Arrogant beyond belief!

[Graham K]

The attached pictures are of the fence belonging to my "new" neighbour, they bought the house last summer. The fence has rapidly been falling apart since the November storms and has come apart completely in the last few weeks.
The fence is absolutely 100% my neighbours and they even admit it belongs to them and is their responsibility, so no problem there.
However, their reply to the obvious "when are you going to fix it" (knowing that we have chickens) I found unbelievable.

"We plan to fix it in the summer" was their answer, end of subject!

I've been to the council, and they were unsurprisingly not interested. Google just throws up a load of stuff about who owns a fence, already know that.

Has anyone had any dealings with forcing someone, by legal means, to fix a fence, as I'm sure this mess now constitutes a dangerous structure. Would it be worth perhaps contacting the RSPCA or similar as I can't now let the girls out to free range into a safe environment, ie safe to wander around the garden without running off or ending up in the main road.

As I said it is next doors fence, that's not the argument, I just want to find out if there are any legal ways of getting them to fix it.

Thanks, Graham.

[Thelma Sanders]

Perhaps they can't afford it - not everyone is made of money.

Get some chicken wire or netting to keep the birds in your garden.

[Scarlet]

It may be the neighbours fence but it is your responsibility to ensure your chickens are safe. Get yourself a chicken run.

[Graham K]

Actually they can damn well afford it, and actually I'm the one without a job at the moment. Why should I fix their fence just because they can't be bothered?

[chris]

If it was me, I'd just put one up on your land, or run a temporary one if you don't want to, to keep your birds in your garden.

It is an eyesore - which is the reason I'd do it.


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[Graham K]

It may be the neighbours fence but it is your responsibility to ensure your chickens are safe. Get yourself a chicken run.

I have a chicken run, it's called a garden!

[WendyC]

My neighbours and I moved in the same weekend. Our fence and theirs was falling down. We had ours replaced but it took them about 10 years of patching and bodging to eventually replace a few panels. The worst was the first thing I saw when I looked out of kitchen window. I'm afraid I drew a blank like you, there is nothing you can do. I mentioned it everytime I saw them. It was nothingto do with money either. I sympathise. I guess if they had a dog wandering into your garden you might have a case but as others have said you'll have to make your chickens safe yourself.

[chris]

Move your table and chairs so you're facing to their patio windows when the eldest her is good enough. And just stare at them all the time when they're in that room.


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[binley100]

Actually they can damn well afford it, and actually I'm the one without a job at the moment. Why should I fix their fence just because they can't be bothered?

Because you need to protect your chickens and stop them from coming to harm or disappearing ...

Unless you are privvy to their finances then just because they are working doesn't mean they can afford it ....

Sorry but sounds to me like pot and kettle black........

[Bill HH]

It is not your neighbours fault you choose to keep chickens, even if they repair the fence they have no obligation to make it chicken proof. All you can do is erect a wire mesh fence on your side.
Not what you want to hear I am sure.
Above all do not fall out with your neighbours, its very bad news and goes on for years, you may need their help one day. Legal action is also to be avoided if possible, best to just bite the bullet and erect a cheap fence or eat the chickens.

[lottie dolly]

to my knowledge,there is no obligation to erect a fence of any sort,if you want a fence up you have to provide it,we have been there ourselves,when DH was out of work,fencing is very expensive these days,try 20+ panels posts,if it is your choice to have them roam free,then it's up to you to take the steps to ensure they are not only safe,but not a nuisance to others,sorry but thats the reality of the situation,
Can you get hold of some pallets,or old doors,have a trawl around the factories ect,not pretty,but better than nothing,just a thought,

[Aberdeenplotter]

Bottom line is it is your neighbour's choice whether to have a fence at all let alone repair what is there. It is not necessarily a question of arrogance. There could be a myriad of reasons why they choose not to repair the fence and they are under no obligation to let you know what their reasons are.

Likewise it is your choice whether you keep chickens or not and if you do it is your choice where to keep them.

I won't go so far as to say it is arrogant beyond belief that you expect your neighbours to provide fencing to facilitate you keeping your chickens but the thought did cross my mind.

[Glutton4...]

I feel for you - it really is an eyesore. We have insufficient fencing to most of our property, and as it is rented, I'm loathe to spend much money on it. However, we have Chickens and Dogs, so I've chosen to put up electric mesh. It keeps the Dogs contained in the garden, and separate from the Chickens. It prevents access by Foxes, and it helps reduce the amount of visits by the neighbouring Cats who used to treat this garden as their own territory before we moved in. It may be best to just bite the bullet. Sorry.

[Graham K]

Sorry but sounds to me like pot and kettle black........[/QUOTE]

Nothing to do with them working and me not. It was about me paying to fix their property!!!

Thanks for all the replies especially from those that bothered to read the original question.

Forum Moderator please close this thread I've read all the answers I care to on this subject!

[veggiechicken]

Thread closed as requested ^^^^.