Fences do not make good neighbors

[Dan Mages]

Last week I discovered a black mesh fence staked into the ground at the edge of my driveway from the street to the back of the lot. I approached my neighbor about it to see if he knows where it came from. He informed me that he put it in because he was tired of yard debris from my yard blowing into his yard and proceeded to lecture me about yard maintenance as if I was a five year old who needs to clean his room. He did not stop by and discuss it before hand, he just put up the fence.

I admit that I have been behind on my yard due to a long business trip last fall and poor health this spring. I have been working on it when my health permits and right now only the back yard needs more attention.

Am I wrong to feel slighted? At what point should I pull this fence down, given that it is on my property. I am tempted to do it now, but I am going to take the high road and leave it up for now until I get the back yard into better shape.

How would you handle this?

Thanks,

Dan

[Mark Garc NYC]

I'd pull it right out. He can have his stupid fence, as long as it's actually on his property.

[Jerome Hanby]

Unless there is some local ordinance, that says your leaves can't blow wherever the wind takes them, I'd call the local authorities and ask them to pay him a visit the next time they are in the area.

On the plus side, at least it wasn't some cowardly, semi threatening, anonymous letter...

[Marc Casebolt]

It sounds like you two are not friends now, so perhaps there is nothing to lose by removing the fence. It took a lot of nerve for this guy to do what he did, so it's not like you need to be too nice about it. Be aware though that an all out feud with the people next door is a true pain in the butt.

That said, since it is on your property it is your fence now, so take it down but do not give it back to him to put back up.

Good luck,

Marc

[Brent Smith]

It's on your property. Pull it up and leave it in a nice neat pile on his lawn. If he wants to put it back up on his property that's his business.

[Brian Effinger]

I would have told him right then and there to take it down. And let him know that putting anything up on your property without your permission is inexcusable. Some people have a lot of nerve! :(

[Brent Leonard]

It needs to be on his property.

Maybe relations with the neighbor will improve as the conditions of your yard does.

[glenn bradley]

I would have told him right then and there to take it down.

I would not be surprised if the OP was so shocked that there are a few things he wishes he would have done at the time. I have been known to have rare moments of speechlessness in the face of blatantl stupidity myself every now and then. I agree the guy should have knocked on your door and asked about the stuff blowing into his yard. He must have known there would be a confrontation when the fence appeared so why not have the confrontation before acting like a spoiled brat?

At any rate it is now been made your responsibility to deal with his actions (another thing I don't abide) kinda like junk mail; you didn't ask for it but now you have to deal with it. I guess maybe a return lecture about property lines and such might do but as someone else stated, a neighbor-feud can really get to be a pain.

One thing cannot be ignored, the fence is his and belongs on his property, I don't envy any of you folks that have "those people" for neighbors.

[Eddie Watkins]

Option #1 - I would go tell him the fence is on your property and he needs to move it. If he says he isn't going to, tell him you are taking it down and ask him where he wants it. If he won't answer, tell him you are going to take it down and throw it away if he doesn't want it. Give him a date to have it gone. He has choices. He's probably going to get mad but that's his problem.
OPtion #2 - Clean your yard then tear the fence down and throw it away. That should properly irritate him.:eek:
I'd p[robably go with option one so he understands where your property is and you are doing nothing to offend him though he will probably get mad anyway.

[Eric DeSilva]

What about a short handwritten note to the effect that:

After considering our discussion further, I am asking you to remove the fence that you installed. I understand your feelings about yard debris, but want you to recognize that installation of fencing on another person's property without consent is neither legal nor neighborly. You are, of course, free to reinstall the fencing on your own property. Should you elect not to remove it, I will remove the fencing, consider the materials as debris left on my property, and dispose of it.

I recognize that you feel strongly about the yard debris that you perceive as emanating from my yard. I will say, that due to business travel and health reasons, my yard is not in the condition I would ideally like it to be in. With that in mind, I will endeavor to work on maintaining things on a more regular schedule.

Maybe a bit of sugar to help the vinegar go down, or whatever they say.

PS. I find it somewhat odd that aesthetically he prefers a black mesh fence staked into the ground that some stuff that may make it into his yard. I think you may just live next door to Oscar the Grouch.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

If you are sure of he property lines your neighbor has committed a trespass and inflicted a harm. You can make him pay.

You can pull it up yourself and be done with it ( you hope).

Or you can get a new surveyance and make sure you are in the right place and then pull it up.

Or you can rely on an older survey and hire the most expensive contractor you can find (KBR or Halliburton). To come an pull it up and invoice the neighbor after you pay the bill.

Then when they don't pay you can sue 'em.

[Joe Pelonio]

If in fact you know it to be on your property, that is trespassing and vandalism, just like they had egged your house or thrown paint on your car. You could call the police and prosecute them.

[Eric DeSilva]

Or you can rely on an older survey and hire the most expensive contractor you can find (KBR or Halliburton). To come an pull it up and invoice the neighbor after you pay the bill. Then when they don't pay you can sue 'em.


You could call the police and prosecute them.

Perhaps all true, but in the end... I have a friend involved in what is just this side of a shooting war with his next door neighbor. Seems to consume a lot of energy for both of them, and they are both too damn stubborn for a peaceful reconciliation. Think hard before you end up there, 'cos even if you are right, you might end up hatin' life.

[Dustin Lane]

How would I handle this? If the fence was 100% on my land I would just remove it and throw it away. He can keep buying fences for all I care.

[Doug Shepard]

So if he had moved into a house next to a vacant lot, who would he be trying to blame for stuff blowing into his yard? In the meantime, you found a free fence on your property and are free to do with it as you will. Wonder how much you could get for that on craigslist?

[Sean Troy]

Pull it down, throw it away and replace it with NO TRESSPASSING signs every ten feet facing his property.

[Tom Gooch]

Presuming you want to maintain neighborly relations that don't involve casting stones, or in this case lawn rakes at each other, your actions now will dictate those future relations, so move carefully. Only you know the tenor of this neighbor and how he might react. Sometime approaching from a questioning position is best and least threatening...ask him what he hoped to accomplish with the fence and how long he intended it to stay. After asking some questions, you might then ask, if he knows the fence is on YOUR property (if in fact you know absolutely that it it---or you could ignite a new battle of boundaries). From my point of view, he hasn't acted to offend you, only prevent stuff from entering his yard from yours...did it enter your yard from further upwind? Neighbor fueding neighbor is bad stuff and can escalate quickly, so I'd encourage some dialog to get the strife into the light of day...ususally these things escalate more with things unsaid than those discussed calmly.

[David G Baker]

Dan,
Guess you haven't lived in California. Most properties are fenced to avoid exactly what you are now experiencing as well as to provide privacy. Can't suggest how you can cope with your situation but if you are buying your home, your neighbor may be your neighbor for the rest of your life. Give that some thought. If the fence is on your property you have a just complaint.

[Scott Shepherd]

Get yourself the most powerful leaf blower available and blow your leaves against, up and over the fence every chance you get :)

Only kidding :)

[Dan Mages]

When I got home today the fence was removed, except for a 10' section next to the leaf composting pile, which is well wrapped in plastic chicken wire. I am wondering when he will tell me that the compost pile has to go.

In the end, I will maintain the high road in this affair. As much as I would enjoy tearing up the fence and making a spectacle of the affair, I will choose to ignore him and his actions and clean up my yard in a timely manner. As annoying and inapropriate as the fence was, the damage and inconvenience was minimal. This was the first real experience we have had with him in the year we have lived here. He has never said hello or shown any interest in us. As far as I am concerned, he is just a crochety old man who needs something better to do with his time. My wife, who is finishing up law school, will be writing him a polite, yet firm letter letting him know that in the future he should come to us first and that such actions will not be acceptable.

Dan

[Rich Konopka]

The weather has not been ideal for getting out in the yard for the past couple of weeks. Taking the high road was the way to go. It will save you grief with your neighbor in the long run.

[Tim Morton]

you could always move up to Vermont...we are generally a friendly bunch:D

Plus we assume any leaves that blow onto our property are just an act of god, and if we have a person in the neigborhood who is under the weather or away for an extended trip....we may just go over and mow your lawn for you and if some raking needs to be done thats ok too....

It seems like your neighbor needs to learn the definition of being neighborly.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I had a situation many years ago. We got a dog and our son was getting old enough to play in the yard, so I decided to put up a fence. I talked to both neighbors to find out if they were going to frnce their yards, too. In both cases, they said no. Since the houses weren't very old and the original lot line stakes were in place and they both said no, I told them that I was going to place it 3"inside my property. To this point, I believe I acted like a good neighbor as well as pragmatic. In Illinois, when a fence is placed between two pieces of property and perpendicular fences are added, it becomes the new property line. So far, so good.

Two years later LOML and I come back from church to find one neighbor putting a fence post directle next to my corner post(2" pipe - 3" setback) and on MY property. I walked back and asked what he was doing. He said that he was putting up a fence to allow them to have a dog. Didn't offer to do the right thing and OFFER to pay part of my fence cost down that line. He acted completely ignorant of our conversation when my fence went up, so I reminded him that due to the setback, he was on my property. He basically said "What are you gonna do about it." I said that I wasn't, but he had two choices. 1. pay me for half the cost of that run. or 2. take the poles out and move them onto his property. He chose to move them.

The outcome, eight couples that played cards once a month at each others house. Sides were taken and everything fell apart. I really believe that if he had come to me and said be was thinking of fencing his yard, I would have said " go ahead and tie on. We WERE supposed to be FRIENDS at the time.

Fences do NOT make good neighbors - Good people do!

Just my opinion.

Bruce

[Karl Brogger]

Eric DeSilva has the best route, but I'd be tempted to call Haliburton. Just because it made me laugh.

[John Daugherty]

I would have told him that the fence was on my property and he needed to move it onto his. I also would have told him I didn't care what he put on his land.

[Neal Clayton]

Pull it down, throw it away and replace it with NO TRESSPASSING signs every ten feet facing his property.

i'm gonna go with this one.

[Bob Moyer]

Let's play role reversal; what would you do if your neighbor was causing this problem?

Personally I would know that my neighbor has had problems keeping up with his yard and would offer to help,

Having said that; I once had the neighbor who was a jerk to put it bluntly, the sidewalk along my house was right next to the property line and against my house; when it snowed the ideal way to remove the snow was to shovel it on to his lawn next to his house; he also had issues with my pushing my mower under his split rail fence to minimize my trimming. FWIW, he actually lowered the fence to prevent me from doing it. however, it also prevented him from doing it from his side and he brought back the same contractor to raise the fence at a later date.

[Phil Thien]

I'd make two cardboard ovals about the size of his and his wife's faces. Attach little pieces of wood as handles. Bring them over to his house and ask them to hold them over their faces when they come outside. Explain that you'd like them to do this because they're ugly, and you're tired of their uglyness spreading onto your property. :D

On a more serious note, you'll never see eye to eye with this guy. His priorities are upside down, and he has nerve in spades.

I'd simply remove the fence, put it on his property, and don't talk to him any more. Just don't talk to him, completely ignore him. He doesn't exist in your world. You don't need the negativity, especially if you've recently been ill.

[Phil Thien]

Personally I would know that my neighbor has had problems keeping up with his yard and would offer to help,

That's one approach. Another would be to stop taking care of your own lawn, so that the neighbor didn't feel bad. :D

[Ralph Barhorst]

HUH! My neighbor is better than your neighbor.:)

Last fall my leaves were blowing into his yard and he came over and raked all of my leaves. He is a little anal about his yard.

[Eric DeSilva]

i'm gonna go with this one.

Aw heck. If you are gonna go that route, just leave the fence up, and hire some hip hop graffiti artist to paint the side that faces his house...

I helped a friend recently built a playhouse for his daughter. After we poured the concrete footings and built the base, his neighbor called zoning enforcement. The were a bit apologetic, but told him it actually wasn't code, and that it needed to be moved out of his "front" yard--the front yard being everything in front of a line stretched across the front face of the house.

The irony, of course, was that we had to move it substantially closer to the complaining neighbor's house. We also decided, based on the discussion with zoning enforcement, that we could put a second floor on it and did so. Since it was his daughter's playhouse, he was also thinking hard about painting the one side that faced his neighbor--about 10' x 18' of wall--hot pink.

[Carlos Alden]

In the end, I will maintain the high road in this affair. As much as I would enjoy tearing up the fence and making a spectacle of the affair, I will choose to ignore him and his actions and clean up my yard in a timely manner. As annoying and inapropriate as the fence was, the damage and inconvenience was minimal. This was the first real experience we have had with him in the year we have lived here. He has never said hello or shown any interest in us. As far as I am concerned, he is just a crochety old man who needs something better to do with his time. My wife, who is finishing up law school, will be writing him a polite, yet firm letter letting him know that in the future he should come to us first and that such actions will not be acceptable.


Good for you for taking the high road. Dicey neighbor situations are not fun.

Here's another take on the situation: He's lived his life, maybe (probably?) had some serious losses in the past few years, and doesn't tolerate change well (like many older people.) He's lonely but generally mistrustful of the world, and the new neighbors who haven't even had the respect to come over and say hello start blowing their trash in his yard.

My next door neighbor died a few years after we moved in, leaving a bitter and unfriendly widow who barely had the courtesy to say hello to us. But it certainly would have helped nothing for me to get technical about things. She started to complain about a short fence between our yards, that it was falling apart. I jumped in and offered to rebuild it, and "would you mind if it was a full 6' tall?" She mellowed out a lot with that.

I might try including a dinner invitation in that polite letter you write. I'm not judging your response, just offering an idea that might yield better results in the long term. Let me reiterate how impressive it is that you are already doing the right thing by not getting petty.

Good luck,

Carlos

[Brian Brown]

In the end, I will maintain the high road in this affair. As much as I would enjoy tearing up the fence and making a spectacle of the affair, I will choose to ignore him and his actions and clean up my yard in a timely manner. As annoying and inapropriate as the fence was, the damage and inconvenience was minimal. This was the first real experience we have had with him in the year we have lived here.
Dan

Good Choice. I agree with Tom and Eric. Why start a long term neighbor war over something so trivial. Yes it was a slap in the face to you, but you can show you have another cheek. I always prefer the high road, although it is fun to read the responses of how to get back at him. Just read and enjoy, don't folow through.

[Jerome Hanby]

I would never suggest putting Round-Up in your sprayer and writing "bad" words into his lawn. That would just be wrong, very funny, but wrong.

[Joe Cunningham]

Wanna switch neighbors? Mine is an abandoned property--owner died a few years ago, adult 'kids' who are 30 years older than me have just let it go to pot. It has a vine coaked 'yard', vines crawling up my fence, walls, and is in general poor condition.

I'm heading over there this weekend to do some pruning, because they never will.

I'd love to have an anal neighbor who complained about my property upkeep rather than my present situation.

Be thankful for what you have, it could be a whole lot worse.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

You could call the police and prosecute them.


Prolly the cops would see it as a civil matter and tell you to solve it yourself.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

a friend involved in what is just this side of a shooting war with his next door neighbor. Seems to consume a lot of energy for both of them

That's the crux of the problem. Suing will cost money and burn bridges.
But, sometimes that's all that's left.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I'm heading over there this weekend to do some pruning, because they never will.

What you wanna bet if the place burns down, the Fire Marshal will be looking long and hard at you. Your obvious concern for the place's eyesore aspect will be what some might call "motive" and your frequent presence gave you "opportunity."

You'd be better off suing 'em. That way you demonstrate that you use the system to solve issues instead of self help.

Call me a cynical jaded SOB but I've learned that no good deed goes unpunished.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

When I got home today the fence was removed, except for a 10' section next to the leaf composting pile, which is well wrapped in plastic chicken wire. I am wondering when he will tell me that the compost pile has to go.

Some might argue that placing a compost heap right hard up against the edge of your land and close to the neighbor's land is a hostile act.


Maybe there's a less problematic place to put it?

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Pull it down, throw it away and replace it with NO TRESSPASSING signs every ten feet facing his property.

Subsequent measures like that often fall under the rubric of "Spite" and in most states there is a well developed body of common law that addresses things like Spite Lights etc. The courts frown on them.

[Dan Mages]

Some might argue that placing a compost heap right hard up against the edge of your land and close to the neighbor's land is a hostile act.


Maybe there's a less problematic place to put it?

Actually, this is the least problematic spot. My yard is rather sloped and this corner is hard to access by any of my neighbors and is well out of sight.

[Matt Meiser]

You are welcome to come get the crap that blows into my yard and put it in his. This spring I filled a trash can. Granted most of that was an inflatable swimming pool. On the other hand, I found a perfectly good 5 gallon bucket (I'm guessing that actually fell out of a truck when the power company was trimming rather than having blown all the way here.)

I'd have ripped up the fence, but I think the polite-but-firm letter suggestion is the best.

[Rob Damon]

You could always plant a row of pine trees every ten feet along your property line, then in years to come he will have pine needles and pine cones to deal with -or- roll up the fence and posts, get a huge box and crate and ship it back to him via UPS with a note "Thanks for the fence, but it not my birthday yet". :). (just kidding)

I would have removed the fence, while cutting my grass, so it would not have looked like you were doing anything obnoxious or spiteful. Just set the fence back on the ground over on his property with a note. "Sorry, I have not been feeling well lately, and have fallen behind on my lawn care." And then let it go. If the fence shows up again, then he is showing true spitefulness. The second time I would remove it and leave a note saying, "if you want to continue putting up the fence, please do it on your property. Thanks."

Rob

[Joe Cunningham]

What you wanna bet if the place burns down, the Fire Marshal will be looking long and hard at you. Your obvious concern for the place's eyesore aspect will be what some might call "motive" and your frequent presence gave you "opportunity."

If it burns down, my house is a goner too, and likely much of the neighborhood. I think there is about 12 feet between our two houses (my other neighbor is about 8 feet away from me). And very old houses for the most part, 1850s-1870s.

But you do give good advice, I might be better off talking with the city's 'blight' commission first.

[Chris Padilla]

Good for you for taking the high road. Dicey neighbor situations are not fun.

Here's another take on the situation: He's lived his life, maybe (probably?) had some serious losses in the past few years, and doesn't tolerate change well (like many older people.) He's lonely but generally mistrustful of the world, and the new neighbors who haven't even had the respect to come over and say hello start blowing their trash in his yard.

My next door neighbor died a few years after we moved in, leaving a bitter and unfriendly widow who barely had the courtesy to say hello to us. But it certainly would have helped nothing for me to get technical about things. She started to complain about a short fence between our yards, that it was falling apart. I jumped in and offered to rebuild it, and "would you mind if it was a full 6' tall?" She mellowed out a lot with that.

I might try including a dinner invitation in that polite letter you write. I'm not judging your response, just offering an idea that might yield better results in the long term. Let me reiterate how impressive it is that you are already doing the right thing by not getting petty.

Good luck,

Carlos

Nicely done, Carlos.

Thankfully, I have a corner lot so I only have 1 neighbor to the side. I also have 2 neighbors behind me. I get along with and have done work with 2 of the neighbors so we're all peachy. The 3rd neighbor I have not met nor know nor do they do much of anything bothersome so life's fine in the 'hood. :)

[Noah Vig]

Having dealt with a number of property line disputes (not with my own property; fortunate that I couldn't ask for better neighbors), IMHO the best approach to these issues is to use tact. It can get extremely ugly with people calling wanting their neighbor's kids charged with trespassing for coming on their property to get a ball, criminal damage to property since the neighbor mowed slightly over "the line", allegations property stakes were moved and even violence.... Ridiculous stuff. Next, the border is blanketed with no trespassing signs and video taping starts. Often at least one party intentionally begins antagonizing the other to try to catch them acting disorderly, etc.... on video. Often they get obsessed with the dispute and do not listen to any reason. Then the lawsuit over a property line. Total waste of everyone's time and could generally have been avoided with some tact.

So good choice OP IMO.

[Ben Rafael]

Find him a girlfriend. That should do it.

[Randal Stevenson]

Having said that; I once had the neighbor who was a jerk to put it bluntly, the sidewalk along my house was right next to the property line and against my house; when it snowed the ideal way to remove the snow was to shovel it on to his lawn next to his house;


I can see issues with that, if he has water in the basement issues.

My neighbor asked me to change my gutters back, after I took off a long extension and put down a splashblock at an angle. I was able to prove that wasn't his water issues, and while he has done the hard work, he hasn't done the easist and most successful solution, adding soil to raise the dirt level so it washes away from the house. He won't believe me how simple that might help. (lawn is flat then aims down towards the foundation).

That is my good neighbor (and the only thing he didn't believe me on). My bad neighbor, I share a driveway with. It is a rental that they are way behind (over a year), and the house is in horrible shape. I think the only reason it is still there, is the historic connection the house has (former relative of Truman, and HE never blocked the driveway when visiting, like the renters do).

[Randal Stevenson]

I would never suggest putting Round-Up in your sprayer and writing "bad" words into his lawn. That would just be wrong, very funny, but wrong.

Round-up is distructive. A partial bag of fertilizer, in a drop spreader is better. It keeps growing back in and much greener then the rest of the lawn.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Dan,
You mentioned that he is a 'crochety old man'. That suggests to me that it is probably more difficult for him to do yard work than most people, yet he does it to his credit. I'm betting it's even more frustrating to him when he has to continually keep doing it.

You mention that you had some health issues and have a wife that likes to write letters. Perhaps she can put down the pen and pick up the rake instead? It will probably go a lot further to mend the issue.

Being at odds with a neighbor diminishes the quality of homelife for both neighbors...and, it can last a long time. Avoid it, even if it hurts a little now.

-Jeff :)

[Lee DeRaud]

Find him a girlfriend. That should do it.Or at least rent him one on Craigslist. :cool:

(Note that I am not suggesting calling the cops when she shows up for their "date"...that would be mean. :p)

[Dan Mages]

Dan,
You mentioned that he is a 'crochety old man'. That suggests to me that it is probably more difficult for him to do yard work than most people, yet he does it to his credit. I'm betting it's even more frustrating to him when he has to continually keep doing it.

You mention that you had some health issues and have a wife that likes to write letters. Perhaps she can put down the pen and pick up the rake instead? It will probably go a lot further to mend the issue.

Being at odds with a neighbor diminishes the quality of homelife for both neighbors...and, it can last a long time. Avoid it, even if it hurts a little now.

-Jeff :)

I think a better description for him is a 60-65 year old retired PITA with nothing better to do. One of my other neighbors also informed me of his lack of neighborliness when I told him of the problem.

Regarding my wife... She would love to help more, but with a full time job and a heavy load from law school, she just does not have the time to be out in the yard helping me out.

I have put it in the past. I will just ignore him and move on with my life.

Dan

[Darius Ferlas]

The socially uncomfortable situation aside, check the codes in your jurisdiction.

As someone mentioned, if you do nothing about the fence then you may find out some time from now that what was a part of your property now belongs to your neighbor. Even if he erects a 2 inch thick fence with the center of the fence running along the property line he is still trespassing by one inch. All of the fence has to be on his property unless the fence is jointly owned.

In some jurisdictions, even if you agree that he installs the fence on your side of the property line that would still be illegal as property lines are administrative boundaries not to be changed by the land owners at will.

[Matt Meiser]

Not to mention what the laws are regarding fencing in your area. You don't want to end up getting fined over an illegal fence your neighbor installed to be spiteful and you allowed trying to avoid confrontation.

[Bruce Page]

I'd pull it right out. He can have his stupid fence, as long as it's actually on his property.

Ditto. He has no business putting a fence on YOUR property.

[Dennis Thornton]

When I moved in I had a good neighbor and a bad one. The good neighbor let weeds grow 4' tall everywhere. Had 3 dead vehicles parked out front. Had a toilet in the front yard for nearly a year. The entire family were fanatic Raiders football fans. Every game they opened all the doors and windows, got drunk, and screamed profanities during the entire game. It took 3 complete 30' trash containers to clean out their back yard after they moved everything out they wanted.

Yes, they were the good neighbors.

Both have moved and I now have 2 good neighbors. :D

[Dan Mages]

Welp, it happened again. I was able to get probably 2/3 of the leaves cleaned up before our month long trip to Dallas for the holidays. I did the best I could, but as primary care giver of a then 7-8 month old daughter, my time outside was limited. I hired some local kids to help, but they never finished the jobs. Due to last nights blizzard, some of the leaves that were on the street in front of our house were plowed up onto the easement in front of his property. He confronted me today while I was clearing the driveway and demanded that I clean up the leaves in front of his house or "things will get really ugly, real fast." I said nothing and continued on with the driveway.

I will take the high road this time and pull them off onto the street later when my wife is done with work and can take over on child care. If he comes to my front door to go at it again, I will call the police.

Dan

[Scott T Smith]

What about a short handwritten note to the effect that:

After considering our discussion further, I am asking you to remove the fence that you installed. I understand your feelings about yard debris, but want you to recognize that installation of fencing on another person's property without consent is neither legal nor neighborly. You are, of course, free to reinstall the fencing on your own property. Should you elect not to remove it, I will remove the fencing, consider the materials as debris left on my property, and dispose of it.

I recognize that you feel strongly about the yard debris that you perceive as emanating from my yard. I will say, that due to business travel and health reasons, my yard is not in the condition I would ideally like it to be in. With that in mind, I will endeavor to work on maintaining things on a more regular schedule.

Maybe a bit of sugar to help the vinegar go down, or whatever they say.

PS. I find it somewhat odd that aesthetically he prefers a black mesh fence staked into the ground that some stuff that may make it into his yard. I think you may just live next door to Oscar the Grouch.


+1. On the one hand, you need to accept some responsibility for not being a "good neighbor" and keeping your yard clean. On the other hand, your neighbor could and should have handled things better, and brought his concerns to you directly before taking action.

Eric's advice is very sound, IMO.

[Myk Rian]

It's easier to use the lawn mower and turn leaves into mulch, than it is to rake them up.
I've been doing it for 33 years here.

[Phil Thien]

He confronted me today while I was clearing the driveway and demanded that I clean up the leaves in front of his house or "things will get really ugly, real fast."

I honestly think your neighbor is unbalanced.

Even if he was upset, he owes you a nice visit where he kindly asks you to do something, rather than jumping to threats.

I'd keep my distance.

I'm not telling you to be a chicken or anything. But you want to avoid someone that cares so much about a few leaves that he is getting in your face.

Wasn't it just last summer that some nut-job killed a neighborhood kid or someone for walking on his lawn? Made the national news.

I might be inclined to keep a record of dates/times he speaks to you and write down what he has to say. I'd also take pictures of any fences, etc., that he places. It may come in handy if you need to get the officials involved.

[Pat Doble]

lol, I keep trying to relay my similar story but can't keep it succinct enough so I won't do many details :)

My guess is he's always gotten his way by acting that way, feels for some reasons that he's owed help and deference and probably feels all the other neighbors would take his side (though I bet he's wrong).

I agree with Phil to keep a record of every dealing with him/his actions. When I finally confronted my neighbor I actually considered recording the talk with my phone as I was worried he'd call the cops and say I threatened him and for that same reason I did everything I could to not do anything that would be viewed as agressive (waited to catch him outside rather than going and knocking on his door, stayed on my property, etc...)

Our 'chat' didn't resolve anything, but it did give me some insight into why he thinks/acts like he does. Ithe 45 years he'd lived there, no one had ever stood up to him before, and he did not like it. Under the circumstances he should be happy that all I did was 'talk to him like no one ever has before'.

I now just avoid him at all costs and no longer help him with anything, ever.

[Joel Goodman]

How's this one for neighborliness? I sold a chunk of my back woods and when the surveyor staked the place he discovered that one of my neighbors driveway was 2 feet over the line in one spot. Buyer wanted a quitclaim so that the neighbor made no legal claim to the land in question and would move his driveway if requested in the future -- probably his lawyer or the bank wanted it. The neighbor refused and tried to shake me down for some $! -- so I can't close on the sale. My lawyer told him that if the quitclaim wasn't signed we'd dig up his drive and fence it off and then sue him for the costs -- long story short he decided to sign "in the interests of neighborliness"!

[Bryan Morgan]

Am I wrong to feel slighted? At what point should I pull this fence down, given that it is on my property. I am tempted to do it now, but I am going to take the high road and leave it up for now until I get the back yard into better shape.

How would you handle this?

Thanks,

Dan

If its on your property you can do whatever you want to it. I will say though, I am the guy putting up the fences around my place. After kids kicking balls into my wifes car, loose dogs pooping all over my lawn, trash blowing into my yard... and the major thing that made me mad, a big tree they never maintain coating my whole front lawn 6" deep in leaves and me and my wife out there cleaning it up for hours (I don't have any trees on my property) and the neighbor walking by just looking at us and not offering to help or even apologizing... can't really talk to them because my Spanish is not so great. I'd put a block wall with razor wire and automatic turret guns around my house if I could... For now I settled for a mesh fence. Works pretty good to keep the leaves and trash on their property. When the dogs come around and poop all over I just fling it into their cars (when the windows are open) or onto them. Some people have no consideration (not saying this about you of course, I don't know you) and sometimes you just have to put your foot down and fight back. "Do unto them..." :)

I feel slighted when people mess with my property, and if someone put a fence (or anything else for that matter) on my property without talking to me I'd remove it. Just be SURE its your property before you mess with anything. On the other side of the coin, if these people touch my fence which I've definitely put up on my own property I'd break their legs.

Neighbors, can't live with em', and you can't live with em' haha :) My next house is going to be out in the sticks somewhere.

[Dennis Thornton]

If its on your property you can do whatever you want to it. I will say though, I am the guy putting up the fences around my place. After kids kicking balls into my wifes car, loose dogs pooping all over my lawn, trash blowing into my yard... and the major thing that made me mad, a big tree they never maintain coating my whole front lawn 6" deep in leaves and me and my wife out there cleaning it up for hours (I don't have any trees on my property) and the neighbor walking by just looking at us and not offering to help or even apologizing... can't really talk to them because my Spanish is not so great. I'd put a block wall with razor wire and automatic turret guns around my house if I could... For now I settled for a mesh fence. Works pretty good to keep the leaves and trash on their property. When the dogs come around and poop all over I just fling it into their cars (when the windows are open) or onto them. Some people have no consideration (not saying this about you of course, I don't know you) and sometimes you just have to put your foot down and fight back. "Do unto them..." :)

I feel slighted when people mess with my property, and if someone put a fence (or anything else for that matter) on my property without talking to me I'd remove it. Just be SURE its your property before you mess with anything. On the other side of the coin, if these people touch my fence which I've definitely put up on my own property I'd break their legs.

Neighbors, can't live with em', and you can't live with em' haha :) My next house is going to be out in the sticks somewhere.

Wow. Really? They may not be very neighborly, but they haven't been doing anything purposefully as you state you have. Be careful. You could be one of those we hear about on the news. Throwing poop onto someone or into their vehicle can result in an extreme response.