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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Backgarden privacy

49 replies

Sunny300 · 27/01/2022 10:03

Our neighbours recently had a gym installed in their garden as a business. There was no courtesy warning about this project.

The boundary between us is theirs but has a short wall. We were alright with this until now when the gym is in place and obviously attracts private clients/people unknown to us.

We want privacy given that it is no longer just their friends and family accessing their back garden.

We are in good books with our neighbours and so I raised the idea of increasing privacy but the neighbour does not agree. They said the clients will not look into our garden or at our property as each client has been informed. We don’t think it is practical as sometimes you can’t control where you look. They also said the numbers coming to every appointment are limited and clients are not allowed to loiter.

On thinking it through we still feel that is not enough for our privacy and still strongly feel like erecting a fence on our side property (a few inches from theirs) or add planters with high trellises. We will of course seek fencing law advice.

Are we being unreasonable to want to increase privacy in this case?

OP posts:

MogsBestestFurball · 27/01/2022 10:05

I think there are regulations about starting a business at a residential property, I'd look into that in the first instance.

SomewhereOnlyIKnow · 27/01/2022 10:07

Firstly I’d get on to the council to ask about running a business from home.
Then I’d be thinking about contacting the tax office.
And finally, you can put a fence up on your side, or maybe just an upper half of fence above the wall on your side.

DreamerSeven · 27/01/2022 10:07

@MogsBestestFurball

I think there are regulations about starting a business at a residential property, I'd look into that in the first instance.

Yep, this for me too. And I’d absolutely sort out some screening, you don’t need their permission if it’s erected on your own land.

minipie · 27/01/2022 10:11

Absolutely check the council rules. Someone near us wanted to run a business from home (they have a pool and wanted to hire it out for kids lessons) they had to seek planning permission, their neighbours objected and it was turned down.

I am amazed they won’t even raise the fence.

IwishICouldTurnBackTime · 27/01/2022 10:14

I've done this.....erected our own fence directly infront of my neighbour's low fence. I tried growing tall plants, but I actually saw them cutting them back one time! That was all the reason we needed to put in our own taller fence. Everyone else has 5 foot tall fences, bar this neighbour, who had a low 3 foot one. Ok so we lost a few inches of the garden, but the increase in privacy was worth it.

Seeline · 27/01/2022 10:25

You can normally erect a fence of up to 2m in height without planning permission unless it is next to a road.

But as others have said, do the neighbours have planning permission for the business use? Most business uses based at residential properties require PP if it involves people coming to the property in order to protect the amenities of other residents. If PP is granted (which isn't common) there will be conditions to restrict the number of visitors, the hours of operation, parking etc.

It doesn't sound as though your neighbours care much about you if they won't even put up a decent fence so I would have no problem reporting this to the planning enforcement team at your local council so that they can investigate.

Nanny0gg · 27/01/2022 10:53

Why did you ask? They didn't.

And why are you passively accepting this business?

No planning. Building regs? H&S? Insurance? Noise? Parking?

Put up what you like on your land but get onto the council pronto.

IsDaveThere · 27/01/2022 11:38

Just put your own fence up on your own property, no fencing law advice needed (is there even such a thing as fencing law??).

MintJulia · 27/01/2022 11:44

Sturdy trellis and clematis Montana. Their gym will be hidden by midsummer

Whether you report them to the council depends on if you want to stay friends....

MorningStarling · 27/01/2022 11:44

Why did you consult them over a fence, given they didn't consult you about opening a gym?

Just put the fence up and forget about them. (Well, once you've checked with the council that the gym is all above board, of course...)

LittleGwyneth · 27/01/2022 11:53

There's a reason they say that high fences make for good neighbours! I'd just put up trellis / more fencing on your side, for which you don't need planning up to two meters.

purpleme12 · 27/01/2022 11:58

Just put your own fence up in your garden that's 6 foot.
Lose a bit of garden but got to weigh up what you want more.

IwishICouldTurnBackTime · 27/01/2022 12:48

You can go onto the council's website and check whether planning has been applied for and granted, or refused. If it has been granted (which I very much doubt), you can check the conditions.

If not I would report it, as lack of privacy could be the least of your worries long term. There could be a lot of noise in the summer for instance and don't worry about what they think, as they weren't fussed about you and it'll be their own fault for not considering you. If they'd only put up a fence.......

Does he have a neighbour on the other side that also might be inconvenienced?

Alayalaya · 27/01/2022 12:50

You need to report to the council, they will get stopped from running a business at home because it’s detrimental to their neighbours.

CrystalMaisie · 27/01/2022 12:55

Just put a fence up. Please don’t go to the council or tax office: I’ve been in the receiving end of that, and it was the worst time in my life.

TurquoiseDragon · 27/01/2022 13:05

I'd go to the council. You can't run a business in a residential area if it's going to be detrimental to the neighbours.

And given that they're not even raising the fence and giving you privacy, I doubt they had even applied for planning permission.

My local council is hot on things like this, a cousin of mine has to make a number of adjustments for privacy reasons before planning permission was granted.

Chloemol · 27/01/2022 13:17

My bet is he would need planning permission for the building if it’s a business, so I would report him

Then I would look at installing the highest fence I can (2m?) along the fence line

Chloemol · 27/01/2022 13:20

@CrystalMaisie

Just put a fence up. Please don’t go to the council or tax office: I’ve been in the receiving end of that, and it was the worst time in my life.

Why shouldn’t she? Planning permission should have been sought without a doubt and as an immediate neighbour she would have been consulted

Doesn’t sound like they sought permission, so it’s illegal, why should she put up with that? Why shouldn’t be be paying business rates on his building? Why shouldn’t he be subjected to the same H&S laws everyone ekse who runs a business like this is subject to?

I don’t know your circumstances, but if you didn’t get the correct permissions then it’s your fault.

RunningFromInsanity · 27/01/2022 13:20

@CrystalMaisie

Just put a fence up. Please don’t go to the council or tax office: I’ve been in the receiving end of that, and it was the worst time in my life.

Were you illegally running a business from your property?

If they aren’t doing anything wrong, a few bits of paperwork and this won’t affect them.

SituationCritical · 27/01/2022 13:27

I couldn't stand that. Whatever they've said about clients not looking in, they will. There's no way they won't, even if it's just the odd glances. As you have a good relationship, I would have another chat and explain how uncomfortable this makes you. I wouldn't hesitate to put up fencing or hedging. Why do they get a say in what you put up in your garden? Because they want the views?

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 27/01/2022 13:37

I'd echo others comments around not needing permission for a fence within standard height limits on your own land, and checking their planning permission.

Also they're being completely unreasonable about not trying to limit the impact on you. 'Telling their customers not to look over the fence' I mean wtf are they going to monitor their customers eye movements to check compliance? Surely it's also easier for them to have a higher fence and not have to tell their customers where they are allowed and not allowed to look? I'd be tempted to start naked gardening or something just to check all their customers are abiding with their instructions

minipie · 27/01/2022 13:46

I would really recommend going to the council about the gym tbh not just whacking a fence up.

Fence may sort your problem right now but what happens if they start running loud music as part of the gym? Late night or early morning classes? Outdoor classes in their garden when the weather gets better?

squashyhat · 27/01/2022 13:49

@CrystalMaisie

Just put a fence up. Please don’t go to the council or tax office: I’ve been in the receiving end of that, and it was the worst time in my life.

Why what did you do?

DaisyMum40 · 27/01/2022 13:50

@minipie

I would really recommend going to the council about the gym tbh not just whacking a fence up.

I agree. People can and do successfully run businesses from their homes, but there needs to be boundaries e.g. number of people who visit at any one time, the hours of operation, noise levels etc. Before you know it, you could be woken up at 7am on a Sunday morning with a 20 people Zumba class in the back garden! Definitely check this with the council. Appreciate this won't be easy though, if you've been on good terms up till now, you don't want to change that. BUT, they should have followed the right process in the first place, it's only their fault if they haven't.

minipie · 27/01/2022 13:52

I wouldn’t be much concerned about keeping good relations with neighbours who had treated me like this!

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