What would you do ?

[ROYC75]

Let me back it up here, I've always suspected that the backside of neighbors house had a sewer line or even the main sewer line coming across into my lateral line. Years ago, they allowed landowners with multiple houses together to share the same lateral line. Now I have the proof, his line does tie into mine, matter of fact, it's right up under the deck of my house.

Backing up to 3 years ago, I had to replace about 80% of my lateral line from the bottom of my circle drive to the main city sewer line. That cost me $ 7500.00 and I didn't replace it all because I didn't want to dig up my blacktop drive at the time.


My neighbor has turned into a childish dick ever since his dog followed my dog back to our property and our other dog killed it. To add insult to injury, he slipped on the wet grass and broke his collar bone.

So my question is, do I make him pony up $3750.00 or have him put in his own sewer line, approx. 130 feet ? I would be willing to bet that 130 feet will cost him at least $10K to put in !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Wow, this place never fails to amaze me. Let me see if I can clear some of the nonsense up here?

We have a perimeter fence around our property. Our Lab didn't have his collar on and wandered across the property line. So, by the time I had walked down to the end of the driveway (at the edge of the house to see what was going on), he was 15 feet across the property line doing what dogs do, licking and sniffing each other's ass's. I commanded him to come back across to my side, as he came back, the neighbor's pain in the ass Yorkie decided to follow him. Having artificial knees, I could not run to the property line fast enough to stop what was about to happen next. My grandson's Pit was there with his shock collar on, as soon as their dog entered 6' inside of our property, it was too late. It had been raining some prior to this time and the neighbor slipped as he tried to run downhill to catch his dog before crossing. He slipped and did a Charlie Brown flop on his back, landing in a way to break his collar bone. I got citated for not having my Lab on a leach, yet he was not citated for the same thing. But he took all of this personal, took the time to give the grandkids a hard time. Telling them, I'm going to kill all of your dogs. Even making threats towards the kid's friends. I had to call the police on him several times about it and even spoke to the Co. Attorney about his threats, causing fear within them. Even after I apologized to him the next day, expressing my sorrow for his dog and his personal injury that was sustained on his property turned into an ass. Nothing worked, he kept on starring at us as we took our pets out on a leash, video us, making threats, playing loud music all day (which I didn't care, we like the same music) even after hours outside. He even started playing the same song all day long, for 16 hrs out of the day! Sad part is, we always got along up to this point, I used to mow his yard for him. He retired as a prison guard, was having some medical issues and a couple of weeks prior to this dog incident, he apologized for being a " asshole " about treat us and anybody around us. I told him then not to think twice about it, that I knew something was up with his demeanor. But this incident flipped him out, he put No Trespassing signs on the trees, paid for a survey crew to mark his property and has put up a fence between us, all within his rights. Please keep in mind, this whole time he had acted like an ass (over medication & emotional duress) I never engaged in his comments and told the kids to not comment. (This attitude of his has gone on for 5 months now and I'm about to send it into orbit).

Keep in mind when we both bought our houses, me in 1998 and he in 2010 , we were not aware of the current sewer line issues or how it was installed back in the 1930's.

Which brings us to date, he dug up a section of my yard to cut into a sewer tile that runs under my deck, to get to my sewer line. (FYI, there is only 10-12 feet between our houses) This line connects between my house and a clean out trap I had installed about 6' from my house. So his line is within 2, maybe 3 feet off the corner of my house! Then it runs about 60' out to the end of my driveway where we put in a cleanout trap and the new line starts, 90' to the city sewer main.

Years ago back in the 30's when both of these houses were built, the same guy that owned the old tobacco warehouse across the street had our houses built to help house the people that worked there (plus the many more on this street). They were boarding houses back in the day, reason they were built side by side, so close on the same sewer line. Building codes were so much different then than now and all of this old tile is giving way! I feel it's just a matter of time before the section between what we did and the house gives in under my blacktop drive.

I need to do something about this scenario with a 1-time, somewhat friend that has turned into a dickhead over pets!

Since I have not approached him yet, I'm leaning towards just letting him put his own line in. But I was wondering if there was another option here for him, cuz we are going to have to revisit this sewer line again. So I was thinking about getting him to own up to 50% of the maintenance is only fair.

[El Lobo Gordo]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Now that would make a court battle cuz my deed says nothing of it!

You said it has been this way from the 1930s. So much time has passed with this being the condition, he may be entitled to derive an easement on your land by prescription.

[warpaint*]

Originally Posted by DaFace

My point is that escalating disputes rarely works out the way you hope it will. Honestly, to answer the actual question in the OP, I probably would do nothing and just accept that I'm responsible for something my neighbor is benefitting from.

It sucks that it's not "fair," but it's not like that's unheard of. I own the fence that gives my neighbors some extra privacy. They own the tree that shades my yard. I don't expect them to chip in for the fence when the time comes, and they don't expect me to pay for their tree to get pruned.

I'm just hoping we get updates on how this turns out. Should be riveting drama.

I mean, that's absurd.

Shared fences are a clearly socially acceptable mutually beneficial structure. There really isn't any additional wear & tear to a fence whether it's shared or not. In some states there are statutes relative to shared maintenance on a shared fence & in some it falls on the owner. In rare instances (IDR where but I have worked there) there are areas where you will commonly see them constructed side by side with each neighbor responsible for the one he/she owns. The law is settled here but it doesn't transfer to other structures on the property or oopsy surprises like this.

That can't be said here in a situation where there's twice as much outflow contributing to incremental w/t on the OP's drain line. Not to mention the fact that ITT there's abundant evidence from what the city is apparently telling this dude in regards to this issue in that he is not only not stuck but can require the neighbor run his own line.

I did like your suggestion to approach the dude in a friendly manner & give him time to come up with the $ to construct his own drain line. My only addendum to that would be to send a certified letter with a return receipt confirming the conversation & timeline. & I also agree that escalation typically never works out & should be avoided to the extent its possible.

Nothing to do with your commentary but OP is getting run through the wringer ITT unnecessarily IMO. It's clear once details were provided he acted reasonably with respect to the dogs.

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by Abba-Dabba

Two way streets. I'd bet my last dollar he feels you're the dick too.

He said she said, pointing fingers, blaming the other party. Hallmarks of neighborhood Karen's. I'm sure living next to both of you guys is a just a dream come true for your neighbors.


Why don't both of you guys just do all of your neighbors a favor and provide them with some real entertainment instead of using your dogs for a fight. Get up of your ****ing wheelchairs, grab your walkers and beat each other senseless.

Don’t forget to film it and post the video here.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Understand this, how be it you do not know me, this guy does. He knows I have always been up front and easy to work with. This thread is liberated with innuendos of me being a dick and demanding $$$ as a payback for his childish behavior! His behavior has been going on for 5 months now. Shit, I heard Coal Miners Daughter continuously played for 18 hrs in 1 day. But remember this, we were on really good terms at one time but with his health and medication issues, it helped put him over the edge about his pet. I believe that we can get past this in time and resolve this in a peaceful manor. If not, then legal action is needed to resolve the sewer issue and he can forever be mad about his bitchy Yorkie that kept running to our property all of the time. I have tried to make peace with him, yet somehow you keep insinuating I want to be a dick about this. Again, FTR, I do not like how he's been a dick about this, but as I stated many times, the dog, his health, his medications, I get it to a degree, but leave the kids out of it!

But if he wants to continue being a dick, I'll dick him right back to where he see's his own shit coming out of his shit hole!

You keep repeatedly disparaging the dead dog. It's a pretty shitty look.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by warpaint*

It's clear once details were provided he acted reasonably with respect to the dogs.

A quick and honorable death perhaps?

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by Fish

You keep repeatedly disparaging the dead dog. It's a pretty shitty look.

It’s not like dogs can pick up on cues from their owner or anything!!

[Jewish Rabbi]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

But if he wants to continue being a dick, I'll dick him right back to where he see's his own shit coming out of his shit hole!

I’ll tell you right now that if I felt you were responsible for the death of my dog (and I’m sure this guy does), I’d be thinking long and hard about shooting you if you stepped on my property. His attitude towards you ain’t gonna change, and judging by your behavior in this thread he’s probably judged you correctly.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

I’ll tell you right now that if I felt you were responsible for the death of my dog (and I’m sure this guy does), I’d be thinking long and hard about shooting you if you stepped on my property. His attitude towards you ain’t gonna change, and judging by your behavior in this thread he’s probably judged you correctly.

FTR, I have kept quiet to him, not engaging or enticing conflict. I have apologized several times, each time it's well thank you but this doesn't change anything. I've asked how Ican make it up to him, he told me I can't. Yet he still continues to act like a dick, the worst part is to the grandkids, playing on their emotions. I've told them to not engage back, walk away and tell me about it. For 5 months I have taken the HIGH ROAD !

Now the sewer issue has come up and luck would have it, he didn't even have the courtesy to ask me if he could did 5' on my side of the property to fix his line, Oh BTW, have I told you it freaking runs into my sewer line?

5 MONTHS, TAKING THE HIGH ROAD, and yet this place wants to judge me on how I have handled this jerk ! He has changed, his illness, his medications, now this dog and this sewer is really going to send him into orbit!

None of you can understand what I have went through for 5 months. Up until now, I have taken the comments in stride and cordial, but you want to tell me about my behavior?

I could tell you to go F**k yourself but I would rather tell you to have a Good Day and just over look your pointless comment!

[PHOG]

[ghak99]

The only thing that matters is getting him off your line.

All of the other bullshit is just that, bullshit. His dog, his attitude, your actions, CP's bleeding hearts, his trespassing to dig, and whatever else there is. None of it matters. The only thing that matters is eliminating your unnecessary liability from this day forward.

When things go south when he realizes the costs involved, I'd be prepared with an offer to buy his house just to put an end to everything. The worst he can say is no or **** you. At that point, wish him happy digging.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

FTR, I have kept quiet to him, not engaging or enticing conflict. I have apologized several times, each time it's well thank you but this doesn't change anything. I've asked how Ican make it up to him, he told me I can't. Yet he still continues to act like a dick, the worst part is to the grandkids, playing on their emotions. I've told them to not engage back, walk away and tell me about it. For 5 months I have taken the HIGH ROAD !

Now the sewer issue has come up and luck would have it, he didn't even have the courtesy to ask me if he could did 5' on my side of the property to fix his line, Oh BTW, have I told you it freaking runs into my sewer line?

5 MONTHS, TAKING THE HIGH ROAD, and yet this place wants to judge me on how I have handled this jerk ! He has changed, his illness, his medications, now this dog and this sewer is really going to send him into orbit!

None of you can understand what I have went through for 5 months. Up until now, I have taken the comments in stride and cordial, but you want to tell me about my behavior?

I could tell you to go F**k yourself but I would rather tell you to have a Good Day and just over look your pointless comment!

It's just that you SOUND like the asshole here. You started with a money grab (asking him to split the costs with you), placed the blame for his dog being dead on him despite the fact that you let your dogs do the same thing on his property, and are suddenly in a rush to cut him off with as little notice as possible when this hasn't really been a problem for decades.

You just sound like you're pissed off at the guy for holding a grudge and want to make him pay and are excited that you found a way to do it. Maybe that's not your actual mentality, but it's how you keep coming across on here.

To put it another way, if your neighbor was your best friend, would you still be as adamant about cutting him off? If not, you're letting emotions dictate your course here rather than rationality.

[Skyy God]

Who’s going to do the “Is Roy or his neighbor the Asshole” poll?

[El Lobo Gordo]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's just that you SOUND like the asshole here. You started with a money grab (asking him to split the costs with you), placed the blame for his dog being dead on him despite the fact that you let your dogs do the same thing on his property, and are suddenly in a rush to cut him off with as little notice as possible when this hasn't really been a problem for decades.

You just sound like you're pissed off at the guy for holding a grudge and want to make him pay and are excited that you found a way to do it. Maybe that's not your actual mentality, but it's how you keep coming across on here.

To put it another way, if your neighbor was your best friend, would you still be as adamant about cutting him off? If not, you're letting emotions dictate your course here rather than rationality.

Coming up on a century actually.

[Womble]

Originally Posted by Skyy God

It’s not like dogs can pick up on cues from their owner or anything!!

Does your dog also go on the internet to lie about taking his imaginary girlfriend on holiday to Belize then?

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by Fish

You keep repeatedly disparaging the dead dog. It's a pretty shitty look.

If he was concerned with how he looked in this matter, he would have had this thread locked days ago. It's done nothing to make him look like the good person.