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DO I call my home insurance company and, is my back yard neighbor responsible to fix our shared fence?

Melissa said:
This is all very interesting and my motto has always been to make friends with neighbors and do not engage in battle.
This incident might help to change my motto.
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After living next door to my neighbor for 24 years - whose trees needed to be removed - we rarely talked and he was usually quick to duck out of the way when we were both outside. After the trees were gone and it was definite that he wouldn't have to pay a penny, somehow he became much more friendly. So I almost enjoyed the last few months of living next to him.

But it makes me thankful for good neighbors on both sides of my current house.
 
My neighbor on one side would be no problem... the neighbor on the other side would be a nightmare... luckily no neighbor behind me.
 
I'd start looking around for an attorney to write a demand letter if she doesn't step up soon after getting back. You'll need a quote to show her and the attorney will want that attached- use a licensed contractor. If they want more than one, tell her you might consider that if they are licensed and insured and have good references.

Hardball? Not at all- you don't have to do anything but get a quote. As she demonstrated, you surely do not want the original/uninsured or a new uninsured person doing any of the work including clean up. You are aware they are not insured- I wouldn't let them on your property for any reason.
 
You need two quotes. One to repair the damage which your neighbor is entirely responsible for. And another to replace the rest of the fence which both of you will share the cost.
 
ScottRNelson said:
After living next door to my neighbor for 24 years - whose trees needed to be removed - we rarely talked and he was usually quick to duck out of the way when we were both outside. After the trees were gone and it was definite that he wouldn't have to pay a penny, somehow he became much more friendly. So I almost enjoyed the last few months of living next to him.

But it makes me thankful for good neighbors on both sides of my current house.
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Was I your neighbor? Just kidding - but I had a lot of trees on my property, and neighbors on both sides wanted them gone. The trees didn't particularly bother me, and I certainly wasn't going to pay a bunch of money to remove them. but one neighbor offered to pay for the removal because they were pushing up some concrete in his side yard, the other just whined about having to pickup leaves on his lawn from the branches that overhung his property. Guess which one got their trees removed, and which didn't get any removed?
 
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Get an attorney? Doesn't feel right.
I need to find someone who can talk to her about this stuff because when I mention it she is not interested or she has no money.

The uninsured workman is the only one who is following up and he said he'd clear my backyard of the fallen tree branches. That he cut down.
I also have friends out here in low places.
They can certainly do some convincing.
 
Melissa said:
I also have friends out here in low places.
They can certainly do some convincing.
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Now your talking my language! :laughing
But unfortunately, sometimes no money really is no money.

So, 30-40 years ago, I would have called MY state farm agent... who i knew... and i knew where he lived... and i knew his kids. Then i would had said "dude, get this shit handled"... and he would have!
Now some unknown person in a call center would hang-up on me and flag me as "hostile". :laughing
 
Melissa said:
The uninsured workman is the only one who is following up and he said he'd clear my backyard of the fallen tree branches. That he cut down.
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As nice as it is that this guy is the only one stepping up, I would reconsider allowing him to work on your property. Any uninsured workman doing work on your property, whether you're paying him in cash, beer or not at all, can sue you if he is injured on your property.
 
Oh Andy, I am starting to worry......

But I am not contracted with him and I am not paying him for the work. He is doing it because he knows that he messed up. My neighbors still don't have electricity
Things to think about!!
 
Don't worry too much, just leave the gate unlocked and pretend to look the other way when he's there. If you didn't "invite" him on your property your liability is extremely minimal - just don't make any booby traps to get revenge on him :LOL:

Also if he is in the employ of your neighbor and doing cleanup work for HER on stuff that accidentally landed in your yard, she would generally be liable, not you.
 
I just spoke with the dude and with my back yard neighbor. We all landed on this agreement-he clean out the tree that is all fallen in my backyard and she-we will split the cost of a new fence.
I agreed and off we go!

*who knows how much a fence will cost to replace? I'll do some research.
 
Make sure you understand what kind of fence will be installed. And how tall.
 
Yes. I will look at my blue prints so to speak and find out length of fence. We agreed to do a good neighbor fence.
 
I'm still concerned you are knowingly allowing a worker on your property (post #23)- that creates risk for you. An easy solution is to have your neighbor "payroll" the guy through a Temp Agency- he'll then have Worker's Comp. The agency will mark up his costs of course, they have to pay the income taxes and WC deductions, so they should. Give your homeowner's insurance company a call and check it out.

DAYSF.
 
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I recently had my sewer placed and a new back patio done by my guy that I've been using for years. He does great work, even tho I can never under anything he says. He's unlicensed and uninsured, and i know it. When he was digging for the sewer, I told him "If you get hurt, you just dug your own grave." :laughing (he probably didn't understand me)
 
Update for those who are interested in ongoing bargaining out here in West Sacto.

backyard neighbor's insurance paying for clean up and replacing fence.
Or so I was told!
 
When they install the fence posts, make sure they put enough concrete to go above ground level, and a slope away from the post. These guys always have the concrete under the soil level and the post will rot out in a few years. It's good for their business...

Also, it seems every roofing company has a relative in the tire business.
 
They also use insufficient concrete because it's less concrete to purchase, and it's easier/quicker to mix fewer bags. This is why I have so little respect for the residential trades these days, they will charge you $10,000 for a 3 day job, and still do a shit job so they can save $20 on the concrete.
 
My hope is that it is done right but I have little control over that imho.
 
Funny but when my dogs go outside in my backyard they do not cross over into her yard. They have these lines that they will not cross.
 
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