what he's done and that you plan on doing it yourself soon or you'd be happy for him to maintain it if it makes him happy.
The street view below was in 2014 and you say it's now bigger so I can understand why he probably wants to sort it.
If he's worried about bushes vaguely/possibly brushing past his car as he wafts in and out of his driveway, why the **** has he planted a tree in the middle of the pavement? In a few years time that will cause way more hassle for everyone using the shared access.The combination of a badly parked car and overgrown bush probably makes his blood boil every time he looks out his window
What he should have done was introduce himself when you moved in and explained the bush annoys him offering to keep it trimmed for you, but he's gone about it the wrong way.
As others have said, for an easy life it would take 2 minutes of your time to pop over and say you've seen what he's done and that you plan on doing it yourself soon or you'd be happy for him to maintain it if it makes him happy.
The street view below was in 2014 and you say it's now bigger so I can understand why he probably wants to sort it.
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff