Fencing and the neighbour from hell

We have just completed a fencing job and the neighbour has just kicked off that they are not happy with the £1000 new fence that has been put up. Luckily they do not live next to me as I would have a few choice words to say.

Now I have not done any thing wrong, All are happy that what I have done is acceptable its just the choice of fence that their neighbour (my customer) has chosen they are not happy with. We took down 6x6 panels and replace with close board. Now I think some of the issue is the rest of their garden is 6x6 panels and it makes it all look odd. (Tuff! me thinks). Any way so that world war 6 does not start my customer is trying to make amends and make changes to try and make them happy at his own expense. I think some of it is he request we put the close boards his side so the neighbour sees the posts and they are not happy with that. All of the fence is placed on my customers side of the boundary. I did say that the neighbour has no legal right to a curtain face of the fence (Think that p*ssed them off even more!).

Does anyone have any kind of forms they use for fencing to try and stop this kind of issue? If so could I have a copy? As said I have done nothing wrong, my customer is happy and paid me however he keeps ringing me to ask advice, which I am happy to do to support customers but really could do with out it happening again.

Thank god I don't have neighbours!!

Replies

PRO

Seth Burgess February 24, 2016 at 10:01pm

If it bothers them so much they could put feather edge on the other side giving both sides of the fence the smooth look. But as you say their problem seems to lie with it not being like the rest of the fencing on their property.
- MWJONES > Seth Burgess February 24, 2016 at 10:08pm
  
  That's the option I have put to them, its just for them all to argue it out at who pays. What grips me the most is we were there 2 days and nothing was said.
PRO

Richard Gadsby February 24, 2016 at 10:28pm

the feather edge of the other side would not cost that much as the hard work(the posts and removal of old fence) has been done.
It would make the fence heavy though. Putting a bit more strain on the posts in the wind maybe
- MWJONES > Richard Gadsby February 24, 2016 at 10:30pm
  
  Yes it would Richard. We did put in 5x4 posts at 2.4m apart as we do with all our close board so it will take it
  - PRO
    
    Richard Gadsby > MWJONES February 24, 2016 at 10:34pm
    
    I don't do many fences as I don't really enjoy it so it's only for my regular customers. But if I do only do close board and I do 4 by 4 posts on 1.8 centres.
    5 by 4 should take the extra. I think the 4 by 4 on 1.8 would take it too never had to though.
Andrew Midgley February 24, 2016 at 10:41pm

That's interesting as I visited one of my regular customers this afternoon to mow her lawn. She was complaining about the fencing put up by her neighbours as they have put up something different to the existing fencing. She also complained about the spoil of earth left behind. To be honest it looks much better than it was before but some people are never satisfied. The only gripe I would have is the waste left behind or not even spread around.
- MWJONES > Andrew Midgley February 24, 2016 at 10:43pm
  
  Not me all waste was removed :0)
  - Andrew Midgley > MWJONES February 24, 2016 at 10:45pm
    
    :0)
PRO

Russ Francis February 25, 2016 at 9:18am

There's a lot of mumbo jumbo quoted out there about who gets the 'good' side. It's down to the person paying for the fence how they want it, but I've been told before nonsense by a neighbour "it's the law that I get the good side" "the arris rails have to go to the inside to indicate who owns the fence" etc etc. I just ignore them and install it how the customer wants it. I put in terms to include the customer checks the deeds to ensure the boundary is theirs, that they consult with the neighbour before work starts, they check the the height and boundary line is correct and that I won't get involved in disputes arising.
- PRO
  
  Andy > Russ Francis February 25, 2016 at 12:00pm
  
  Absolutely right. Have a customer who fenced in his entire garden nice side in. What a pickle that caused! However, being a smart feller he put the fence in 1 metre on his own land along his entire boundary (big garden) and stated that actually he has both sides on his property and the neighbours were welcome to put up any fence they like on their land so long as they left the metre so that we can maintain the fence. Tad on the ya boo sucks to you but there was no comeback at all as it was all within his designated boundary.