'I caught my neighbour on camera treating my garden like a toilet'

Moving into a new property should be an exciting milestone for any homeowner, but when a neighbour repeatedly uses your front garden as if it were their own, it can create uncomfortable situations . Writing on Reddit's ' Am I Overreacting ' page, a user called @_Pheebz described the issue they're experiencing with the person living next door. They explained they'd recently purchased a property in the UK, but aren't residing there full-time yet as they're currently carrying out renovations. However, security cameras have captured their neighbour in an awkward act. The Reddit post went on: "As we're an end of terrace, we have a corner plot with a front lawn and also some land to the side of our house where our driveway is also located. Our next-door neighbour has a couple of dogs, and we've picked her up on our cameras using our lawn as a shortcut to the public path, and also allowing her dogs to use our lawn as a toilet. "Just yesterday, we saw her on our back camera, allowing her dogs to defecate on our lawn. She actually crossed from the public footpath onto our lawn so her dog could use the bathroom. It seems she's intentionally using our grass, and in doing so, is consistently trespassing on our property." The new property owners say they intend to install an obvious boundary around the garden in the hope that the neighbour might reconsider their behaviour, reports the Mirror . However, @_Pheebz is not sure this will work. They explained: "Our intention once we've properly moved in is to add a low fence around our land to try to deter her from doing this. However, I have my suspicions that this behaviour will continue as she's clearly not someone who has any respect for others and their property." "I do feel as though I would have to say something if this behaviour continues. It's our first property, and already I'm feeling a bit negative based on what we've seen of our neighbour." Fellow Reddit users recommended installing the fence "ASAP". In the comments, one said: "If she says anything, say innocently that you've been finding dog poop on your grass and you don't own any pets." Another put: "If you're planning on putting a fence up anyway, make it high enough that one can't just step over it. You don't need to say anything at all unless she violates that. If she does, then you have a real neighbour problem." Someone else put: "A waist-high fence will be decorative and stop her wandering. If she opens the gate and enters, then a discussion is warranted." In the UK, dog fouling on private land is generally considered a civil issue, meaning police typically won't get involved. But there are various legal remedies available if your property is being repeatedly fouled. Dog owners in England and Wales can face a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of up to £100, which can escalate to £1,000 if left unpaid. In Scotland, the FPN stands at £80, increasing to £100 if not settled within 28 days, according to Money Supermarket. Report persistent fouling or breaches to your local authority, supplying details of the incident and, if available, evidence such as video footage. While councils can investigate matters on private land, they are not obliged to resolve them.