[escapedtothecountry]

Some of you will have read about my escapades with the neighbour who doesnt want me to paint the outbuilding magnolia as it may give a glare (30metres away from his property).


Anyway - here is the latest installment.


Some time ago I put down some of that platsic temporary fencing to redefine my border and his so that I could plant native hedging in between the poplars (my trees) that are directly on the borderline.


A while ago his sheep got in the gap where the native hedging was growing and created havoc... as of course they will as they saw tasty shoots to eat. We spoke to the neighbours wife who acknowledged if you have livestock it is the owners responsibility to keep them off others property.


Anyway - nothing was done so I place lots of old piece of corrugated iron roofing to bolster the defences so to speak. Today - some weeks after the first incident 37 hedging plant, rabbit guards and canes are upended.


We speak to the wife who says she needs to have a word with her husband?


Am I right in thinking even if it a temporary fence, it is the owner of livestock who has the responsibility to keep sheep out not mine? It doesn't matter that I may be responsible for the boundary fence. I would happily erect a new properly built stronger fence - but not just to let sheet push it to bits (don't get me wrong - I like the sheep).


Whats the solution??


Not sure why I need to spend more and more money to protect a hedge that would benefit is both from livestock that are not mine.

[jaykay]

If he has sheep, he should have stock-proof fencing.

What was keeping his sheep in before you put the temporary plastic fence up?

I think it should be like this:

Actually on the boundary - stock proof fencing.
Then inside the boundary, on your side, you put your temporary fencing and plant your hedge inbetween the two.

[escapedtothecountry]

A rickety fence with stock fencing 2 feet into my side of the boundary. So the sheep came in between the trees and the the fence inside my boundary line ( my fence I may add).

[jaykay]

Oh!

I know it goes against the grain - but if you want to reclaim that 2ft you are probably going to have to fence your boundaries properly, ie with stock fencing.

He's highly unlikely to do it, cos it's not in his interests to - it doesn't cause him problems, he'd lose the 2ft and have to spend money on fencing. And he sounds bloody-minded enough not to care he's bothering you.

Do you want the continued grief and waste of time and effort planting a hedge? It's probably worth putting up proper fence for the peace that will ensue?

[Sbom]

 I think I'm right in saying that it is your responsibility to keep your animals in not your neighbours to keep them out. Therefore they should have decent fences, send them an invoice for the damage etc  just the thought of having to cough up every time they escape might make them sort the fencing

[lachlanandmarcus]

It does partly depend on where you are tho - keep your own animals in in England is normally the rule, in Scotland it is more 50:50 on boundaries, altho that seems unfair if  someone has a livestock rancher next door who makes little effort to keep his beasts in, whereas the other person doesnt have any stock but still have to pay 50%. But I guess their 50% should be of a plain wire cheap fence and posts and then the stock netting would be 100% the rancher's lot .
I think the English way is easier and fairer!
 
 
 
 
 

[escapedtothecountry]

Or in my case - no livestock yet will probably end up paying for posts, postcrete, livestock fencing, timber rails, staples for a gas stapler, and all the labour to do it to stop sheep damaging my land. (and again don't get me wrong.. I like the sheep). Isn't life fun

[Sbom]

You could always buy yourself a big smelly billy goat and let it go visit 

[WarescotFarm]

Oh no what a pain! The last thing you need is to be on bad terms with your neighbour

I guess the amicable way forward is 50:50, although that does not seem fair to your bank balance 

And I haven't read you other posts, and excuse my language but WTF! Magnolia giving glare, gimme a break! I would say "I am going to paint my building would you prefer magnolia or bright, sparkling, glow in the dark white" and see what he prefers 

Good luck!

[WarescotFarm]

You could always buy yourself a big smelly billy goat and let it go visit 

Oh I like that, or put a looonnnngggg thin field along the boarder and fill it with piggies   

[jaykay]

Isn't he a pain - I thank my lucky stars I have no neighbours - long may the house next door stay empty!

What sort of distance do you have to fence?

We've done several fields, two of us, with just posts, no concrete, hammered stone into the holes of the strainers and gate posts. Double handled post-knocker to put in the other poles. Patented quad-bike tensioning method  Hammered in the staples. A strand of bottom wire in places but no timber.

The fences are good 5 years later and it would save money on your list?

[escapedtothecountry]

There is more chance that hell would freeze over before he would jointly pay for fencing.


He hasn't actually spoken to us since March when we said he couldn't dictate what colour an outbuilding would be and that saying we couldn't have access to 1 foot of his land to protect our masonry was actually illegal under the access to neighbouring land act.


That was probably our mistake - knowing what we wanted to do; wanting to improve something that when we got it was run down; and not being dictated to by someone who clearly has never had anyone stand up to them.


It takes all sorts.

[escapedtothecountry]

What sort of distance do you have to fence?

About 50 metres - but the tricky part is the poplar trees (ours) as they have grown are lets say three inches over the boundary line - so I will have to fence in between the gaps.


Thats fine. I already have the posts, the wooden rails etc and probably just need a bit more stock fencing... its just annoying that I will have to go to all this trouble when along his other borders he happily has put up electric fencing yet won't run it down where our boundary is.

[WarescotFarm]

Oh dear in that case I guess you can't maintain relations, what a shame.

Electric fencing as a very short term deterant while the hedge grows up a bit? You could reuse it in other areas at a later date or that sort of thing retains value when selling on.

[lachlanandmarcus]

The only consolation is that once the fence is up and secure it will be a big relief.