Glass on Fence

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eggnog

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My friend has just phoned me really upset as she has noticed that her neighbour has placed broken glass all along their dividing fence at the back of the garden. There is no issue between them, she does not really know them but she thinks that it is to stop the cats walking along the fence and possibly to deter the cats from going into her garden. My friend has one cat but there are a few other cats around which walk along the fence. Does anyone know if the neighbour is allowed to do this?
 
If it's a shared wall then they should have asked - that's just good manners. Why doesn't she just go and discuss it with them - they might be able to come to some kind of amicable solution.
 
She does intend to go and talk to them but she is very nervous about it because as you said it would have been good manners to says it in the first place and because they did not they might get funny with her, she lives on her own and likes an easy life. I feel that it is illegal what they have done and she is prepared to get a solicitor involved if they do not remove it if this is possible, it would be nice to know where she stands. I will be calling round to see her tonight so I might go with her to see them for moral support.
 
If someone (even a tresspasser) were to injure themselves on the glass there could be nasty insurance and legal (even criminal) issues. Whose land is the fence on?
 
is it an Oirish thing that she is cautious in meeting the people next door but ready and willing to go to the solicitor!
I think she should say it to them as a legal issue. Use the burgler and not the cat being injured as the motivation as the cat was most likely the motivation in placing it there in the first place.
 
The only reason that she is cautious is that she does not know what they are like, for all she knows they could be the aggressive kind, she is a bit more comfortable now knowing that I will go with her. As previously said, they put up the glass without a care in relation to her. But if they do get akward, she will take it to the next stage as she definately does not want glass on the fence. Of course she would prefer if just a little chat will sort it out.
 
Putting glass on top of a wall isn't much different to putting barbed wired on top of security fencing, using pointed palisade fencing or using razor wire. You don't see much of it in residential areas but I can't see a neighbour having a legal reason to have it removed especially if it was kept to one half of the wall.

The cats will probably still walk along the wall.
 
Im sure that it is illegal . first point of call should be council health and safety officer . very valid point about burglar/child etc if someone injured themselves they would be in serious trouble . their insurance would not cover it. if you want to check from an insurance point of view ring your own insurance co. and tell them you intend to do this (ie put glass on boundary wall) and see what they advise you. if someone comes along and injures themselves on the wall then claims from you ....how will you react?? i probably would act quickly on this but not involve a solicitor yet.
 
yep im sure i remember a guard telling me some years back that securing walls or fences by that means is illegal, certainly not desireable if we all start to do it think there could be insurance issues also
 
Thanks for the advice, hopefully it will not involve solicitors, I feel that it is sortable but that really depends on them. I am amazed that they did not even try to speak to her but maybe they have not considered that the fence is a joint fence. I'll let you know the outcome. I'll call the council tomorrow first before we approach. Hopefully will all get sorted out over the weekend. Thanks again. :)
 
Personally I would be more afraid of children being injured climbing over the fence than burgulars.

Rather than broken glass to keep burgulars out I would prefer something like this. I would imaging that cats wouldn't like it much either.
 
I'm just curious to know, does this mean that all the builders providers etc that erect raxor wire etc on top of their fences & walls are breaking the law ?
If it applies to residential surely it also applies to commercial / industrial
 
Just keep removing the glass and let the neighbour make the first move.
 
Apart from anything else, I imagine glass on top of the boundary wall is very unsightly? I seem to recall that this is illegal also.
 
Think it is poor advice to get OP to begin removing glass inserted in cement(im sure) from the boundary wall. Why should he/she do this?
 
I had a problem a while back where a house I had bought that had been vacant for some time. Needless to say that I didn't know that the garden was the local drinking meeting point for underage drinkers on a Saturday night. Anyway to cut a very long story short I was thinking of putting glass on the wall as it continued when I moved into the house. I got in touch with the Neighbourhood Watch Garda Rep. at the time and he advised completely against this saying I would be personnally liable if someone was cut or injured even though the were in fact trespassing on my property. He advised I should try greasing (car grease) the wall but I could only do this on my boundary walls and not any that backed onto other peoples property which I did and this definetly sorted my problem. Needless to say I didn't have anyone come to my door complaining that whilst they tried to clear the wall to join the party they destroyed their clothes!

I would suggest your friend contact her local Neighbourhood Watch Garda Rep. for advice and ask them to log her query just incase someone does get injured and they take legal action against both residents sharing the wall. Sometimes the softly softly approach is best in these situations.
 
Put on some torn and ripped clothes, cover yourself in sprays of ketchup, hold a football in your hand and call to their door and ask them; what do they think they're at??!!
 
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