A regular problem with vacant new house blocks is they are used as a convenient dumping ground for other builders.
It’s much cheaper to dump on a nearby site than haul the material to a tip and pay tip fees.
If you are are really unlucky the material may be contaminated (for example asbestos waste). . . . which may mean you have to pay for testing and additional tip fees to dispose of it.
Fence the Site
The best advice I can give is to make your site seem loved by erecting a fence, mowing any grass and/or keeping weeds under control.
It doesn’t have to be an expensive fence, something like a 1.2 m high dog mesh supported by steel star pickets at 4-5m intervals will be fine, and should only cost around $5-6/m.
If you have got quite a few posts to put in it can be worth hiring, borrowing , or buying a post driver.
Light fencing like this is not foolproof, but it makes things a little more difficult for the dumper. This means they are more likely to look for a block where nobody seems to be taking an interest.
See Guide to Buying a Block for more advice.
Hello Brian,
Firstly thanks a ton for your blog and the PDFs which are a great help to 1st home buyers like us. I just had a question on fencing. My 1st house is almost reaching the PCI stage. I wrote to our local council for the list of neighbors with whom I share a common fence and wrote letters to all of them re. the quotes I hunted for. It’s been a month now and I havent heard back from a SINGLE one of them. The estate corporate body has advised that it can not step in as this is in direct contravention to the privacy laws etc for them to be sharing email addresses etc. with us or writing on our behalf for that matter. I know I have other legal options that I can pursue but do I really need to go down that path for someone who will essentially be our neighbors? On the other hand, is it true that once I put up a fence (WITHOUT their written consent) I will lose the right to demand they pay up their share?
Regards,
Nervous 1st home buyer.
P.S: None of them have started constructing their houses as yet so I am not sure if they plan to build the home or have purchased the land as an investement with an intent to resell. Either way does/should this make a difference?
Hi
Basically if you want to get people to share the costs you have to go down the legal route or serving a proper notice rather than a simple letter.
There are various laws in different states.
Probably the best source of information on the web is http://www.fencingonline.com.au/ which I would recommend.
Brian