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?

@Coronabegone

No! Thanks for letting me know what you like, but we're not changing our fence!

Definitely this......CF's

Glad to hear it is your fence/wall!

Please update the thread when he moves in...I'd love to know his next move!!

Then propose he puts a fence up on his side to hide the concrete that will be staying put!

What an arse. If they are your concrete walls he can't touch them and don't let him - they cost a lot but you rarely ever have to replace them. I'm not keen on them but I'd certainly keep them instead of rubbish get blown down and rot wood ones.

Just saw the pic they are really nice!

so after a call to estate agent, then sourcing online (£22) 🙄

What was the £22 for OP? I thought you would be getting the title plan for £3, just wondered what else was out there for when we start house hunting

@ginginchinchin the £3 fee was only showing the boundary, not who actually owned it.
Was marked with what looks like a capital T
(There's probably a name for this symbol)
Was on the .gov website. I did it while waiting for estate agents to get back to me.

Not a great start but whoever owns/ is responsible for that boundary can put up what they like 6ft etc...

Just seen above post re: boundary... I am responsible for the RHS out the back of my house (looking from the house) So is my Mothers home and everyone else that I asked!

@SurroundedByIdiotsEverywhere it's a bit of a minefield, some are adamant it's to the left, others think it's the right.
The only way to be sure is to get the actual land registry document.
Was easy enough to do online

@toomanyplants. Thanks for that. I'm confused about the amounts though - I've always got the title register for £3 and the title plan for another £3, but it sounds as though there's something else available other than these. This is the amounts I can see on land registry.gov.uk (I never get the Flood risk indicator as we're definitely not in a flood risk area).

Awful man.

If the boundary is yours and he comes back just laugh at him and tell him you thought he was joking. Then clarify that the fence is on your boundary, you like it just fine and will not be changing it but he is more than welcome to put his own fence on his own land and kindly do not come back to you with any more outrageous demands because they will be met in the same fashion.

Start as you mean to go on OP.

I used HM land registry portal, had to make account with them, tried the £3 option first, that only showed the boundary, just like a red line around the whole area.
I saw the flood risk part, debated getting that also but didn't want to add to issues!

@bigbluebus

"the general rule for boundary fences"

is that there is no general rule. Not left side, not right side, not uphill or down, not older house or newer. It might be on the "deeds" that you can get from www.gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry (not any of the ".com" or ".co.uk" because they are scammers and fraudsters.

BTW you can paint concrete posts and gravel boards with masonry paint. I do mine with very dark brown to blend into the woodstain and treetrunks, I have been thinking about dark green to blend into bushes. Some people like to paint them in cheery colours.

I painted mine! The concrete was very drab, went for a cream colour, really sets off the green of the lawn and the woodland behind us, feels like a villa when the sun is shining, looks smart too, not to everyones taste but I really like it

Your walls are great. Also solid (brick or otherwise) walls are ten times better for sound insulation than wooden fences between gardens. No way should you be persuaded to change them. How bloody rude (and that’s putting it mildly!).

I see no problem with your wall. We went to see our neighbours before we moved in to speak about putting a fence up. We had brambly prickly trees with huge spikes which were in our garden and there was a old broken link fence which was technically theirs on the boundary line and the hedges and grown through to their side. We asked if we could pay for and put up a new fence as we were on the other sides to make it secure as we were removing the unpractical hedge! They were thrilled! We moved in Friday and work started Monday!

Excellent update, OP. I’d just ensure the prospective buyer is fully aware that the boundary is yours. He sounds like an idiot!

Make sure he doesn't just pull the fence down. He sounds the type.

Yep - make sure he's fully aware - otherwise you will come home one day to find your wall gone and his fence up.

Well, perhaps, if they don't like it, they can put a fence up in front of it.

If it helps: The ‘T’ marks, as they are called in conveyancing, indicate boundary liability. Your Land Registry red line plan shows the extent of the boundary of your property as per your deed plan, and the T marks show which of your boundaries you are yours, ie your property, and your responsibility to maintain. So your new neighbours would have no leg to stand on, if your LR red line plan shows the cream concrete walls are yours, and they attempted to remove them. They would be required to replace it like for like!!

I think it looks lovely. We have cheapo waney lap panels which look crap and blow out every. single. winter. I covet your wall!!!!

@toomanyplants please could you add a link to where you got the deed copies from? When I login all I can see are these options?

Usually looking facing house the fence on the left is yours

Good stuff OP. I hope you tell him to stick sit on his fence

@suzy2b

no it isn't