CF new neighbour

[toomanyplants]

House next door to me up for sale, previous owners emigrated.
Yesterday I had a knock on the door, couple stood there, around my age (say 40-50).

So he says hello I'm about to buy the house next door, and then immediately launched into how he dislikes the walls surrounding the back garden and wishes to replace with wooden fencing. "I have a thing about concrete" he said.

I was stunned and just replied "I can't make a decision about that until I speak with DH"

The walls are like concrete posts with the long slabs, ours are painted cream and look great, very secure and offer privacy to a good level.
AIBU to think that this is not how you introduce yourself to a new neighbour?

you need to check who is responsible for the boundary/fence. that fence isn't to everyone's taste (looks much nicer/softer painted i must say) but you'll have a lovely sheltered garden with minimal maintenance because of it. my neighbour pulled up a hedge and put in a wooden fence which loses a panel or two every time there's a storm because we're quite exposed, so i know they're not always the best thing to have. hopefully if it's "his" boundary you can persuade him to leave it and disguise it with trellis and plants, or put a new fence in front of it on his side.
You need to find out who is responsible for the boundary (from your deeds) and go from there.

For a concrete fence, that looks lovely OP! It really brightens the garden. 😊

If you establish that it's your fence - do you know which estate agent is selling it? No harm in ringing them, tell them what happened and ask them to pass on the message that you will not be taking YOUR fence down. If it's his then of course you're a bit stuck.

If it’s your wall, then you have no issue. Well, apart from having to live next door to a tosser .

Unlike everyone else, I can't see what you're so upset about? I mean sure, this seems a bit graceless but it's entirely likely that he's trying to figure out if this is going to be a problem if he buys the house.

I thought the general rule for boundary fences was if you stand with your back to the back wall of your house then the boundary to your right is yours whilst the boundary to the left belongs to the next property. That's how it is on our 1990's estate anyway we may have had issues over fences with a previous CF neighbour and also builders on the opposite side

@ravensoaponarope

Could he have been trying to do the right thing and inform you of his plans, albeit in an unfortunate manner?

Well he has certainly informed the OP of something.

I would definitely make sure you know who has rights to the wall before they move in. That way you are both forewarned and forearmed.

Is it that big of a deal?

A bit graceless but maybe his thinking was to find out where you’re at before making an offer?

Anyway, he doesn’t have to like concrete. He can stick a fence up on his side!

If he knocks in again just say that you’re keeping the wall as it is, no?

I’m with him op, honestly this wouldn’t bother me, is he supposed to do a number of visits before he can approach it?

For me if I wished to make a change I’d knock on the door, introduce myself and ask the question, I’d not think I had to keep it a secret, visit a couple of times then broach it and would be more than happy if someone moving in next to me knocked on the door introduced themselves then discussed changes they wished to make, I’d not see it as cheeky.

I’d also be very sure you own it, as it may be he thinks he does and was just giving you warning.

If you own it then you have no issues, he can attach wooden panels to his side of the wall if he so wishes.

@bigbluebus it's not a given, we're new build and we own the fence to our left and the back, neighbour owns the one on the right (well, half of it, but that's just a quirk of my plot!) It depends on whose land the fence posts sit the builder told us

Number of visits, no of course not
In my opinion highly impolite to introduce yourself then speak of knocking walls down before you've even had sale completed.

If it's his wall, then there's nothing I can do, if it's mine, he will be told it's staying as it is.

Not "getting upset" or "making a fuss"
I just thought it was rather rude, and a strange way to say hello to a potential neighbour
'Different strokes....

Did I miss the photo

In my opinion highly impolite to introduce yourself then speak of knocking walls down before you've even had sale completed

Ok so he has to complete before he can broach it? That’s a bit random. As said, it wouldn’t bother me and I’d rather know sooner rather than later.

I think I can beat you on the CF neighbour thing.... we live in a duplex apartment; we have ground and first floor with our own front door, there’s one apartment above which is social housing (which we didn’t know until after purchase completion as new build). They knocked on our door and demanded a key to the gate to our private garden, with the rationale that we don’t have kids but they do. There’s a large shared green space out front with children’s play equipment (swings, climbing bars, slide etc) but she thinks her kids deserve a private garden.

@bigbluebus - That is a good rule of thumb. I am however responsible for all of my fences, back, right and rear! A double edged sword.

Best check your title deeds, and sales pack. However, as bigbluebus has said, you generally are only responsible to the right.

Perhaps he was carried up in the excitement of buying the house and he forgot his manners.

I missed the photo too!

Have just downloaded my title deeds and neighbours who back onto us as we think they took a bit of our garden when our house was empty. It's not very clear or gives boundaries though, unless looking at it wrong .
£3 so hasn't broken the bank.

Is it this type of fence? I prefer this to wooden panels especially if it's a very windy plot.

Quote some poetry at him - "Good fences make good neighbours ........"!

I mean he can ask......... but I would be saying no as well, a concrete fence is so much better than a wooden one imo

I have a wall similar to that between me and my NDN. They are lovely and we've lived next door to them for many years. However, a couple of years ago they decided to replace the fences on their boundaries with new wooden ones and they asked if they could remove the concrete one and replace that too. Mine is on the lines of the one in the picture up thread, although a different brick effect. The wall has been there for the whole 25 years I've lived here and is still extremely stable and in very good condition. We said no, we'd rather keep the concrete fence. They were ok with it and I'm glad I stood my ground because I can see they didn't treat the wooden fencing they put in on their other boundaries and it's already starting to show signs of deterioration.

I'd push back on the new NDN OP if you're happy with your current fence. Your concrete one will last years longer than any wooden one will.