NTTGPR: Neighbours...

candrew05

So last year our friend and neighbour directly behind us put up a fence.  I wasn`t even in the country when this happened, got home and found it, thought it was great as we couldn`t afford our fence last year and can`t even afford it this year for the sides of our yard as we have other priorities  Also, our neighbours to the side dont want fences either.  This girl just texts my husband asking us to pay our half. 

I want to know, WWYD??  Sure, I get that generally neighbours share the cost, but what if the neighbour never talks to you about it beforehand?  Had she asked us we would have said we weren`t ready financially yet and maybe in a year or two.  I imagine we will just pay it to keep the peace, would you?  Either way, I`m feeling bitter over it right now and am not happy.  Talk me through this guys...

krdesi

I would tell her to bite me.

You weren't consulted and there wasn't an agreement for you to be paying for half, so they're s.o.l. as far as being able to make anyone pay their bill for them.

flgirl20134

I would be irritated. She did not consult you and it is not your responsibility to pay her bills. I moved last year. We have privacy bushes everywhere but one side, if DH and I chose to put up a bush, that's my choice and no one elses. She has serious nerve to text that.....I would tell her to shove it lol.

flgirl20134

I would be irritated. She did not consult you and it is not your responsibility to pay her bills. I moved last year. We have privacy bushes everywhere but one side, if DH and I chose to put up a bush, that's my choice and no one elses. She has serious nerve to text that...

 Edit: I have no idea why this posted twice, my PC froze then I saw it here...sorry.

FoxiePM

I would tell her that at this point it is not an investment you want to make. Tell her you do not object to her putting up the fence but at this time its not something you are willing to do.

Keeping the peace is overrated!

bumpuser1282882

krdesi:

I would tell her to bite me.

You weren't consulted and there wasn't an agreement for you to be paying for half, so they're s.o.l. as far as being able to make anyone pay their bill for them.

Yep, this. Also, if they really wanted the money, maybe they should have asked last year.

Just curious - is it technically on your property or hers? 

LaurenAsh23

No way!! She didn't talk to you before doing it-not your problem. 

Our yard is completely fenced in and both our neighbors built off our fence...not like we charged them. I don't think you have any responsibility. 

misskristina21

krdesi:

I would tell her to bite me.

You weren't consulted and there wasn't an agreement for you to be paying for half, so they're s.o.l. as far as being able to make anyone pay their bill for them.

This x a million. No way am I going to pay for anything that was done without me knowing about it. And/or having a written agreement that I would pay half for.

Jellybean813

krdesi:

I would tell her to bite me.

You weren't consulted and there wasn't an agreement for you to be paying for half, so they're s.o.l. as far as being able to make anyone pay their bill for them.

This. You don't owe her anything if she didn't consult you for it beforehand. I agree with a PP that keeping the peace is overrated - if she's willing to pull this and you agree to it, she may start doing more to walk all over you guys. Tell her no.

beckynsean11

I'd tell her to bite me too. If they had discussed it before hand that's one thing. But to do it w/o talking to you & expect you to pay anything is ridiculous!

riebeetee

stufie:

krdesi:

I would tell her to bite me.

You weren't consulted and there wasn't an agreement for you to be paying for half, so they're s.o.l. as far as being able to make anyone pay their bill for them.

Yep, this. Also, if they really wanted the money, maybe they should have asked last year.

Just curious - is it technically on your property or hers? 

This! We have shared fences in my neighbored here in Southern California, but back in New York, fences were definitely not shared. In fact, sometimes you would see two different fences, back to back, one on each neighbors property (i.e. one chain link fence and one wood fence).

Not asking before they did it = not your responsibility.

candrew05

Okay thanks guys!!  I dont feel so bad being upset over this now.

stufie:

krdesi:

I would tell her to bite me.

You weren't consulted and there wasn't an agreement for you to be paying for half, so they're s.o.l. as far as being able to make anyone pay their bill for them.

Yep, this. Also, if they really wanted the money, maybe they should have asked last year.

Just curious - is it technically on your property or hers? 

Well technically we havent measured the property line with the placement of her fence. In fact, it`s always been a joke that we need to do it. Guess we need to now.

Thanks again guys for the quick response!

CMSullivan326

I've never even heard this before?!

vadarling

I would definitely not pay for this. IMHO that is not your responsibility at all. Does your community have a Homeowners Association? I'd contact them to see where you stand in their eyes.

nicole mackenzie

candrew05:

So last year our friend and neighbour directly behind us put up a fence.nbsp; I wasnt even in the country when this happened, got home and found it, thought it was great as we couldnt afford our fence last yearnbsp;and cant even afford it this year for the sides of our yardnbsp;as we have other prioritiesnbsp; Also, our neighbours to the side dont want fences either.nbsp; This girl just texts my husband asking us to pay our half.nbsp; I want to know, WWYD??nbsp; Sure, I get that generally neighbours share the cost, but what if the neighbour never talks to you about it beforehand?nbsp; Had she asked us we would have said we werent ready financially yet and maybe in a year or two.nbsp; I imagine we will just pay it to keep the peace, would you?nbsp; Either way, Im feeling bitter over it right now and am not happy.nbsp; Talk me through this guys...

They did not discuss it with you. It was their choice and they can pay for it. They can't come at you after the fact.

ChristyML

CMSullivan326:

I've never even heard this before?!

I have. We were going to go in for a fence together with a neighbor, but it ended up being not a good time for either of us so it's not a problem.

OP, I'd probably "pfffft" in her face. What an idiot to think she could even ask you to pay half.  

melp723

In some states they have shared fences, but that is something that should be disussed before the fence goes up.  Our neighbor behind us asked us before he put up his 8 foot fence (to keep his dog out of our yard  ) if we would split the cost.  We politely told him no effing way. 

candrew05

I am so glad everyone here is on the same page.  Maybe I am just freaking more because she`s a friend.  But either way this created enough bitterness I don`t know why that fact matters anymore.

krdesi

candrew05:

I am so glad everyone here is on the same page.  Maybe I am just freaking more because she`s a friend.  But either way this created enough bitterness I don`t know why that fact matters anymore.

She doesn't sound very "friendly", she sounds like a B!TCH. Good luck and DO NOT PAY!

ResiW

krdesi:

candrew05:

I am so glad everyone here is on the same page.  Maybe I am just freaking more because she`s a friend.  But either way this created enough bitterness I don`t know why that fact matters anymore.

She doesn't sound very "friendly", she sounds like a B!TCH. Good luck and DO NOT PAY!

 

Jaffany

Wow I've never heard of this before, so she expects you to pay a share...what about the other 2 sides? Does that mean she gets a free fence? Stand your ground! That's ridiculous.

dragonfly711

No way should you give them any money. You did not ask them to put up a fence. Even if you did want one. They did it on their own. Is it on your property? If it is you could tell them they have to move it.
Plus they put it up without you knowing and why are they waiting over a year to ask you for money??
No way should you give them money. All on them!!!

Hooper88

No way! Not your responsibility.  They should have been pro active and asked you to chip in before they put it up. What they did was an a$$ backward way of going about it...

dragossoul84

If she didnt talk to you before hand its her problem. I would tell her since she didnt talk to you or ask your input that its her expense.

annksaw

candrew05:

Okay thanks guys!!  I dont feel so bad being upset over this now.

stufie:

krdesi:

I would tell her to bite me.

You weren't consulted and there wasn't an agreement for you to be paying for half, so they're s.o.l. as far as being able to make anyone pay their bill for them.

Yep, this. Also, if they really wanted the money, maybe they should have asked last year.

Just curious - is it technically on your property or hers? 

Well technically we havent measured the property line with the placement of her fence. In fact, it`s always been a joke that we need to do it. Guess we need to now.

Thanks again guys for the quick response!

Yes definitly do it now! Don't want to start a weird legal battle about a fence, right? But don't pay for it. That is just ridiculously self-involved of them to think that they can just put up a fence and ask you to pay for half of it. Sometimes its really hard to understand people lol 

Firefly9

If it's not on your property, it's not your responsibility to pay, ESPECIALLY since you weren't consulted and didn't agree to pay half before hand.

If it IS on your property, it's still not your responsibility to pay because she did it without asking, and you can tear it down without asking her.

candrew05

Yes we are going to double check if it is on our property or not at this point, check out our cities codes and will likely give this girl a hard time if she doesn't want to drop asking us for money.

curlylocks3

Not only do people typically need a permit to put up a fence, they also sometimes have to put it at least X distance from the property line.

I definitely would not be paying half of something I didn't agree to, not when its as expensive as a fence!

candrew05

Just as an update if anyone is still reading this thread

Our neighbour is enjoying sending us threats with certain "Fence Line Acts" stating Ontario's 50/50 rule on splitting the cost of a fence.

It took me 3 seconds to look up this Act and just about the first paragraph says that this Act would not apply to us.  1. She did it without consulting us. 2.  She didn't present us with 3 different contractor bids.  The Act itself does not deal with boundary issues, so we won't get into that.  Basically, the municipality will have no jurisdiction over the matter and if she wants the money she will have to pursue it in a small claims court.  With what evidence I dont know????

We are going to City Hall tomorrow just to confirm my understanding of this act.