Neighbour just scolded my husband for building a fence. AIBU for being angry?

[LindyMoe]

We're building a fence on our land for privacy in the garden. There is currently a hedge about waist high the neighbour has grown between gardens, but we would like privacy especially with my newborn.

He questioned my husband, demanding a reason for the fence but given it's on our land and we're sacrificing garden space to be away from his hedge, I'm quite shocked. He said we dont need one, that it's not pretty and that we haven't given him the attractive side. My husband said we're allowed to build what we want within regulation... it's a fence!

He then stormed off and said goodbye to being neighbourly.

In this time of worry and stress its making me quite anxious and I'm worried he will try and cause problems for us.

AIBU to be angry about this? I wanted to be friendly but honestly dont think we've done anything wrong.

Sigh

We've also got concrete "planks" instead of wooden ones.

I know a lot about fences. I spent 4 months absorbed in the law about them, nearly had a breakdown over them and ended up moving over a bloody fence.

I can tell you categorically that what you have done is correct. There is no law about which way round the fence has to be. That is an urban myth.

Having had my life nearly ruined by a neighbour who wanted 8 inches of my tiny back garden and won because we couldn't afford to fight him in court the best day ever was when we erected a 6 foot fence between our front gardens. We put the posts on his side too. It was, like yours, inside the boundary so we lost land. But at least I didn't have to see him staring at me over the old 3 foot fence (which was still there on his side) every time I went out.

traditionally (in England) the person who owns the boundary and so beats the cost of the fencing gets the ‘pretty’ side and the neighbour gets the less attractive one. It’s not a legal requirement, just the way things are usually done

No it's not! Traditionally in England you give your neighbour the 'nice side' not to be neighbourly but so you can erect the fence and make any repairs needed without having to go on their property.

"No it's not! Traditionally in England you give your neighbour the 'nice side' not to be neighbourly but so you can erect the fence and make any repairs needed without having to go on their property"

I dont agree. I dont know if that happens in some places, but definately not heard of it where I live. I've also heard people saying the rule of thumb is that if you stand at the front of your house and look out, the fence on one particular sside is yours, but that doesnt work often either.

And it's easier to fix the fence if the nice side is on your side because if the panels come off, you can screw them on from your side. For major repairs, you just take the panels out. I think if your fence backs onto a road or footpath, I would put the nice side on the outside so as people cant climb in though. But I wouldn't pay for new fence panels and give the nice side to a beighbour, why on earth would people do that.

People suggesting here that you should have given the neighbours the nice side of the fence hahah seriously... Wtf
You can put up a fence. Without consulting the neigbours as long as it is within council regulations.

And don't let anyone tell you anything else

I prefer the 'bad' side of the fence, personally.

Having the bad side of the fence is better from a security point of view.

What @GetawayfromthatWelshtart said. Jeez if i buy a house and want to do something with the land and im legally allowed to do so then its up to me. .. And in what section of the gardeners etiquette handbook does it say if u pay for a fence n spend time erecting the fence then you should take the shite side of the fence. What a typically British attitude. OP just ignor him and enjoy your privacy and the nice side of your fence. Congrats as well

Is this front it back garden? If it's back garden it sounds fine. If it's front garden it may be quite unattractive.