Yet Another Fence Question

[jte_12]

What is the name of your state? Missouri

It seems fence questions are very popular here. I did a search, but didn’t see any issues that match this exactly. My father and I are currently fixing up a four family building. There are actually 2 fences along the property line. There is a short chain link fence on our side and the neighbor’s building has a rickety wood-panel fence about 5-6 feet high entirely on their side. A few weeks ago he trimmed some brush along the fence, and they then claimed weakened the support of their fence. In my opinion this was not a well-constructed fence. I’m pretty sure that the posts were just stuck in preexisting holes and the panels were not attached all that well to the posts. Some parts of the fence have even been set on fire.

Today we had some very high winds, and they blew 2 of the panels down.

In short, they're trying to claim that cutting down the weeds and brush hurt the support for their fence. That sounds ridiculous to me, but I don't know what the law says here. So the question is: do we have any obligation for repairs here?

 

[jte_12]

Just to clarify, a large amount of weeds and brush were removed – enough to fill a yard waste dumpster – and the fence is so rickety that some it may have been helping to hold it in place. But I wouldn’t think that’s relevant to the panels that fell down. Assuming the weeds were providing some support, they would have been keeping the panels from falling outward (i.e. into our yard). But the gust of wind knocked them inward (i.e. into their yard).

We do try to be good neighbors, and I can usually see both sides of most issues. But in this case, I simply don’t see much merit to their side. However they are adamant. One of us is completely wrong, and I just want to be double sure that it is not me.

 

[longsally111]

if the fence is entirely on their property and the only thing holding it up was brush, then no, it would not be your responsibity to pay. Let them prove in a court of law that removing "brush" weakened the fence. It is crazy. We have a fence where the support beams and cemented in and every plank is hand screwed in. I could just see the neighbor trimming the bushes on the other side and it falling over and me claiming it is their fault. Give me a break.

 

[jte_12]

Thank you for the answer.