Hey everyone, I've been dealing with some issues after my neighbors recently revamped their garden, and I'm curious about whether my feelings on this are justified. They had a lot of work done, and now I'm left with a whole mess on my side. Firstly, they lowered the ground level significantly, which caused our soil to spill into their garden. Now I have to buy new soil to fill in that gap.
Additionally, there's cement and sand that has leaked out from under the fence onto our brickwork, making my once nice border look terrible, with holes and a lot of cement. I'm also worried about the stability of our shared fence, as the posts haven't been secured properly after the ground was altered. On top of that, I think they might have damaged the foundation of our raised patio, despite it looking fine from the surface.
To add insult to injury, I saw the workers pressure-washing dirt onto our pathways and literally kicking rocks and heavy items under the fence into my garden, damaging my plants. So, is this kind of damage and disruption expected when neighbors do extensive renovations, or is it fair for me to feel disrespected about what happened?
5 Answers
It sounds like you've been really let down by their contractors. The issues with the fence and the potential patio damage are definitely serious. Unfortunately, your best bet is to talk this over with your neighbors since they're responsible for the damage their workers caused. It’s tough, but keeping a good relationship could be important, especially if you ever plan to sell your home. If you can, try to address the bigger concerns first, and maybe let some of the smaller annoyances slide if it helps resolve the big problems.
I've had a similar experience, but my neighbors were really upfront about their work before it started, and the contractors came over to clean up afterward. If they hadn’t communicated about it first, I might have felt as frustrated as you. Maybe just drop by and let them know what’s happening? It could make it easier to resolve things together.
What did you do when you saw them kicking rocks and planks under the fence? Did you say something to them while they were working?
You might want to check out r/legaladviceuk for advice, but from what you’ve shared, it definitely seems like a neighbor dispute brewing. Their work shouldn't impact your property at all. Communication seems key here; maybe chat with them about getting the situation sorted out?
If I had seen workers doing what you described, I would’ve stepped in immediately. When we had issues with flooding, I talked to my neighbors and got the water company to help out. You should definitely bring this up with your neighbors to see if they can get the contractors to fix any damages they've caused.
I completely agree! Acting quickly can sometimes make all the difference in resolving these kinds of issues.
That sounds like a solid approach! Communication really goes a long way in these situations.