How do you handle this - Neighbor issue. Problem solved - Thanks!

[SharpMomOfTwo]

Ok, my neighbors next to us have a mowing problem. Not only do they mow their grass so low that you can see the dirt, but they are starting to mow OUR grass. They are over about 10-15 feet, an DH is getting annoyed because they are killing our grass (its all burnt out in that area because of this). The people who owned the house before them put on an addition, so it seems like they are mowing to the middle of the two properties, but not really since they have more house, KWIM? Also, its obvious where they should be mowing to because when they put in their new driveway (the original owners), they also redid the sidewalk on their property only - its a good marker to know where to mow to.

Anyway, how do you tell them they are mowing your grass, and you want them to stop without starting an argument. They are really nice people, and I don't think they would take offence, but DH is worried they will.

 

[Disney Doll]

I'd probably say sdomething like "We seem to be having trouble growing grass in that part fo the yard, so we're going to do some fertilizing and stuff to see if we can get it to grow, so could you not mow there, because we want to watch it and see how what we're doing works".

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am picky about my grass so I would had said something right away. Stay off my grass. If I offend so be it.

I would talk to them and tell them to stop mowing my grass, pretty please in a nice way.

 

[java]

I would just point out that grass is dying in that area and could they please stop mowing your portion of the lawn- it's not matching the rest of your yard. If it's bothering you speak up.

 

[SpecialK]

You need to make sure they know where the property line is. My sister had a similar problem, didn't say anything and came home to a row of hedges and an asphalt car park in her yard.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Get some flagging and put this up as a barrier/fence....
This can always be taken down later, once everybody is set on where the line is.

Make SURE that you know EXACTLY where the property line is before you do this... Get out the platte map... find any 'markers' and flag them, etc...
There should be NO question as to where the official property line is before you do this.

I also would consider some fence, bushes, or something.... Well on your side of the line, of course. You don't want them destroying your fence, cutting and maiming your bushes, etc...

 

[DrCavin]

Just ask them if they knew they were mowing your yard, that will probably clear it up.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I would not really say anything to question them or confront them..
(read, and take advice from, the tag line on DrCavin's post above )

Just go out here with some flagging line, bushes, or something...

 

[Angelhalo]

OP I feel your pain, we have a neighbor mowing issue as well.

We moved into our new house and putup a fence around our backyard. The fence is ON our property line but the area left outside the fence is over the line of where they have always stopped mowing and even though it is THEIR property they refuse to mow it because they have never mowed it before. My DH refuses to mow it because its now ours. So we have a 3 foot wide stripe of grass between our homes that never gets mowed. Every once in a blue moon the neighbor will break down and mow it but in between mowings it can get to be half a foot high. DH says he isn't mowing it out of principle because its not our grass!

 

[HM]

I'd say something about it. We use the tallest setting on our mower because it's better for the grass (and our lawn is really the greenest and least weedy in our neighborhood this year). They may think they are mowing their lawn...so point out the propertly line....if you can find the markers for the lot, point them out. If they question the lot line offer to pay for half a survey to get it marked. You should not have to deal with someone ruining your lawn.

Now if you could find a way for us to tell the several neighbors that leave all their grass clippings in the street that its tacky (esp when there is no rain to wash them away) and they should blow them off like the do their driveways, without sounding tacky myself.....let me know.

 

[Wishing on a star]

OP I feel your pain, we have a neighbor mowing issue as well.

We moved into our new house and putup a fence around our backyard. The fence is ON our property line but the area left outside the fence is over the line of where they have always stopped mowing and even though it is THEIR property they refuse to mow it because they have never mowed it before. My DH refuses to mow it because its now ours. So we have a 3 foot wide stripe of grass between our homes that never gets mowed. Every once in a blue moon the neighbor will break down and mow it but in between mowings it can get to be half a foot high. DH says he isn't mowing it out of principle because its not our grass!

IMHO, it is the fence owners (you and your husband's) responsibility to mow/weedeat/maintain both the inside and outside of their fence....

Is the fence ON the property line?
If there is not at least a few inches (one mower width) between your fence and the neighbors property, then I would consider that a problem. How can you maintain the fence without trespassing? You are in the wrong both by having a fence on the neighbors property line, and by not maintaining your fence.

Your husband should NOT traspass and mow on the neighbors property.
But, he should probably mow and weedeat and maintain both sides of your fence.

He should mow/weedeat one mower width... If the neighbors wish to leave a couple feet of unmowed grass on their property, that is their issue... and I wouldn't worry about it. But, personally, I would not have my fence be unmowed/maintained. I care about maintaining my yard/property.

 

[Scurvy]

Just ask them if they knew they were mowing your yard, that will probably clear it up.

Since you say they are nice people, I agree with this. Why make it more complicated than it needs to be? They probably don't realize they are mowing on your property. Just let them know that they are and I suspect they'll be happy to stop. If they continue after that, then you might need to escalate to some sort of physical barrier like a hedge or fence.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Around here, most people want some kind of bushes or trees or fence to deliniate their yards.
It is not like this is some kind of hostile act...
But, if the OP talks to the neighbor and makes a point of contention... Yes, it could then very well be perceived as a rude/hostile act by the neighbors.

I would put something there just because I like it that way.

 

[Disney Doll]

OP I feel your pain, we have a neighbor mowing issue as well.

We moved into our new house and putup a fence around our backyard. The fence is ON our property line but the area left outside the fence is over the line of where they have always stopped mowing and even though it is THEIR property they refuse to mow it because they have never mowed it before. My DH refuses to mow it because its now ours. So we have a 3 foot wide stripe of grass between our homes that never gets mowed. Every once in a blue moon the neighbor will break down and mow it but in between mowings it can get to be half a foot high. DH says he isn't mowing it out of principle because its not our grass!

I don't blame him. Not my property, not my problem. If my yard...the part that is inside my fence...is nicely kept, then what the neighbor's yard looks like isn't my problem. If it gets so bad that it looks terrible, and you think there's a possibility for attracting bad vermin, then call the town blight officer.

 

[Disney Doll]

IMHO, it is the fence owners (you and your husband's) responsibility to mow/weedeat/maintain both the inside and outside of their fence....

Is the fence ON the property line?
If there is not at least a few inches (one mower width) between your fence and the neighbors property, then I would consider that a problem. How can you maintain the fence without trespassing? You are in the wrong both by having a fence on the neighbors property line, and by not maintaining your fence.

Your husband should NOT traspass and mow on the neighbors property.
But, he should probably mow and weedeat and maintain both sides of your fence.

He should mow/weedeat one mower width... If the neighbors wish to leave a couple feet of unmowed grass on their property, that is their issue... and I wouldn't worry about it. But, personally, I would not have my fence be unmowed/maintained. I care about maintaining my yard/property.

It so isn't the fence owner's responsibility to maintain the yard on the other side of a fence if it's not their property. If there was no fence, would you be weed-whacking a couple of inches into their yard "just because". Of course not.

I have had fenced-in yards all my life, with the fence right on the property line. We maintained our side, the neighbor maintained theirs. Where the heck else are you supposed to put a fence other than on the property line? The point of a fence, generally, is to delineate your property.

Bottom line...neighbors are lazy, don't feel like properly maintaining their yard...their problem, not the OP's..

 

[Scurvy]

I would put something there just because I like it that way.

I'd actually prefer that as well, but I'm thinking about how I'd feel if I was accidentally mowing part of my neighbor's yard. I think I'd be apologetic and slightly embarrassed if they had to point out the property line for me, but I wouldn't be upset with them at all. If they didn't bother to tell me but I came home one day to find a barrier on what I had thought was my yard, it would bother me. Both because I would initially think they had put something on my property and also because I would feel like they thought they couldn't just tell me something that simple. I think good communication is important for neighbors, and I'd hate to think I didn't have that with mine!

I am a big believer in the "good fences make good neighbors" mindset, though! I always prefer having some sort of physical barrier between my yard and my neighbors' yards. I'm always surprised when I hear about neighborhoods where that is not the norm.

 

[sbell111]

I'd just ask him to stop mowing our grass. There's no reason that this should start a conflict.

 

[Angelhalo]

IMHO, it is the fence owners (you and your husband's) responsibility to mow/weedeat/maintain both the inside and outside of their fence....

Is the fence ON the property line?
If there is not at least a few inches (one mower width) between your fence and the neighbors property, then I would consider that a problem. How can you maintain the fence without trespassing? You are in the wrong both by having a fence on the neighbors property line, and by not maintaining your fence.

Your husband should NOT traspass and mow on the neighbors property.
But, he should probably mow and weedeat and maintain both sides of your fence.

He should mow/weedeat one mower width... If the neighbors wish to leave a couple feet of unmowed grass on their property, that is their issue... and I wouldn't worry about it. But, personally, I would not have my fence be unmowed/maintained. I care about maintaining my yard/property.

Of course we maintain the edge of the fence on the outside we're not heels. But he refuses to mow a 3 foot wide strip of grass that isn't ours. Our fence is on the property line but we weedeat the outside of the fence so that it doesn't have grass growing up it. Thats pretty much a given.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Of course we maintain the edge of the fence on the outside we're not heels. But he refuses to mow a 3 foot wide strip of grass that isn't ours. Our fence is on the property line but we weedeat the outside of the fence so that it doesn't have grass growing up it. Thats pretty much a given.

So does the neighbor have a fence as well?

Knowing DH and I, we would ask the neighbors if they want to give us that property. I know that their are laws out there that will allow you to do that if you are maintaining the property.

Anyway, just a thought. If I have to maintain it, I am going to own it as well.

 

[Angelhalo]

So does the neighbor have a fence as well?

Knowing DH and I, we would ask the neighbors if they want to give us that property. I know that their are laws out there that will allow you to do that if you are maintaining the property.

Anyway, just a thought. If I have to maintain it, I am going to own it as well.

No, the neighbor does not have a fence. I think he believes that our fence is 3 feet inside our property line simply because he has never mowed that far over. But, DH says its not his problem that the neighbor was never mowing his entire yard. it is like the neighbor just made up his own line in his head that he felt was the property line without actually looking at any of the paperwork. So now that our fence is built on the real property line, he's miffed because he now needs to mow 3 extra feet that he has never mowed before.

I stay out of it. It doesn't really bother me. It's like a little mind game war between DH and the neighbor LOL.