We have lived in our house for six years and our neighbor installed the fence five years ago. We had no part in the fence installation, we did not get to choose the materials, who installed it or if we got the picket side or not. He went around us on the whole thing. This neighbor has since sold the property and been gone for at least a year and a half; all of the sudden we have started recieving letters (in our door)demanding payment for half of this fence. Does he have any legal recourse, should we have to pay him?
2007-03-23 10:07:05 · 11 answers · asked by lizchrisco 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
No.
If you did not sign a contract for the fence, you are under no obligation to pay. I do not believe that they have any legal recourse. I believe that they are desparate to try to collect anything on the fence, and so they're trying to tell you that you owe it.
Since you didn't sign anything, they'd have a difficult time proving that you agreed to pay for half of it.
Good luck!
2007-03-23 10:11:42 · answer #1 · answered by Scotty Doesnt Know 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no verbal or written agreement, no liability. You may wish to consider sending a certified letter back to the address stating so --and adding that further letters to you will be considered harassment--something you can use legally to get your former neighbor to leave you alone. Also, you may wish to check your legal property line. Did your neighbor install fence on your property? If so, you have additional legal recourse...because you did not authorize, you can charge the neighbor for demolition of current fence and get the fence you want...it will take a while though. Depends on how much of an issue you wish to make out of this. If the fence is solely on the neighbor's property, that's just one more reason you are not liable.
2007-03-23 10:21:32 · answer #2 · answered by girly-girl 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like he's in a bit of a jam and needs some cash. You did not have a contract with him, written or otherwise, so you are not liable for the cost of the fence, in any way, shape, or form.
Where EXACTLY is this fence located? Get your property surveyed, unless you know for a FACT where your property line is. If the fence is just a tad one way or the other, it (and the responsibility thereof) belongs to that landowner. If it sits directly ON the property line, then you can do what you want on your side of it, such as color of paint, decor, whatever. If it's on YOUR property, do as you please. If it's on THEIR property, then you have nothing to do with it. Period.
Either way, he's not going to get a quick buck from you. If he continues to leave notes, contact a lawyer if you so choose. This is grounds for harassment.
Good luck to you!
Blessings
2007-03-23 10:23:19 · answer #3 · answered by Silverwolf 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO. Even if you had a contract they can't wait 5 years to ask for the money. Statute of limitations, and you never even had a contract. Who is asking for the money? The old owner, what an a******. Write a letter saying you never agreed to put up a fence. Will not pay for a fence, and consider his letter harassing.
cc the letter to Joe Blow Attorney at Law
2007-03-23 12:16:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No ,you owe him nothing.Even if he completely fenced in your yard without any kind of written or verbal agreement you still owe him nothing. It would be considered a gift. The next time that he sends you a letter demanding payment, I would write him back stating that the fence was his doing and that you had no part of it and that if he doesn't leave you alone you will file harassment charges on him.
2007-03-23 10:18:57 · answer #5 · answered by kittysoma27 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You guys never agreed to him putting up that fence and there's nothing in writing. Now, unless the fence runs all the way around your house, I don't see how he would think he should get his money & 5 yrs later? No.
2007-03-23 10:12:11 · answer #6 · answered by HappilyEverAfter 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO,
My Dad calls people like that "money grubbers"
AND if he says you have owned it for 5 years before....he sold YOUR property
and because of property value going up...
He owes YOU money. the jerk take him to small claims court.
2007-03-23 10:18:48 · answer #7 · answered by to tell ya the truth........... 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
NO not at all and what you should do is confront them if you see them and tell them you'll have them arrested for harassment. Good luck and stand your ground. They don't have a leg to stand on
2007-03-23 10:13:39 · answer #8 · answered by Les the painter 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ridiculous. They have no recourse whatsoever.
2007-03-27 06:55:26 · answer #9 · answered by Answerman 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You owe him nothing. Contact local authorities..this is harrassment.
2007-03-23 10:13:37 · answer #10 · answered by James Dean 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋