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?

it will be your own fault if it looks dreadful I don’t know why you want 4ft and not 6. Why do you want to see over the neighbours garden?

It has a real community feel? What being aboe to be nosey into others gardens and having no privacy? Maybe they don’t want that and want their garden time private. I’d be the same

This is what I get to look at...

So bloody what? Just because you like the 'community feel' of being able to gawp into each other's gardens all the time, that doesn't mean everyone has to forgo their privacy. They don't want you to be able to see into their garden all the time. If I was them I would be doing exactly what they are proposing to do, too.

My neighbours are nice people but when I'm lying on a sun-lounger with a book on a summer afternoon, or sweating my arse off gardening, or sitting out sharing a bottle of wine with DP, I want to do that without feeling like I'm a public park, thanks. I imagine your neighbours are the same.

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?

Why wouldn't it be allowed? They can put what they want in their own garden.

That looks perfectly reasonable to me.

I’m just glad I’m not the OPs poor new neighbours lol.

@KreedKafer it's definitely worse close up. It's absolutely covered in plastic zip ties, and chicken wire wrapped around the bottom, all attached to the metal fence
I got an angry letter from the management company about it but it wasn't me that put it up

Check with the local council about this - sometimes there are restrictions on fence heights in an area, as it changes the appearance.
The way they are planning to put it in sounds odd though with leaving a huge gap.
If they are determined to do this could a compromise be that trellis is added to the top of your 4ft fence to 6ft. This then creates a barrier, but less 'intrusive'

You're not being 'bullied', OP. THey offered, you refused, they will just put up their own fence inside the boundary line on their side.

Just because everyone else wants what you call a 'community feel' doesn't mean that's the desired 'norm' for others. I'd HATE having 4' fences around my home. My garden is private and I want it to remain that way.

Urmmmmmm, because you viewed the property before you bought it?

I'd absolutely hate a 4ft fence in the garden and I get on really well with my neighbours. I don't want a chat every time I step foot out the back door and I'm sure they'd feel the same. Next doors are retired and love having guests over for garden parties. I'm sure they'd hate entertaining while I hung my knickers on the line in the background.
Accept the new fence -its only 2ft. They don't want to socialise with you anyway so you won't lose out.

Just let them replace your fence with a brand new 6 ft fence - they get their privacy and you get a new fence that they're responsible for so no maintenance for you.

They're not bullying you, I'm confused as to how you could see their reasonable, friendly gesture as bullying?

if only they had offered to do the decent thing….oh….

We did this to our NDN.

I wanted privacy not community. Now it looks stupid on their side but I don’t have to look at them any more so worth it for me!

Id hate a 4ft fence! Id have to put 6ft fences in sorry!

I'd still rather look at that than have the zero privacy offered by those low railings

I'm definitely not into communal gardens.

Totally understand the desire for a 6ft fence after enduring a couple of years of chicken wire fence and a nosey neighbour. That was not fun.
A private garden is the best bit of the home for me!

You are being forced into having a 6ft fence yes. But it’s the norm and most people want privacy in their own garden not someone popping their head over for a chat.

Most people want privacy so I don’t think they’re being unreasonable. Your best bet is to say yes but make sure the fencer sticks to the boundary line the current fence tracks. You don’t want them doing a land grab into the bargain.

When I moved to my new property I had a mixture of a high hedge and a high fence ( both over 6 foot) between myself and my neighbour. There was a break in between the fence and hedge of about 1 metre of a much lower piece of fence. My neighbour complained when I wanted to match the fence height between. ( I was getting a dog and preferred the privacy). She kicked up an almighty fuss so it was left as is. She has since got a new aggressive reactionary dog. It is her dog who now escapes into the front of my property. (My fog is always fenced it in my back garden) Due to her own beligerence I will now be building the fence on my side of the hedge/ fence to fill in the break whether she likes it or not. My garden, my fence. She has shown herself to be aggressive and demanding in her approach and where before I was willing to work with her, I am now no longer going to.

Try and work with your neighbours it may end up being a more agreeable outcome.

So what? Nobody views a property and thinks 'Well, this is the perfect home for us at a price we can afford, but we won't buy it because we want privacy in our garden, and it's only got a four-foot fence'.

They do what normal people do and think 'This is the perfect home for us at a price we can afford - all we'll need to do is put in a new fence for some privacy.'

I find it very creepy that the OP seems to insist that he/she should be able to see into their neighbours garden and feels ‘bullied’ that they want to put a higher fence up to prevent the OP from doing so.

Very strange indeed!

You’d really be cutting off your nose to spite your face when they leave you with your weird looking low fence on your side and you realise that you have to remove it and have the cost and work of doing so yourself when they offered to do it for you.

I expect they are going to get a dog OP, that could possibly jump a 4 ft fence.

I do find it odd that you are happy with a 4 foot fence. It doesn’t offer much privacy! I’m not surprised the neighbours want a taller one.

In no way are they bullying you. They want privacy in their garden which they have a right to. They are entitled to put up whatever fence they want on their land. I hate our neighbour’s fence which is 4ft and neighbours always nosing into what we are doing. I work hard and want to just chill in my garden with my family and friends 🪴 It was nice of them to offer to pay so you’d have a nice new fence too. Now you can keep your old one and look at their nice new bit poking over the top instead.