Annoying neighbor

[Donald]

My neighbor had his property lines surveyed last fall. Now he is telling me two planting beds extend about 1 foot onto his property. They have been this way for 10 or 15 years before either of us moved here. He wants me to remove the rock border on one and the dirt and mulch on both. I have maintained the entire planting bed every year. This is the same neighbor who has called the dog warden on me twice and the DSP on his other neighbor for allegedly cutting a string along the property boundary.

 

[totegoat]

His property? Surprised he hasn't removed the beds already.

 

[billt460]

Sounds like someone who enjoys making trouble. It's very difficult to deal with these types of individuals, because they like trouble, and usually have a complex about, "being right"...... Even if it means trying to make a mountain out of a molehill to do it.

If they didn't, they wouldn't complain about such pettiness. If you're a patient man, I would sit down and make a simple list of points you can make to him about leaving the whole thing at the status quo.

If you know what he drinks, Beer, wine, Scotch, whatever, you can offer it to him. And tell him you would like to discuss the matter on friendly terms.

"Kill him with kindness", so to speak. If that doesn't work, it comes down to just ignoring him, and see just how far he wants to take it. He can most likely make you move it, if it's encroaching on his property.... And that's if he's determined to become a complete prick about the situation.

Unfortunately there are people who just LOVE to do this type of thing. It gives them a feeling a of superiority. Even if it is over something as petty and stupid as this.

 

[kballowe]

Be kind. Move your stuff over.

Alternatively, you could get your own survey - from a different company. Second opinion.

 

[Donald]

Be kind. Move your stuff over.

Alternatively, you could get your own survey - from a different company. Second opinion.

I was thinking of moving over the survey stakes by a foot towards his property.

 

[Donald]

I could file for adverse possession I think.

My hope is he is doing this in advance of moving.

 

[350Rocket]

I was thinking of moving over the survey stakes by a foot towards his property.

Was about to agree with you that your neighbor is annoying, but I hope you're joking about this. I am a field technician that works for a land surveyor and destroying the pins does nothing but make our job that much harder. You have no idea how many pins are possibly already destroyed or missing.

It's sad that he would argue over a foot. However, if it's actually his property and he's making you move it, then you don't have much of a choice. Destroying the evidence is against the law (can go to prison for it - though it has never actually happened afaik) but it doesn't move the property. It just costs more if you end up paying your own surveyor for a second opinion that is very unlikely to bring a different result.

 

[paulswagelock]

Politely tell him you do not feel like they are on his property and are not moving them. Let him decide if it is important enough to run it up the flagpole with the locality.
I have lived beside this same personality at my last house. It never ends. He also thought my beds were 6 inches on his side, and my driveway was 1/2” on his side (200’ long of concrete). I simply replied, “oh, maybe your survey is wrong”.

 

[Zee09]

If he wants to move it after all of these years go ahead and move it.
But I'm not helping or paying for it.
If you don't like it take me to court.

Another loser..

 

[mk378]

You could hire your own surveyor to be sure the line is correct.

As others said, if the landscaping is really on his side he can do whatever he wants with it up to the line. It is not your problem. Make it clear that you will no longer be entering onto his property even if invited.

 

[joekingcorvette]

We had to move a wooden fence with cemented posts 1 foot due to an irate neighbor. It cost almost $2000 to have it moved over 1 foot but we moved the entire fence and gain about 2 foot on the other end. Not much you can do. I would do the work, move the rocks and dirt and never talk to the neighbor again. Those types of neighbors are impossible to deal with.

 

[Donald]

I am pretty sure it's on his property. As I said it's been this way for 10 or 15 years before either of us moved in.

 

[Donald]

We had to move a wooden fence with cemented posts 1 foot due to an irate neighbor. It cost almost $2000 to have it moved over 1 foot but we moved the entire fence and gain about 2 foot on the other end. Not much you can do. I would do the work, move the rocks and dirt and never talk to the neighbor again. Those types of neighbors are impossible to deal with.

A lady in the neighborhood was a social worker at various hospitals before retiring and has told me in the past all his various personality disorders.

Wife said hello to him in the yard last week he turned away and scurried off not acknowledging.

 

[Dave Hess]

My sister’s neighbor was parking his truck on her property and county had to survey the property line.

She planted shrubs to keep the truck off her property.

 

[SHOZ]

My house lot was carved out of a pasture. It had a cedar fence for the property line originally and an electric fence on the other side of that. I painted the fence once and cedar is not good for latex. So I tore it down and put a flower bed on the fence line using cut up fence post as the bed wall.

The pasture got sold and they had a survey done. The back 6" or so was on their property. They did comes over and comment I did remove it. Then I bought the property when they subdivided it into lots so they would never bother me again.

If you don't own it then you are at their graces.

 

[drtyler]

I am pretty sure it's on his property. As I said it's been this way for 10 or 15 years before either of us moved in.

Then fix it and move on. Regardless of how you feel about the neighbor, you aren’t in the right.

 

[cb_13]

I’d ask him what he intends to plant in his one foot section.

 

[MrGraybeard]

Tell him you give him permission to move the landscaping if he likes.

 

[k1xv]

I have the neighbor from hell next door to me. He is a second home owner, and when he comes here, he thinks he is in Disneyland, and all the full time residents need to conform to his expectations, including me. I will not detail all the crazy things he has done, but one cost me $3000 to oppose his efforts to dig a trench across my property for his utility lines (there was a utility easement, but it had expired years earlier).

Then he called me up to complain about me cutting down a tree on my property that was 500 feet from his home, and not even visible from his house. That was the end. I blocked his ability to telephone me, and ignore his e-mails.

I call him "The Long Island Dentist" as he is a retired dentist. A very disagreeable person. When he was building his house up here, there was a labor shortage. His project fell behind schedule as a result, so he fired the contractor. Which accomplished nothing, other than to delay his project further. He wound up having asphalt shingles installed late in the construction season, and the adhesives did not bond properly. An early winter windstorm blew all his shingles off, and they were everywhere. The man is a fool.

 

[pbm]

I agree with telling him to move the landscaping if he wants to but I wouldn't lift a finger to help him.