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.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Not sure I've seen one comment where someone is unhappy with the outcome of what actually happened.

Dude's dog died, you got fined, dude has a new fence, you fixed something on your property 3 years ago.... everyone except you is 'happy' with that. The only shitty part is the guy acting like a teenage girl with the music and comments and so forth.

The only person who can't be pleased in this thread seems to be you, wanting your neighbor fined for the leash law thing and pay $3750 for something he had zero knowledge of 3 years ago.... it really just makes you sound as petty as he does.

OK, stay with me here. You are wanting to make this sorely on collecting $$$ from him. All I was saying is, that it may be a cheaper option for him as opposed to him putting in a separate line on his property!

I do recall this being mentioned in the OP? Should I make him put his own line in ? If I dangle the other option in front of him, there is still the issue of the remaining old sewer tile under the driveway that will have to be replaced.

FTR, I prefer he has his own lateral line. The city sewer department has left to me, the landowner to go in the direction I choose to go in .

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

OK, stay with me here. You are wanting to make this sorely on collecting $$$ from him. All I was saying is, that it may be a cheaper option for him as opposed to him putting in a separate line on his property!

I do recall this being mentioned in the OP? Should I make him put his own line in ? If I dangle the other option in front of him, there is still the issue of the remaining old sewer tile under the driveway that will have to be replaced.

FTR, I prefer he has his own lateral line. The city sewer department has left to me, the landowner to go in the direction I choose to go in .

We already discussed it last night and I gave the scenarios.. no staying with you needed.

Since there's no work required for his shit to work right now, it's actually cheaper for him to not pay you for work done 3 years ago.

If I'm that guy and work is required later, it depends how much that work costs to determine the best course.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

OK, stay with me here. You are wanting to make this sorely on collecting $$$ from him. All I was saying is, that it may be a cheaper option for him as opposed to him putting in a separate line on his property!

I do recall this being mentioned in the OP? Should I make him put his own line in ? If I dangle the other option in front of him, there is still the issue of the remaining old sewer tile under the driveway that will have to be replaced.

FTR, I prefer he has his own lateral line. The city sewer department has left to me, the landowner to go in the direction I choose to go in .

Serious question. What gives you the right to demand he do anything at this time? Like if he doesn’t agree to something then he gets in trouble or something? And it’s seems pretty clear to everyone the three year old work is a non starter and you would have to sue for that and still probably lose because neither of you knew anything about it at that time.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Serious question. What gives you the right to demand he do anything at this time? Like if he doesn’t agree to something then he gets in trouble or something? And it’s seems pretty clear to everyone the three year old work is a non starter and you would have to sue for that and still probably lose because neither of you knew anything about it at that time.

Originally Posted by Bearcat

We already discussed it last night and I gave the scenarios.. no staying with you needed.

Since there's no work required for his shit to work right now, it's actually cheaper for him to not pay you for work done 3 years ago.

If I'm that guy and work is required later, it depends how much that work costs to determine the best course.

Bottom line is, I'm going to make him move his line off of my property unless he's willing to pony up and share the same line and expense to maintain it.

It's the reason I asked, what would you do ?

[Abba-Dabba]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Serious question. What gives you the right to demand he do anything at this time? Like if he doesn’t agree to something then he gets in trouble or something? And it’s seems pretty clear to everyone the three year old work is a non starter and you would have to sue for that and still probably lose because neither of you knew anything about it at that time.

100%

[Abba-Dabba]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Bottom line is, I'm going to make him move his line off of my property unless he's willing to pony up and share the same line and expense to maintain it.

It's the reason I asked, what would you do ?

You need a real estate attorney. You demanding anything means jack shit.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Bottom line is, I'm going to make him move his line off of my property unless he's willing to pony up and share the same line and expense to maintain it.

It's the reason I asked, what would you do ?

Make him how? That’s the question. I don’t understand what you can make him do legally at this time because it seems unlikely he’s going to just take your word for anything right now. Do you have documented proof you can provide him that says he should be splitting the bill?

But I think most people have come to the conclusion asking he pay for work he wasn’t involved in, had no knowledge of, etc. from three years ago is not something you are probably entitled to anyways but more so would make it much more difficult to come to an agreement on any future work or expenses. I’m guessing you are the only one here who sees that as your money he owes you which also seems motivated by the recent issues between you guys.

[El Lobo Gordo]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Bottom line is, I'm going to make him move his line off of my property unless he's willing to pony up and share the same line and expense to maintain it.

It's the reason I asked, what would you do ?

My gut tells me you are going to regret being married to this guy. Consult an attorney but I am thinking make him get his own line.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by Abba-Dabba

You need a real estate attorney. You demanding anything means jack shit.

Found out today, according to the city, I can have that line capped off after a 30 day notice if I choose to! Now I am not an attorney that specializes in shit, but the city told me it was up to the landowner to work out any form of resolution with said neighbor on old sewer lines.

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Make him how? That’s the question. I don’t understand what you can make him do legally at this time because it seems unlikely he’s going to just take your word for anything right now. Do you have documented proof you can provide him that says he should be splitting the bill?

But I think most people have come to the conclusion asking he pay for work he wasn’t involved in, had no knowledge of, etc. from three years ago is not something you are probably entitled to anyways but more so would make it much more difficult to come to an agreement on any future work or expenses. I’m guessing you are the only one here who sees that as your money he owes you which also seems motivated by the recent issues between you guys.

It's CP that thinks I want the money ! I have said all along it could be an option, a cheaper option ( possibly ) but in reality, I prefer he have his own line.

Again, it's why I asked, " WHAT WOULD YOU DO ?"

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Bottom line is, I'm going to make him move his line off of my property unless he's willing to pony up and share the same line and expense to maintain it.

It's the reason I asked, what would you do ?

Again, it's earlier in the thread... not sure why I'd explain it again since you ignored it the first time.

[El Lobo Gordo]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Again, it's why I asked, " WHAT WOULD YOU DO ?"

Give him the 30 day written notice that you will be capping his line and then start calling some attorneys.

[Abba-Dabba]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Found out today, according to the city, I can have that line capped off after a 30 day notice if I choose to! Now I am not an attorney that specializes in shit, but the city told me it was up to the landowner to work out any form of resolution with said neighbor on old sewer lines.

Then send the 30 day notice and cap it off. Be sure to update us of the further drama from it.

[Womble]

All the OP is asking for is for one person on here to say what he wants to hear:

a) Yes, it's perfectly reasonable to demand thousands of dollars from your neighbour for work that happened three years ago.
b) Also, OMG what a childish asshole for being miffed that his dog called mauled to death by your peace loving pitbull.

All other opinions will be ignored.

Ps. What would you do?

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

It's CP that thinks I want the money ! I have said all along it could be an option, a cheaper option ( possibly ) but in reality, I prefer he have his own line.

Again, it's why I asked, " WHAT WOULD YOU DO ?"

I personally don’t know enough about this to know what my options are. But I do know I wouldn’t even think about asking him for past work money. It’s not his fault that occurred without his knowledge or input. I also wouldn’t own a murderous pit bull but if for some reason I did I would get rid of it, not for him, but for myself knowing it’s a proven killer.