The lady and her husband “recently moved into a groundfloor maisonette” which came with a garden. She explained how the “previous tenant was quite friendly with next door and he would let their children play in the garden”. The previous tenant also allowed the hedge between the two properties to be removed so a conservatory could be built on the boundary line, and an outdoor tap was also fitted – albeit underneath the maisonette’s kitchen window, which is connected to the maisonette’s water bill. Recently, the neighbours have been helping themselves to the outdoor water source and she wants to know how to deal with the situation.
The woman said she has “made friends with” their neighbours and explained how she “gets along with the wife etc and I like her”.
The male neighbour “asked to use the water so I said yes a few months back, but often would just walk through his garden through the gap [between the old hedge and conservatory] to use it, sometimes daily”.
“Whereas I didn’t want to disrupt what they’ve been custom to for years my husband finds it incredibly invasive and hates it,” she added.
Recently, the couple were sitting eating dinner in their living room when they heard the “water tap being used outside”.
Her husband got up “warning and basically has a go at [the neighbour] telling him to stop coming [into the garden and using the tap] without asking”.
The lady said her husband was “aggressive” in the way he asked the neighbour to stop, and he responded by saying his wife “lacked boundaries”.
The lady argued she feels “awkward” and “isn’t on a metre” so “doesn’t see the harm” in the neighbours using her water source outside.
“So basically am I being unreasonable to be slightly annoyed at my husband for having a go at him?” She asked other Mumsnet users. “As I don’t want things to be awkward when we’ve only been here a few months?”
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Someone suggested a short-term solution: “Can the neighbour run a hose from the tap with a tap his end too? Then he can just turn it on while he’s in his garden.”
In the long term, many offered their advice: “I’d be annoyed with you as well and agree with your DH.
“Get a proper fence installed and I’d be unbelievably amazed if they changed their pipework for that outside tap to be collected to their water meter.”
“Team DH,” another wrote. “I would be fixing the gap in the fence and explaining that you are using your garden for you, and you want to remain in good terms but you want your privacy.”
Someone else commented: “Team dh here. Nip the situation in the bud now. Get a tap lock (opens with a little magnetic key) and fix the fence. You don’t want them gaining any right of access to your land.
“If you’re worried about upsetting them, then claim you have had a water meter fitted and can only afford your own supply. Definitely get a tap lock in this case….they might sneakily try and use it.”
One response read: “First of all, I would tell the neighbour that you will be putting in a fence panel to extend the hedge and complete the boundary – for security reasons! They will then not be able to access your water tap.
“Next fit a lock on the tap for extra security.
“Check that planning regs were obtained for the conservatory, as they removed the fence and built to the boundary, it is possible that it does encroach on your land. You might have problems selling your house if the buyers solicitor queried the deeds.
“Apply to your water utility to gas a metre fitted, it’s likely that you will greatly reduce your bills.”
“As previously stated, good fences make good neighbours,” another suggested.
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