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?

@StarlightLime No, not at all. Direct experience of this. Depends on the area obviously but different rules for different places.

Is it allowed 😂

I value my privacy more than the average person, but I now live in a house with a teeny yard and am surrounded by 6 ft fences, therefore getting absolutely no sunlight during most of the year. due to the trajectory of the sun my immediate neighbours are not affected by this and I can only gaze enviously at their washing flapping on the line in the gorgeous sun whilst I'm struggling with indoor drying racks! But would I compromise my privacy for more sunlight? Actually probably not. Someone posted a suggestion upthread about decking / platform, something I've not considered before but thinking about it, sounds like a great solution !

If literally every other house has a four foot fence, it may well be in a restricted covenant on the title deeds. Personally I think it depends on the aesthetics of the area. Here, most people have 6’ fences in the rear gardens, with lower fences at the front. We’ve bucked the trend, with neighbours to one side following suite, and we have a 6’ fence to the front, which we use as our actual garden for kids to play, bbqs etc, while other people in the street use it to showcase their perfect lawns and flower beds.
I’d let them put a new fence up and plant climbing plants along it to soften the look.

How are you being bullied into it when they have to lose a small part of their garden because you don’t agree to their request?

You can still have a community feel whilst having privacy in your back garden.

I would hate it if either of my neighbours erected a huge tall fence. Currently our entire row has only 2-3 foot fences, and it’s lovely. The light pours into everyone’s gardens throughout the day and evening, you can see across the whole row so it makes our individual gardens feel much bigger, it adds to a community feeling, and it still remains private.

I would be incredibly upset I to have a six foot fence forced on me from either side. Horrid.

Yes they can, as long as it’s within their boundary.
“High fences make for great neighbours” is a well known saying.
I can’t think of anything worse than a 4ft fence, no privacy, plus with my neighbour she’d have me yakking for half and hour. I’d have to check whether she was out there before going in the garden. Nooooo🙄
Let them remove your fence , it will look tidier.

@TheAlchemistElixa Well it will probably happen one day as you are very much in the minority.

Yes, if it's something that's important to you I'd suggest you ensure you live in an area where there are restricted covenants. Maybe you already do.

You are being massively unreasonable, they are offering to do all this, why would you want a 4ft fence? Id want a 6ft for privacy!

Hang on a mo…why would you suggest I move somewhere completely different, but yet you don’t seem to think the OP’s neighbour should have understood the kind of area they were buying into (no other high fences)? Irony.

our row and our surrounding rows have all had low fences since they were built a century ago. No one has yet deviated.

this whole “it’s bureaucratically allowed so therefore it’s my right” kinda thinking is a bit alien to me.

buy hey, horses for courses.

how can it be private?

@Remagirl

well, it doesn't take a lot of imagination really.

they want a new fence all sound so it matches. Maybe the OP's matches now & she doesn't want mismatched fencing? Maybe her garden is narrow and a 6ft fence will be imposing. Maybe she has things growing in her fence.

lots of reasons.

@Fencewoes

I wouldn't say bullied. They have offered to replace the existing fence & as you declined have told you their alternative plan so you can change your mind if you think that would be worse.

maybe they're getting a dog, or have kids/plan to foster & want a decent fence all around?

in your situation I'd probably capitulate because I think the double fence will look worse. But it would depend on a lot of those things I mentioned above.

& yes, I'd be bloody annoyed too, but accept it's their right in their garden, whether I like it or not!

Agreed
A fence for free, why not!

Because we’re not all hanging out in our gardens all day. I don’t sunbathe with my tits out. When someone is in their garden, we might exchange pleasantries but we leave each other be. And because we each have a patio area which offers more privacy unless someone is at the complete opposite end of their garden when you’re sitting on the patio.

I can see my neighbours lovely flowers and trees (and some unsightly weedy shitty bits, but that’s their business) the sun shines through, the bees and insects and birds dart between gardens freely and it feels like we’re all actually living in open natural space despite it only being a pretty standard suburban terrace on the edge of a big city.

it’s lovely. I would honestly feel like I was in a prison yard with a six foot fence all around.

my veg would have less light, and I would feel less connected to the outside space.

but then we all have actual gardens with plants and trees and grass (Some Much better kept than others, but all broadly similar). If I lived somewhere with only monoblocked outside spaces, concrete jungles or outside living rooms rather than green spaces, maybe I’s feel differently.

so perhaps that’s the difference.

Yes depending on your council bylaws it’s permissible. I once had to do this to a pervert neighbour that kept on snooping on me. Eventually the entire fence got replaced with 6 ft after I threatened with court. They could no longer be active perverts.

I have got an actual garden full of trees, plants and wildlife as do my neighbours and we all have six foot fences. When the weather permits, I do often hang out in my garden all day though and like it to be as private as ant other part of my home.

They can’t remove your fence if you don’t want them too. But no there isn’t anything to stop them building a higher fence directly alongside it on their own land if they want to.

I use my garden - which has 6ft hedges, put in by the previous people so not my choice exactly - as a place to do work prep, in the summer. I have to write a lot for my job and I go out, do half an hour of gardening, work through my plan for the next bit of writing in my head, drink tea, it's nice.

If there are people out, I can't see them, I'm not socially bound to say hello (and distract myself) and I don't get involved with conversations I actually can't have because I'm working. You'd never know I was working but I am.

It doesn't affect neighbour relations, we are a friendly street and lots of us socialise together, but we keep that all "out the front". I love my garden sanctuary, and tbh it's a real gift for mental health as I am a contractor and wfh.

Last place I lived had low walls around tiny front gardens, and it really was nice to chat to people in the street as we gardened or whatever. It was a completely different vibe. And all "out the front". I think it's a useful rule actually. Back gardens are more like garden rooms, an extension of the house, you can expect at least some privacy.

tl;dr let them pay for your fence. It's fine to want a private back garden!

I have twice been in a situation where the covenant was time limited so the fact that there may have been a covenant doesn't mean there is now. Also the covenant can be set up to be only enforceable by the entity who set it up in the first place and often with houses this was the builder who no longer exists or does not care two hoots. I know this because we did our due diligence both times.

I’d let them build their new fence alongside yours. Then remove your fence, and hey presto, you’ve gained a tiny bit of extra garden!

They are not bullying you. They are entitled to do what they want on their property, covenants permitting, unless there is a restriction on fence height.

I feel your pain OP.
I live in an area where there are hedgehogs so I’d be worrying about replacing an old fence with a new fence that prevented access.

But that’s your choice.

My parents built a build a brick wall down both sides of their garden, and offered to remove the fencing. One neighbour said yes please
do, and ended up with a properly built (and much better looking) wall. The other neighbours said no, leave the fence panels. Now those have rotten, the neighbours are looking a breeze block wall.