Asking neighbours not to grow plants on our fence

crunchiest · 2026-08-18T16:19:44+00:00

We recently had to replace the retaining wall and fence between our garden and the neighbours garden. The retaining wall was on our property, and so was the fence. We asked the neighbours to contribute to the cost of the fence, and they refused, citing “works” they were saving up for. Legally it was a grey area, with better argument that we should pay for the whole thing, so we did it. It was very expensive, and the neighbours now have a super nice fence to look at instead of the disgusting crumbly one from before. It was done last October and I’ve now seen that the neighbours are now growing all kinds of plants on our fence (on their side) including leaning polls on there for their tomatoes. Aibu to ask them not to do that? The fence is wood and will obviously be damaged by this.

godmum56 · 20/08/2026 18:51

WizdomE · 20/08/2026 18:15

Pointless response.

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you were wrong.

gratefulandgrumpy · 20/08/2026 18:35

rebus · 18/08/2026 20:37

If the retaining wall is built on your property, they have no right to to physically touch any part of it. As a previous poster pointed out, they can add what they like within their own property line, such as an inexpensive trellis for their plantings. They are lucky that you paid all of the major expense for the retaining wall and attached fencing. They would only need to purchase and install inexpensive light trellis panels for their plantings on their property.

Did you rebuild so that it is entirely on your side of the property line?

I agree it's completely unreasonable for them to refuse to pay a legal shared expense, and then grow vines on the expensively replacement that they did not pay for, which is highly likely to cause damage over time. As mentioned, they should install their own trellis panels which are very inexpensive since they are not structural as your retaining wall is. They can damage and replace their own trellis as they please.

You are being very very kind, almost overly reasonable to wait and ask them not to repeat this next year vs asking them to remove everything immediately. I hope this doesn't set a precedent for them to keep on taking advantage.

YANBU at all. I would worry that you will need to be very very firm, and and repeat yourself multiple times for such CF's to stop taking advantage.

Agree with all of this!

WizdomE · 20/08/2026 18:15

godmum56 · 20/08/2026 18:08

there is no need for "agreeing" Fence owners choice and decsion all the way.

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Pointless response.

godmum56 · 20/08/2026 18:08

WizdomE · 20/08/2026 08:35

Agree with jamin71, they can,t attach anything to your fence, nor can they paint it. However, it’s best to have a discussion with them and apply some common sense, tomatoe canes and plants won’t cause damage, but ivy, climbing plants, soil, heavy items leaning against the fence will. Just talk to them and get agreement, as they will not want to damage the fence either, also agree what colour you are going to use to treat the fence, if they don’t like the colour then they should not paint the fence.

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there is no need for "agreeing" Fence owners choice and decsion all the way.

Didimum · 20/08/2026 17:08

This is so petty. You're just sore they wouldn't contribute. This isn't about the vegetable plants.

WhatMyNameis · 20/08/2026 16:59

OnGoldenPond · 20/08/2026 12:48

Yep didn’t even mention it before going ahead, never mind asking my permission. I only knew about it when I walked past her driveway and saw it. When I challenged her she claimed it’s a party wall so she can fix whatever she likes to it without our permission. She’s a solicitor so thinks we won’t challenge her. Our downstairs bathroom is on the other side of that wall, God knows what damage she might have done. Just looking into what legal grounds we have to challenge this as she clearly won’t be reasonable about it.

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If that turns out to be true, shame nothing will grow on it because you’re always scrubbing that wall with bleach.

Actually, also a shame you’ve had to take it down because you’re painting your wall. Tomorrow.

TropicalFishAreTwats · 20/08/2026 16:32

NovaForesta · 20/08/2026 15:50

WTH is wrong with you? Do you realise how harmful bleach is to wildlife?

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See my post at 15.22 today...think that covers it🤷‍♀️

NovaForesta · 20/08/2026 15:50

TropicalFishAreTwats · 18/08/2026 17:40

I wouldn't ask, as you can see from the responses here, despite your considerable expense your neighbours still view it as 'their' fence.
Personally I would be out with the watering can liberally dosed with bleach right next to the fence on my side. If some accidentally got in their plants and killed them it would be a shame 🤷‍♀️

WTH is wrong with you? Do you realise how harmful bleach is to wildlife?

Mamamiacanisitthisoneout · 20/08/2026 15:38

What kind of plants? Your usual climbing plants/the structure attached for them to climb are not going to damage a decent quality fence. If you plan to ever sell your house then the legal side of things is irrelevant when you come to fences, as the reduction in your house value due to the need to declare a neighbour dispute will be much higher than the cost of a fence.

Gettingbysomehow · 20/08/2026 15:35

Actually no. They cant grow anything up your fence without your permission. Its your property both sides.
My house deeds say all of our fences both sides are shared fences so even though I paid for my new fence the neighbours can grow what they want up it.
However if your deeds say you own a particular fence or boundary marker then all of it is yours and they may not without your permission.

TropicalFishAreTwats · 20/08/2026 15:22

thinkingofachange · 20/08/2026 08:36

you’d be out there deliberately damaging plants and the environment? are you the tropical fish then? 😶

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Absolutely. If I had paid thousands for a new fence that was being damaged by an inconsiderate neighbour. I have no fucks to give!
I have paid for my fencing entirely by myself (neighbour rents, I own, no point asking her/the landlord to chip in) the worst crime my neighbour has committed so far is hanging her dog bed off it to dry. If she starts using it as a prop for things to grow up she might find she has a lot of accidental plant deaths.
By the way you can call me a twat on here if you like. No rules against it and I certainly won't lose any sleep over it.

Piglet89 · 20/08/2026 13:17

@OnGoldenPond do you use AI at all (e.g. Co Pilot?) It's usually very good on providing the answers to these questions.

OnGoldenPond · 20/08/2026 12:48

WhatMyNameis · 20/08/2026 09:32

They did WHAT?! 😮

Edited

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Yep didn’t even mention it before going ahead, never mind asking my permission. I only knew about it when I walked past her driveway and saw it. When I challenged her she claimed it’s a party wall so she can fix whatever she likes to it without our permission. She’s a solicitor so thinks we won’t challenge her. Our downstairs bathroom is on the other side of that wall, God knows what damage she might have done. Just looking into what legal grounds we have to challenge this as she clearly won’t be reasonable about it.

WhatMyNameis · 20/08/2026 09:32

OnGoldenPond · 20/08/2026 09:03

What is the law re a neighbour attaching a trellis to my house wall by drilling into it? My neighbour claims they can do this without our permission because the wall forms the boundary and runs along the edge of their driveway. My house is not attached to their house at any point.

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They did WHAT?! 😮

OnGoldenPond · 20/08/2026 09:07

Pinkissmart · 19/08/2026 22:23

So, you’re mad that they would pay for a fence which is your responsibility, so you would like to punish them?

Eh? The OP says they paid for the fence. They just don’t want it destroyed by ivy. That stuff brought down a whole brick wall in my garden so it’s no joke

OnGoldenPond · 20/08/2026 09:03

Mountainbetweenus · 18/08/2026 17:32

It’s very simple - if it’s your fence i.e. you paid for it, your neighbours are not entitled to attach anything to it or grow anything up it etc., and you are entitled to ask them not to.

Legally, should they do so, it falls under the civil torts of trespass and criminal damage.

Edit: They are entitled to erect their own fence parallel to yours.

Edited

What is the law re a neighbour attaching a trellis to my house wall by drilling into it? My neighbour claims they can do this without our permission because the wall forms the boundary and runs along the edge of their driveway. My house is not attached to their house at any point.

thinkingofachange · 20/08/2026 08:36

TropicalFishAreTwats · 18/08/2026 17:40

I wouldn't ask, as you can see from the responses here, despite your considerable expense your neighbours still view it as 'their' fence.
Personally I would be out with the watering can liberally dosed with bleach right next to the fence on my side. If some accidentally got in their plants and killed them it would be a shame 🤷‍♀️

you’d be out there deliberately damaging plants and the environment? are you the tropical fish then? 😶

WizdomE · 20/08/2026 08:35

Jasmin71 · 18/08/2026 17:25

They can grow what they want as long as it is not physically attached and only supported from the ground up on their side.

Agree with jamin71, they can,t attach anything to your fence, nor can they paint it. However, it’s best to have a discussion with them and apply some common sense, tomatoe canes and plants won’t cause damage, but ivy, climbing plants, soil, heavy items leaning against the fence will. Just talk to them and get agreement, as they will not want to damage the fence either, also agree what colour you are going to use to treat the fence, if they don’t like the colour then they should not paint the fence.

Elieza · 20/08/2026 08:29

jesseK · 19/08/2026 21:38

Can you reach under the fence with secateurs and cut the ivy from the bottom. It will take a while to die off so they probably will think it's a 'nature' thing.

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sadly no i cannot, but good idea!

Livpool · 19/08/2026 23:01

Who fucking cares?!

Pinkissmart · 19/08/2026 22:23

So, you’re mad that they would pay for a fence which is your responsibility, so you would like to punish them?

catlover123456789 · 19/08/2026 22:03

It was either your fence or theirs, sounds like it's yours so you pay.
No you can't tell them not to grow things against it. The tomatoes will be over soon.
Maybe they hate how it looks and want to cover it up?

WhatMyNameis · 19/08/2026 21:57

The neighbours at the end of our garden leaned a ton of scaffolding against the fence between us. My husband asked him to move them as it will push against the fence. He did.

jesseK · 19/08/2026 21:38

Elieza · 18/08/2026 17:28

my fence fell to bits a few years ago. the bit that stayed up longest had no ivy growing up it.

the bit that fell down first (a year and a half earlier) was pulled down by the sheer weight i think.

we halved in for a replacement fence. i told them not to grow stuff up it as it would pull it down again.

it’s COVERED in ivy. it’s grown right over and down my side. i cannot see the fence through it. Itll pull this fence down too. So annoyed.

Can you reach under the fence with secateurs and cut the ivy from the bottom. It will take a while to die off so they probably will think it's a 'nature' thing.

Original poster

crunchiest · 19/08/2026 21:37

PurpleFlower1983 · 19/08/2026 20:03

I’m surprised the wall was a shared responsibility if on your property. We paid £8k for a retaining wall last year as it was on our land, 5ft above next door. We can’t actually see it apart from a little bit of the top so I get your frustration OP if they were also legally responsible.

Edited

I mean I’m just going off what the lawyer said ! I’m not an expert. It was unfortunately much more than £8 for us.

I accept from this thread that I’ll come across as extremely petty and precious to my neighbours. So I need to decide if I care about that, or the longevity of my fence. And the satisfaction that will naturally come from being petty

OP posts: