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?

[quote toomanyplants]@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.[/quote]
Yep, they’re called “T” marks!

These would usually be shown on the original plot transfer (TP1 or sometimes TR1), rather than the basic office copy entries (title information document).

If anyone is interested (someone was asking), you can usually download the plot transfer or conveyance from the Land Registry website as well. It won’t be on the title information document. The transfer will be mentioned on it somewhere though, so you can find the date and parties.

Traditionally in England yes the left was your responsibility however that was a long long long time ago and in more modern times it became common for neighbours to agree to split the cost of boundary repairs. the wrong neighbour to repair or adopt responsibility for repairs/replacement, confusion, disputes..etc and single plots to be revamped into multiple properties with additional boundaries and as such the left hand "rule" became rather antiquated and unreliable.

Please update OP when he moves in

He's a chancer but be wary of him- he sounds like he's going to be a nuisance neighbour. I'm a bit confused though- was he implying that the walls are his and he'll be knocking them down so therefore expect some disruption once he's moved in or was he suggesting change them or else?

I'm not keen on concrete myself but your wall looks very nice. Maybe his side needs painting? I'd tell him you are keen to help the environment by not being wasteful so your wall will be staying and it is of course up to him what he puts up on his side and goodbye.

In every house I have lived in my fence has been on the left

As I moved into my current home 12 years ago my new neighbour screamed at me “I hope you’re gonna fix the f***g fence”!
Things went downhill from there.
Who does it belong to?

I would definitely check where you stand on the deeds and then be very clear on what you want and don’t want. Do not dither or errr on the don’t wants, stay firm.

I had this happen to me. It was worse tho. Neighbours started building their wall on my land. Then when we told them to stop they played stupid and said they thought our boundary walls were a party wall. Then they put in a party wall so half creeps onto our side and the designs don’t match our house! We had no idea they would do this and were shocked the day they just started ripping up our garden. We had no idea they should have given us two months notice to build a party wall either. We had no time to take anything in! Absolutely infuriated me now what they did and how they built their wall in our garden! Clearly underhand and untrustworthy. Please don’t fall for the same trap op!

Tell him to build the fence his side of the wall?

Say no we are very happy with this type of fence as winters here are very windy and everyone with wooden fences spend so much money each year fixing them when they fall down , blame the wind and say we don’t wish to have wooden fences ,these are stronger and just end the conversation fast say your point politely and go in .

Also....even if the boundary was his, you could dismantle the fence yourself, let him build his lovely wooden fence, then ( carefully making sure it stays on your land ) re-erect your fence!! It would be expensive, but the joy of pissing your arsy neighbour of would surely be worth it 😈😈

Oh dear. As a viewer of a property you wouldn’t knock on somebody’s door really unless asking about the area... not changes you would like to make IF you actually do buy the house. It looks lovely in the photo too.

Ha can dress his side or put up a wooden fence his side, let him get on with it

what a horrid start with a bossy man bloody cheek of him. Hopefully the house will fall through for him. Also he can put a fence to cover his side I would like those sturdy walls and you can cover with plants / shrubs / paint/ other fencing . There is no problem but there is is a bad tempered selfish man. Don't panic, wait, to see if sale goes through . Also, as you note, find out who owns fence and boundaries. I would do my best to save your fence . But bit make self ill over. Good luck .

But not make yourself Ill over it all. X

Little update........
well considering the David Brent type was convinced he was buying the house next door, I was having a nose browse today and it's back on the market!!
Maybe it was too "concretey"
Can't say I'm sorry to not be seeing him again!

Good update - phew!

That’s a big relief for you @toomanyplants. People like that don’t change.

I always go by the saying ‘when someone shows you who they are... believe them’.

Hope you get lovely neighbours.

Oh good! He'll be off to antagonise another poor sap somewhere else. We'll probably see a thread about it on here