Neighbour wants to replace MY fence, I don’t want them to!

[Fencewoes]

We have recently had new neighbours move in next door. A month ago they said that they would like to replace all of the fences around their garden (sides and back) which includes replacing mine. They said they will pay for this as they want their garden to look uniform. At first I was on board with this, actually quite pleased at the thought of having a brand new fence as mine is quite old, however they have now said they will be replacing my current 4ft fence with a 6ft fence instead.

I have told them I do not want them to replace my fence with anything higher than 4 ft. They’ve now said that in that case, instead of replacing my fence, they will just build another fence against mine in their garden. So basically, I will retain my current fence, then there will be another in their garden, but I will have double fences on my side! Is this even allowed?

You can still get communal with the neighbours on your other side, and the ones over the back fence. That’s plenty imo.

Of course it's allowed
I've done exactly this. Put a 6 foot fence in my garden so there's a bit of a gap between this and the border fence. Although the original fence is even smaller than 4 foot.
But I did this because the neighbours were harassing us

A 6ft fence isn't a crime, I don't know why you're so keen to see into their garden. Let them erect theirs then take yours down. 50cm land grab! Win win!

I’ve done similar and I love my neighbour! I don’t want to have to interact every time I’m in the garden checking the pond/putting dog out for a wee/weeding/hanging out washing/mowing the grass.

Two fences will look horrid and as you say there will be a weed problem. I would tell them your concerns, ask for a double sided fence (so both sides look good), ensure that your side is treated the same as theirs so it looks smart. Buy some clematis.
It’s better to suck this up than be at loggerheads with neighbours. Sorry.

This can’t be serious? No one is this ill informed or self absorbed.. Of course they can build a fence on their land. And a six foot one. You don’t get to bully them into having a four foot one. Either let them replace yours or they put one in side . Thems your options.

and please stop with this silly they are the only ones and it’s a community feel. It’s their property. If they want six foot. Which most would. Then this is permitted.

What as she’s in a position to negotiate and ask them to spend up? Cmon now. She’s in no place to make demands never mind get her hand out.

Presumably it's the back garden you are discussing where fences can be 2 metres high? It's 1 metre that's allowed without planning at the front of the house. A back garden with a 4' high fence isn't useable, it has no privacy. Take the offering of a new fence gratefully and don't bother trying to retain your 4' one beside it. It would just look silly.

God I’d hate a 4 foot fence

Honestly having a 6ft fence is better than what my neighbours did - they owned the fence which at the time was a small picket fence between the properties. Their solution was to put in Lleylandi trees - grow very fast and also suck the nutrients out of the soil on our side. They got very arssy when I cut them back (on my side) - they will have problems with them soon as from my side you can see the trees are dying - too many in small area I suspect!

Exactly what we did when we moved in. We wanted to replace the existing fences as some of them were in disrepair and we didn't want the dog getting out.

We wrote to 4 neighbours - left and right side and two at the bottom - and said we would like to do this and replace the wooden posts with concrete for greater stability and durability. 3 were very happy, 4th didn't want us to touch their fence. So on that side we left their 4ft broken fence and erected our new 6ft one on our land.

And? Just because that’s what everyone else has doesn’t mean they have to go along with it if it’s not their preference for THEIR property

Highly unlikely any restriction round someone’s back garden, and a trellis won’t cut it, they want privacy like most of us.

I did th4 same years ago, my neighbours asked me not to, I explained I was telling, not asking, and proceeded to fence it in. Was a great decision and we had total privacy out there. A 2 foot trellis wouldn’t have cut it.

Let them build the new fence on their side then take yours down a month later and you now have an extra 1m of garden 👌🏼

Let them put up their new fence with a gap ....and then take you old fence down. Hey presto bigger garden!

I'm only kidding really. I think an awful lot of people want to try to create a private space in their back garden - even if it is a bit of an illusion. So with a 6 foot fence people tend to act like they can't see/hear their neighbours in the garden. I understand it is a change for you but I don't think many people would want a "community feel" in their back garden and the old chatting over the garden fence. I think if someone else bought the house it's quite likely that they would also want to make the garden more private.

You could check your deeds to see if there is a covenant against higher fences - that could be why most people's are low but do you want to live with sour faced neighbours glaring at you over your fence?

I'm with you. I don't like 6ft fences. I'm fact I'd prefere bushes or some other plants as barriers instead of fences. Gives more open feel and makes the backyard look less crammed. I've accepted im in the minority and 6ft is the way to go. But like other have said. You just have to accept they can build a fence on their side.

Of course it is it’s their land

We replaced a 4ft fence with a 6ft one. Neighbours were fine with it. It's far more private now. I get on really well with my neighbours but as someone else said earlier, we used to interact more with the 4ft fence but I often didn't want this/didn't have time when I went into the garden.

Well done OP, you’ve taken a perfectly polite and reasonable request and managed to swing it that you get to start your ‘community feel’ with the new neighbours as a difficult person for absolutely no good reason.
Plus you’ve got an eyesore of a fence situation coming your way now too. I’d backtrack and agree if I were you!

I'd have love neighbours to do this, we had to do both sides and the bottom as both side neighbours didn't bother, and the garden fence at the end of our garden was very old.

I think these days most people would hate the idea of a low fence. I like privacy in my garden, I don't want to feel I have to speak to my neighbours when we're all outside.

No, most people don’t want to come out in their pyjamas or in swimwear to sunbathe, or to have friends over and sit outside and see Dave pottering in his shed or beryl shouting lovely morning for It.

I’d absolutely hate sitting there with my neighbours able to watch me, or feel it’s a community and try to make convo.

@Fencewoes a real community feel? 🤢 so everyone can see into and across their neighbours back gardens? That’s my (and a lot of peoples) idea of absolute hell.

id hate to live next door to you.

Just talked yourself out of a new fence there!

We have both. Fences that are hidden behind trees, bushes, bamboo, a grape vine and currant bushes.