I fought the Law

Along the side of my garden their are the back of 3 other gardens rom houses in the next street and I have a issue at present with the middle one.

I have a small fence and he has a number of bushes which are a mess and too high seperating us. However between is a tall old fence that doesn't only look crap its totally rotten. Anyway I had a chat with him the other day and he said he was going to cut the bushes back which pleased me.

But he asked what I was going to do about the rotten fence, I said I thought it was his but he said it was mine. I offered to go half for a new fence but he didn't seem interested.

Anyway I wasn't sure because the fence was up before I lived here or him for that matter. I've since checked with my other neighbours at the other side of me (who have both been here 30 years +) and they tell me it was the previous owner of his house that put the fence up.

I've since told him this and still offered to go half but he now seems to be making things look ok at his side but leaving the crap at mine. Ok at present I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt to see if he sorts it, there is a bit of work to do. To me its the obvious and sensible solution to share the costs.

However I'm not holding my breath but am unsure of my rights, trouble is don't really one to get into a legal argument because he's a police officer and reckon I'm on a hiding to nothing.