Dealing with annoying neighbour

[swimmer_spe]

What would you do?

My neigbour has been here over 30 years. They are in their 70s. Their property looks good.

We moved here about 3 years ago. In that time, I have been cleaning up the place. Our city has a free week at the dump every spring and fall, and that first one, I hauled 10 truckloads of garbage. The people we bought from lived here for 12 years and did nothing to maintain the property. I was hauling away rotten wood, old rotten steps, old patio furniture, tarps, scrap metal, old oils, etc. Since we moved in, I have yet to miss those free weeks, and every time, I have gone at least 5 times. This spring does not look like it will be less than 5 loads.... again.

The property is waterfront. We bought for the access, not for the mess, and are turning the ugliest property into the nicest property.

One of the last remaining projects to do will be our fence.
When we moved in, that summer, they built a new fence, leaving the old one as is. The new fence is about a foot away from the old fence. The old fence is starting to show its age. Trees are pushing boards away, I am replacing rotten boards to maintain the structure of it, and over time, it is leaning.In short, the fence has got to go.
Talking to my neighbour, you'd swear it is a priceless, historic structure. It is not. They don't want it replaced. I do, and in the next few years, I will. I will also be paying for it.

So, how do you deal with that annoying neighbour?
Here are my ideas:

1) Tell them it is being done and do it. Let them whine and complain, but ignore them each step of the way.

2) Call bylaw enforcement. Legally, fences cannot be closer than 30m/yds of the high water mark. That new fence they built 3 years ago? It would need to be torn down, along with the old fence, at their expense.

3) They like the patina of the old boards. So, I could salvage them, and clad their side with them.

I will likely do 3, but would like to do 1 and 2.

So, what would you do?

 

[Sparky617]

Whose property is the old fence on? Since they built a new fence a foot away, is it towards their property? Did you get a survey when you bought the property? If the old fence is on your property tear it out. If it is on their side of the line, leave it. If you'd really like to hide their stuff, build a new fence on your property to hide theirs. Good fences make good neighbors. Take the high road in whatever you do. It isn't worth a battle.

 

[swimmer_spe]

Whose property is the old fence on? Since they built a new fence a foot away, is it towards their property? Did you get a survey when you bought the property? If the old fence is on your property tear it out. If it is on their side of the line, leave it. If you'd really like to hide their stuff, build a new fence on your property to hide theirs. Good fences make good neighbors. Take the high road in whatever you do. It isn't worth a battle.

I have not gotten a survey... yet.
As I understand, the old fence is on the property line, and their new fence is on their side.
The problem with doing what they did is right by my front door, the fence is already within 4 feet of the door. Now it would be within 3 feet, and that would make getting into our house even worse.

 

[bud16415]

This is just me and I’m knocking on the door to being 70. I have neighbors that are wonderful and pushing 80s and we have a fence they built before we arrived that they built to hide the junk of the people that owned our house before us. They love me for cleaning up the property and not really needing the fence any longer and the fence here is also becoming a bit shabby looking. They had planted a great looking flower garden against the fence on their side long before we showed up. I would like to suggest taking it down or even replacing it, but I’m not going to stir the pot. They are not in great health and she likes to go out and enjoy her flowers. I asked her if it would be ok if I planted our side of the fence as her stuff was coming up on its own on our side. It made her happy so I have been letting ours join in.



For me they will be gone some day and if I’m still around I can deal with the old fence then if I want to.



There is a lot to be said for having good neighbors.

 

[swimmer_spe]

This is just me and I’m knocking on the door to being 70. I have neighbors that are wonderful and pushing 80s and we have a fence they built before we arrived that they built to hide the junk of the people that owned our house before us. They love me for cleaning up the property and not really needing the fence any longer and the fence here is also becoming a bit shabby looking. They had planted a great looking flower garden against the fence on their side long before we showed up. I would like to suggest taking it down or even replacing it, but I’m not going to stir the pot. They are not in great health and she likes to go out and enjoy her flowers. I asked her if it would be ok if I planted our side of the fence as her stuff was coming up on its own on our side. It made her happy so I have been letting ours join in.



For me they will be gone some day and if I’m still around I can deal with the old fence then if I want to.



There is a lot to be said for having good neighbors.

Well, the good thing is, this fence likely won't be touched for a few more years.
Along the fence is nothing but a retaining wall on their side. My side is level with the ground. Their side looks shabby. Mine actually looks nice. It is on the other side of their new fence where they made it look good.

There is another art of our fence line that has no fence, and they have been talking of finishing it. I have told them I welcome it and would help them as needed. It may get done this year, but if not, once I am ready to do the shabby fence, I will offer to finish the other part the year prior. This way, as I continue down, they will appreciate it.(hopefully)

 

[mattbram]

I suspect someone owns the old fence (you or neighbour) and it must be at least mostly on one of your land.

As someone else advises - find out who owns it. If its them (or you really cant find out), build a new fence to hide it...if it's them then ago ahead and rip it up and build a new one.

Try to keep things as nice as possible with neighbours. We have had to deal with some real pieces of work over the years and it can just get more and more difficult - it can also make life in your lovely new home feel a little tainted.

(obviously I am not saying do whatever they ask).

 

[swimmer_spe]

I suspect someone owns the old fence (you or neighbour) and it must be at least mostly on one of your land.

As someone else advises - find out who owns it. If its them (or you really cant find out), build a new fence to hide it...if it's them then ago ahead and rip it up and build a new one.

Try to keep things as nice as possible with neighbours. We have had to deal with some real pieces of work over the years and it can just get more and more difficult - it can also make life in your lovely new home feel a little tainted.

(obviously I am not saying do whatever they ask).

We have laws against unsightly properties. Once I find out who's it is, if it is theirs, they get told to do something, let me do something, or I call bylaw enforcement.

 

[mattbram]

We have laws against unsightly properties. Once I find out who's it is, if it is theirs, they get told to do something, let me do something, or I call bylaw enforcement.

I wish we had these laws, at least two of my neighbours would probably have their houses ripped down.

Although obviously I don't wish them to lose their property...I just wish they were much better maintained.

 

[swimmer_spe]

I wish we had these laws, at least two of my neighbours would probably have their houses ripped down.

Although obviously I don't wish them to lose their property...I just wish they were much better maintained.

I wish they weren't only enforced by complaints.