I live in a terraced house. The gardens are separated by laurel hedges which are very dense and provide a natural secure boundary. The deeds are clear in terms of who owns which side, but we all just maintain both our garden-side bits so they don’t get too overgrown. All fine. I have an escapologist dog who got over the back wall of our garden before we reinforced that, but he’s never been able to get through the hedges so the sides are secure. Laurel would not have been my choice of a hedge, but it’s what we inherited, all the houses in the row have it so it is what it is.
Anyway, new neighbour has moved in and drastically thinned out the hedge which is legally his. It’s his hedge, totally his right to do what he wants with it, no issue. But in consequence there are now huge gaps at ground level which my dog would easily get through. I’ve told him this - he says he’s not going to put a fence up as he doesn’t like the look of them and he doesn’t want to plant anything else in the space. But he also has been very clear he doesn’t expect to see my dog in his garden! Again, fair enough. But now that means I’m going to have to put a fence up on my side - which will reduce the width of my garden hugely as the laurel is wide and goes over both boundaries, so effectively I’m giving him another three feet of garden. Neighbour has said he’s not going to take the laurel out altogether, he just wanted to thin it, and the gaps don’t bother him as he has no pets or small children so doesn’t need a secure boundary.
I know it’s his hedge and I know it’s my duty to not let my dog in his garden. But AIBU that he’s backed me into a corner here and I’m now going to have to pay for a fence and lose some garden? There’s no way of just covering the gap as the dog is very adept at wiggling round or through things and the laurel is so thick I can’t just wiggle chicken wire through it or similar.