Hi
I need some advice please, my husband and I brought our property in France a year before brexit shortly after he lost his job which we have recovered from but have struggled to maintain our property in France. The last time I was their I noticed our neighbour was grazing his goats in a field with very little grass and my friend suggested I should offer our garden as it was so over grown thus keeping it managed , happy neighbours happy goats , my friend spoke to the gentlemen as I speak very little English and a suggestion was made but no definite agreement via a notaire was arranged. I then returned to England , I have recently found out he has been grazing his goats in my garden and has now suggested he wants payment, much to my horror I know legally I don’t have a leg to stand on , so I will have to agree a payment however I don’t know what the going rate is for such a thing . Would any one be kind enough to advice please .
Thank you in advance .
isn’t it usually the other way round? The owner of the livestock pays the landowner some small token for allowing his animals to graze on your land 
Either way be cautious - there are tricks and traps for the unwary which could end in the livestock owner claiming the land as his own…
Personally, I’d stop the arrangement right away as it doesn’t seem to have been made in good faith.
Frankly, I would ask the neighbour to remove the goats.
You don’t say how he “suggested he wants payment”…
who has said this… the friend… or the neighbour directly to you ???
Not sure where you get the idea that you don’t have a leg to stand on…???
as a matter of interest… when was this “arrangement”… you simply say “last time I was there…”
It sounds like a storm in a teacup to me… but best idea to deal with things now.
Your friend was rather misguided. I would never let an agriculteur take any control over my land - notorious for never getting rid of them. And if it’s goats then you probably have nothing left in your garden as they eat everything.
Very politely ask them to leave straight away before the situation gets entrenched. If you are not in France then phone or write to tell him. Asking for payment is slightly taking the piss, but you know the person so know whether you can dig your heels in, or decide whether some “contribution” will be worth it for keeping on good terms
It could well be a “throw away” comment… along the lines… "she should be paying me for this (smile, smile) " … meant in light-hearted manner…
I would certainly not pay anything… once on that path… no easy way back.
this is either a “friendly” arrangement or it isn’t… money clouds the issue and if money is suddenly being mentioned “seriously”… the goats should go… now… with a gentle explanation that such was never intended to be more than giving the goats a decent meal… out of neighbourliness…
If there is no written agreement, signed by both parties, he would be very foolish to take you to court to get money from you.
Looks like a misunderstanding or something lost in translation.
Don’t get angry, you have to live there. Treat it as a silly joke.
Thank you for reply, I am trying to contact the gentleman now to ask him kindly to remove his livestock . It is very difficult as I don’t wish to be rude or abrupt, I am just unsure how to put it so as not to create further waves .
I’ll send you a private message…
Thank you , I will try to calm down.
Thank you for your reply , it has been very helpful.
Thank you for your reply ,so the discussion took place in February this year whilst I was repairing my garden fence , the chap never spoke to me directly as I understand he speaks no English . It was not untill I returned to England my friend said he wanted to charge me to which I said that was not the suggestion and one I would not agree too . I then asked my friend for his contact details so I could email Personally , My friend said leave it with them, they never mentioned any more after that but just to let me know the goats had had babies in my pig barn and were grazing in the garden . So I didn’t chase it given the circumstances, I just want to be prepared in the kindest way possible as I really do not want to fall out with neighbours.
If it is a garden and not designated agricultural land by SAFER he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
It is your land and you can ask him to remove his livestock. You can also tell him that nothing was mentioned about pigs.
Our peasant farmer tried to insist that they had an agreement with the previous owner that meant that the boundary should be moved a metre into our land.
You can have a meeting with a notaire for free for fifteen minutes, should you need it.
How do you say “Uncool and Hell No” in French!
LOL Tell him he owes you for all the goat milk and cheese he had while grazing your garden.
Hi karin
Thank you, i will know soon if the goats are still in my garden , as cross fingers I will be going their next week .
Tell him that you want to plant veg and roses. Then go and and buy a few. If he’s a farmer I wouldn’t risk it as difficult to get them off. Of course it depends if a garden or sizeable plot.
Hi there… I wonder if we might “tidy up” your Registration… I can do this for you if you like.
First and Last Name
I am presuming Jacqueline (first name) Tuppen (last name)
If this is correct, I can do the amendment for you…
cheers
Great news… it’ll get sorted… no probs.