Neighbour wants to replace MY fence, I don’t want them to!

So frustrating isn't it! We have put up some privacy screens and a huge blackberry bush to try to give our house some privacy, yet still be civil... It's just not the same 🙈

My neighbours the same...we've just had a quote of £1600 to have a fence erected our side of her fence....Gulp.

They cannot touch your fence, but they absolutely can build their own fence on their side.

Yes it’s allowed and the max height by law is 6ft so unfortunately they’re not doing anything wrong. They probably feel 4 ft is too low and want more privacy in their garden

You cannot paint something that’s not yours and that includes fencing

Who on earth wants a 4ft fence...

How can they not reach it from their own garden?

I would hate a 4ft fence I.wanna sit in my hottub doing what I want. I don't want chit chat I don't I just wanna live my life in my garden. I also have a 6ft fence around the whole garden

People in our street have 2 fences. One (neighbour X) wanted to replace with a higher one for their dog. Neighbour Y wouldn't pay towards it so X built a taller one next to Ys. Generally it's not an issue but low fence is painted , taller fence is not as Y won't allow X onto their property to paint it.

Yes, it is allowed. Guess you should have taken action sooner?

Agreed!! Sounds like my worst nightmare, having a 4ft fence

I have read the OP's posts, but not all the rest so sorry if I am just repeating.

I am actually with @Fencewoes on this. I agree 100% that the neighbours have the right to put up whatever fence they like, though hopefully they won't leave half a metre between the fences. With nobody mowing or weeding that gap it will look awful in no time.

I grew up with four foot fences or walls between gardens, and it meant everyone could see around their neighbourhood, you stood at the fence and chatted, kids made plans, if you were sunbathing you could talk to each other, when you had a bbq food was passed over the wall. A six foot fence is for people who want to enjoy their personal space without feeling observed or the need to engage with their neighbours. That's fine too.

I am not saying one is better than the other. OP's neighbours have the right to their privacy and they cannot stop them. However, I am with OP that four foot fences are nicer. When I bought my first place we had a four foot fence with one neighbour and a six foot with the other. Both neighbours were equally lovely, but I had a much better relationship with the one I could see and talk to when we were both gardening.

Don't make an enemy of your new neighbors. Just accept the fence and say thank-you

yup, this is what I have done. Hedges aren't secure for dogs nor (in my case) for my tortoise.

Nothing to stop you growing a hedge or other shrubbery against the fence.

@TheBerry you can grow things up the fence

I know I’m in the minority with it. To me it feels like being stuck in an ugly brown box. Different if it’s a high hedge - at least they are natural and full of birds - but everyone seems to be cutting their hedges down in favour of fences.

I guess if you have a large garden a fence probably doesn’t seem too oppressive, though.

Can’t think of anything worse than a whole row of neighbours with 4ft fences 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Thing is they are not trying to box op in. It’s one side of her entire garden will be 6ft. She can still be community minded and what not on her other two sides. Since the 6ft is coming like it or not it seems silly to not just have the fence on the boundary.

Though odds are once one person finally has the balls to break the patten lots will follow.

One option as a compromise would be to put up a 4ft fence with 2ft trellace on top. You’d need to pay for this though. This is what I’ve done as I keep more light and it’s great for growing things against. On the other side my neighbour has a 6ft monstrosity which is pretty much falling down but I’ve been loathe to pay to replace

Let them replace your fence! It's completely legal and unfortunately they can and will do it and yours will look daft.

Our neighbours did this without asking, I really wish they had just asked about replacing the fence because whilst we have a fence around the perimeter we had been thinking of replacing ours anyway! Unfortunately they did it whilst we were away for a fortnight, we knew they were having the garden done but they just didn't mention the fence.

Hopefully image will attach, this is a 4 foot on our side but a 6 foot on theres because our garden is tiered...

The neighbours not putting up a 6ft fence around OP's house....

OP will be left with 1 side of 1 fence (the one facing her property) & 3 old ones (already there in the original style) that face the other neighbours/road ect.
& will have to either pay the same builder to Install the same one around the other 3 sides to get them to match & have a "private garden" or have a double-fence with the cost of replacing the 3 footer herself as id imagine the neighbours won't care much once they cant see it.