Neighbour damaging fencing

[Lamb's Orchard]

I have a problem with a neighbour who has permission to park his vans adjoining my land. He parks too close and has knocked a short section (2 or 3 bays) of my post and rail fence out of alignment and he has tow bars on the back of a couple of the vans which get caught in the stock fencing. I have had a word and he has acknowledged the problem, but is still parking too close. It isn't necessary as there is room for him and his employees to park a bit further forward without causing any issues. I don't want to fall out with anyone as it is a really nice close knit community and we all share an access from the lane. Also I am going to need planning permission for a shed and polytunnel in the near future so am keen not to upset the locals. He does not own the parking spaces, he rents them from another neighbour who owns the shared access. I am trying to think of various steps I could possibly take to try and protect my fence and encourage him to park a bit further away. I have considered attaching tyres or boat style fenders to the fence, but I'm not sure this will help, may just encourage them to bounce off my fence, although might stop the tow bars snagging in the wire? I am also thinking of planting a hedge along the original fence line, but would he just reverse into that instead? Really not sure what to do. Just wondering if anyone has any ideas.
Thanks.

 

[betweenthelines]

Put up a length of Crash barrier on his side of the fence.

 

[deleted user 837354]

[Totally not recommended or anything but...] puts runs of high tensile wire along the fence stapled in tight. Next time he parks too close slip a length of the HT wire over the tow bar. When he drives away it will destroy your fence and you can make him pay to have it repaired.

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

Put up a length of Crash barrier on his side of the fence.

I did consider this, but don't think there is room without installing on neighbours land and also it's gravel over membrane on soil so not sure how I'd fix it down, or did you mean attach lengths to my fence posts? My fencing is hefty chunks of chestnut posts but not concreted in.

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

[Totally not recommended or anything but...] puts runs of high tensile wire along the fence stapled in tight. Next time he parks too close slip a length of the HT wire over the tow bar. When he drives away it will destroy your fence and you can make him pay to have it repaired.

That sounds a bit drastic at this stage.

 

[Welderloon]

Metal estate type fence, will damage his motor if he hits it & look more rustic if it has a few scrapes & bends - win/win

 

[yin ewe]

A row of lego blocks on the neighbours side?

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

Metal estate type fence, will damage his motor if he hits it & look more rustic if it has a few scrapes & bends - win/win

Thanks, have considered this too, but AONB (or whatever they call it these days) and listed buildings opposite, would defo upset the locals.

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

This is what is happening. If I stand at my gate and look back along the fence line towards the lane (about 12m) it deviates by about 60 cm. The fence was renewed and installed absolutely straight only 3 years ago. Thing is he is parking back to the fence all the time so it is gradually getting worse.

 

[puppet]

Afraid you either confront it or ignore it. You have the photos to show the damage.
You say it is a close knit community but if it was he would stop hitting your fence and fix it. Speak to the owner who rents it and say you have had enough.
If you think the planning is on a sure footing then won't make any difference what they think.

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

A row of lego blocks on the neighbours side?

Had to Google these. It is tempting. Could maybe get away with them on my side pushed right up against the wire between the posts.

 

[yin ewe]

Had to Google these. It is tempting. Could maybe get away with them on my side pushed right up against the wire between the posts.

If they're on your side it won't stop him reversing against wire. Would be better on his side so the vans wouldn't be near the fence.

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

Afraid you either confront it or ignore it. You have the photos to show the damage.
You say it is a close knit community but if it was he would stop hitting your fence and fix it. Speak to the owner who rents it and say you have had enough.
If you think the planning is on a sure footing then won't make any difference what they think.

Thanks. I'm just being a bit cowardly I think. The access is owned by a club whose ground is behind me. Most of them are fine, but the current chairman tried to deny me access when I first started work, so I'm a bit wary of him. My deeds give me access at all times with or without vehicles, machinery, livestock etc. If I'm honest I am trying to avoid any confrontation. Everyone knows everyone, is on first name terms and won't want to get involved or take sides. They all live there. I am the outsider, but they are all really nice. They will keep an eye on things for me and give me a call if there are any issues and/or sort things, the guy who owns the vans is fine too, apart from the fence issue. I was hoping to resolve it with some simple fix.

 

[Lamb's Orchard]

If they're on your side it won't stop him reversing against wire. Would be better on his side so the vans wouldn't be near the fence.

Yep, I agree, but arguably they would be at least partly on neighbours land, which he is renting and if they damaged his vans, it could just make everything worse. At the moment it is only me who has an issue.

Thanks anyway. I do appreciate the advice and suggestions.

 

[melted welly]

Could you put a row of wooden batons on the ground so he bounces off them before hitting the fence.

If he persists, knock some 6” nails thru and repeat the exercise.

 

[yin ewe]

Does the owner of the vans actually drive any of them? If not maybe you could politely and quietly ask the drivers to park a bit further forward?

 

[TripleSix]

This is what is happening. If I stand at my gate and look back along the fence line towards the lane (about 12m) it deviates by about 60 cm. The fence was renewed and installed absolutely straight only 3 years ago. Thing is he is parking back to the fence all the time so it is gradually getting worse.

Hook a post to the towbar on one with some fence wire so they pull it all over when they set off.

If they have to repair or replace they might think twice.
Bloody plumbers

 

[Dry Rot]

The first thing that occurs to me is that you are dealing the wrong person. Your grumble is with the van owner's landlord. You have no contract with the van owner but do have an implied contract with his landlord not to interfere with your peaceful occupation of your property. Might be easier dealing with an intermediary, anyway.

 

[Kidds]

Just smash his brakelights, that should get the message across.

 

[melted welly]

There was some old biddies took to walking in woods here, that’s fine, but the parking got progressively worse to the point one parked blocking half the carriageway on the back of a blind hump in the road.

I got some big post it notes in the van so made up a
“parked like a C-unit, well done ”
award for their window.

Never been a problem again.