Dreadful Neighbour Problems Involving Your Garden

I may actually be doing a bit with my neighbour, unfortunately...

When I bought my house, the back fence between mine and next door was only 4ft in one bit and in pretty bad shape. It was on my to do list, but the garden was in a right state and it wasn't high up my priorities because it was a corner I didn't go to and was covered in bushes. Then the old lady next door died and her daughter took it on, and they had a dog. So they had all the fences redone, including the part which was mine. I offered to chip in, but they said it was OK.

Fast forward 5 years. The house has changed hands 3 times. And a month ago our current neighbour pointed out that this fence seemed to have been built in the wrong place. I looked and she's right - it probably should go from the corner of the garage straight to a brick pier, but for some reason it's 6" over their way. No idea why it was put there! I don't mind it changing, but it'll be a bugger if I have to do it.

And also, out the front, I'm going to replace a derelict panel fence between us with a proper cant rail job. That'll end up somewhat over their side by the width of the cant rail. At least that one I've told them about and they're OK with that.

 

Thankfully I am a humble council tenant. I/we moved into this flat in May 1964. Trust me. There's a lot to be said for that. It wasn't until late autmn/early winter of that year, we realised there were houses over there. The boundary line of trees at that time consisted of oaks, sycamore, black poplar, willows. Gradually the willows disappeared. In general the residents in Kings Orchard SE9 do pay out and get some tree surgery done. It wasn't until fairly recently seeing a public notice. The Royal Borough of Greenwich had given consent for a sycamore tree to be felled in the garden of. blah blah. Kings Orchard. This caused me to look closer. Even thogh a person, being the sole owner of a property and being responsible for the general upkeep etc of the said property. Whereas, before and after. ( typical legal jargon) The local council or municpal body has the legal right etc to intervene and demand etc etc.

It was then that I became aware that not only is my immediate area suject to the rules, regulations and bye laws of the borough, but also some ancient rights etc. The boundary of Eltham Palace takes in some of our gardens.. Albeit, if a problem arises, I will pass it onto the council.

I did have one brush with my downstairs neighbour. She moved in and one day moaned about my conifer blocking the light out of the childrens bedroom. I didn't argue. I contacted the council, very soon a chap called. He dealt with her first. Outside her kids bedroom window was a flowering cherry tree, the conicle type. He straight aways pointde this out and added. Actually the crown of the tree was blocking the light out from my windows. Then my conifer. So Mr. A. What do you want me to do. He was already taken aback by my garden, cultivated and not the usual council tenants tip. I said my piece and it was left at that.

In all fairness. My neighbour has had a raw deal. She obviously has a mental problem, and this causes her to at times taise the equivelant of the so called race card. Trust me. She knows how to play the system. She was as a child sexually abused by her father, whilst mum looked on. So little parental respect.

Returning to the war on boundaries. Lets be honest. Us gardeners. How often do we plant a tree so close to the dividing line. The neighbour gets the benefit.

 

When we moved into our house, our new neighbour got dreadfully upset as our first job was to chop down four badly pruned, ivy-wrapped 30 foot trees, a truly gigantic badly maintained conifer, a straggly apple tree, another spindly tree leaning rather terrifyingly at a weird angle, and a number of huge shrubs. We retained only two large trees. The garden is only 12x12m and the space just a woodland. The neighbours were distraught to lose the lovely backdrop of trees which afforded their house a lot of privacy, but made ours very dark and made our garden unusable for our kids.

They made me feel so guilty, and quite intimidated. I have tried my best to make the garden pretty and wildlife friendly but we are not on good terms. Shame!

 

This 'gentleman' sounds nasty.
So, options,
1. You could buy an ex police alsation to patrol the garden.
2. You could plant wild bramble at the spot where he gains entry. (nice blackberries too).
3. Install a 500w sensor security lamp angled onto the area where he gains entry.
4. Install security cameras to record his actions and then have evidence to show the court.
5. Sadly, consider moving once again.
You do have my sympathy here, there's not much worse than having an anti social lout living next or near to you.

 

That is literally the definition of "criminal trespass". You can't call the police to get someone off your property, but if they're damaging it then "criminal trespass" is the crime they're committing, and that absolutely is a police matter. No doubt you've been there already though. You have my sympathy!

 

oh no, @weedaway . It's unfair and unbelievable. Does it mean the law is on psyhos side?
And people can just enter any property and you can't make them go away? Are we at least allowed to use hosepipe against such person?
What about the fence with some reinforcements, so that the can't get over. Taller than allowed, and if he complaints, then enter contra complaint.

 

Whilst i wouldn't generally take satisfaction from someone's house sinking in mud, we'll make an exception in his case.
As the chap is late 60's (most older guys have better things to do and have a bit of worldly wisdom) perhaps he'll one day fall off his ladder..

 

When you see a shooting star make a wish, i did and we don't have a neighbour from hell no more

 

How about some barbed wire on the inside of your property boundary walls @weedaway ? Should be legal as it would only affect trespassers. Or electric fence?

 

What about spraying or coating top of fence with something really yukki

or greasy

so when he climbs he can't get a proper hold.if your reported deny all knowledge but ask
'why is this man climbing into my garden?'

 

There's nowt so strange as folk. Perhaps it's similar to. Why do people climb mountains. Once my next door neighbour came into my garden. Purely by chance, I spotted him looking into the greenhouse.

Oi! what are you upto?

Just looking for our cat.

OUT.

***xxx** ell mate. I aint doing anything wrong.

OUT. OUT NOW.......................Think next time. You haven't got a cat.

He returned home and I overheard the conversation between him and his partner. I was like all those toffee nosed whatsits. Our relationship is good now. He doesn't hesitate to lend a hand.

The crime of tresspass is now a thing of the past, but if such unwanted entry to your land continues, there are other ways of dealing with it. Legally.

 

Weedaway is their something wrong with this man?

 

My friend's neighbours go out at night in hoodies and put their rubbish in neighbour's bins. She saw them, reported them, but the police didn't do anything because they weren't caught in the act.

 

Trespass isn't a crime any more, but "criminal trespass" certainly is.

You are 100% within your rights to deploy razor wire or an electric fence wire along the fence, so long as it's visible and you have appropriate warning signs. You can't put "trap" spikes or broken glass on top, because it's not clear to "accidental" touchers that it's there.

Re the cameras and microphones, whoever told you to remove them, you can safely ignore that person unless they have a court order. The police often don't know the law and just want an easy life. If the camera catches your neighbour's garden then they can complain, of course, but if it's only catching your property then you can tell them no. It doesn't sound like the relationship can get any worse, after all!

 

Over recent years the law of trespass has changed and to many it may appear to have been done away with. However there are in law what are termed Torts. Plus there are various areas of common and criminal law, that still exist to afford such as, protection of person, and property etc. Under English Law. You and your property, your belongings and so forth are protected by law. For instance. If someone damages your property. You have the basic right to compensation. If in the case of damage being caused such as pulling up/destroying trees & shrubs, as in your case. Then that is Criminal Damage. Unauthorized entry onto your land etc and causing mental and/or physical threat/fear. Then legal action is available.

What I would advise YOU to do is. Make use of the legal help & advice available via your insurance cover. Phone them. You will be advised by a solicitor and they will gladly send all the info in printed form, plus if you so wish. The company will assist you in getting your rights.