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Original poster

If we put a 6ft fence up next to our neighbours .... Can they do anything?

182 replies

ButteredRadishes · 15/05/2025 08:07

We offered to replace the old fence that is shared to Ur back gardens. They've got a 3 ft wires fence, rotting poles, leaning etc. is "their fence" as far as I can see.

We want to replace it (at our cost), they verbally agreed but are now kicking off, saying it will block their light, they don't want a 6ft, they want 3 ft.

We want 6ft, because she curtain twitches at the back window.

Any way, if they don't want to get theirs actually replaced, can we just build a fence next to theirs on our property? Like an inch or so away from theirs?

As far as I cans we, they'll be miffed,but couldn't actually stop us, right?

OP posts:
Gossipisgood · 19/05/2025 14:18

A 6ft fence shouldn't block their light by much. I'd be proving a point to them by hammering a 6ft post where you want the fence & show them the shadow at different times of the day to prove a fence won't affect their light. If they still argue they don't want it then you can put it up an inch away from the existing fence on your property & there's nothing they can do about it.

TheHerboriste · 19/05/2025 14:31

ZMit · 17/05/2025 20:15

Our horrible neighbour next door went and erected a 6ft fence. Now we've lost the sun from a good chunk of our garden. The grass in this area is always moss filled and I have to plant shade loving plants only in my flower bed.

Off topic but: moss is a good thing!

Horticula · 19/05/2025 20:57

ZMit · 17/05/2025 20:15

Our horrible neighbour next door went and erected a 6ft fence. Now we've lost the sun from a good chunk of our garden. The grass in this area is always moss filled and I have to plant shade loving plants only in my flower bed.

Why is it horrible to want privacy? The sun moves round, your garden can't be in shade all day. Plus 6ft isn't that high, it can't make much difference. Shade living plants are wonderful anyway. I think it's very unreasonable to expect your neighbours not to have privacy in their own garden. 6 foot fences are the norm, millions of gardens have them with no problems at all.

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Grammarnut · 26/05/2025 16:57

Whaleandsnail6 · 15/05/2025 11:12

How would it be a boundary dispute? The fence will be on the op's side of the original fence... totally on her boundary.

The op is doing nothing wrong. She doesn't have to enter into a disbute or argument with the neighbours, they are being unreasonable. 6ft is allowed for a fence and is a common and popular height.

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But her buyers will realise that the boundary is the neighbours' fence. Cue, pull down new fence, cue row that piece of land lying between OP's new fence and the neighbours' fence is new owners land...people will row about inches on this one and boundary disputes are expensive. Grow a clematic or something up the fence, do not build a fence within your own boundary. A fence must be on the boundary.

Original poster
ButteredRadishes · 26/05/2025 17:28

Grammarnut · 26/05/2025 16:57

But her buyers will realise that the boundary is the neighbours' fence. Cue, pull down new fence, cue row that piece of land lying between OP's new fence and the neighbours' fence is new owners land...people will row about inches on this one and boundary disputes are expensive. Grow a clematic or something up the fence, do not build a fence within your own boundary. A fence must be on the boundary.

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It's council property next door. They won't replace the fence! They won't even replace the one that's broken, leaning and has rotten posts.

OP posts:
Original poster
ButteredRadishes · 26/05/2025 17:29

ButteredRadishes · 26/05/2025 17:28

It's council property next door. They won't replace the fence! They won't even replace the one that's broken, leaning and has rotten posts.

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And if I sell up and new people want to move the fence...not my problem!

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 26/05/2025 18:19

TheHerboriste · 15/05/2025 15:38

Exactly.

A 3-foot or 5-foot fence is utterly pointless. There is no sense going to trouble and expense if people can still peer in or chat.

Nothing to do with "being sociable."

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I have a 3'6' fence between us and next door. We manage to sit in the garden at the same time as our neighbour without chatting all the time. Sometimes we just say hi, other times we'll have a chat. It seems to work ok.

When we moved in there was no fence between the gardens so even this made it feel like 'ours' rather than a shared garden. If my neighbour moves we may put up a 6' fence but I'd rather not as the garden is only 8' wide so it would be like a tunnel and we'd get no sun at all.

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