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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Weird neighbour

40 replies

whatthejuice · 22/04/2024 16:09

Our neighbour has always had a bee in their bonnet about our shared boundary fence.

We both live in detached houses next to each other. The boundary fence between us has always been very close to their house (at most 30cms away from her house - and they have two windows right up against the fence), whereas we have around 3 metres, between our house and the fence.
We have recently renovated/updated this area of our property...and the neighbour came round to enquire about the possibility of us moving the fence away from their house and onto our land, as apparently a fence that close to their house contravenes regulations.

In my mind this will devalue our house and they haven't even offered to pay for the works, let alone the land they'd be gaining from us! I understand it must be annoying to have the fence there but they bought the house with the fence positioned as it currently is.

Am I being unreasonable to think they are a CF or am I missing something here?!

OP posts:

GabriellaMontez · 22/04/2024 16:13

"Thats absolute nonsense, no we wont be moving the fence to give you our garden."

Would be my response.

Haydenn · 22/04/2024 16:15

They’re absolute chancers. Fences that don’t match boundaries are a pig if you ever want to sell too.

SerenChocolateMuncher · 22/04/2024 16:23

Why would you give part of your garden? Are they offering payment for it, or do they expect you to hand it over for nothing? What will they demand next? Your garden furniture? Your car, maybe?

They knew where the boundary was when they bought the house. It's not your fault they don't like it. Don't entertain any more conversations about it. It's your property and you do not have to share it with them.

Redherringgull · 22/04/2024 16:24

Does the fence line match up with what are on the deeds?

Related: Absolutely not.

wombleberry · 22/04/2024 16:26

Hell no! If they had such a problem with the fence, why tf did they buy that house? Ridiculous of them.

LenaLamont · 22/04/2024 16:27

Never in a million years.

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 22/04/2024 16:28

I would certainly consider it. I'd probably ask them to swap their living room in return (and rights to access it).

Grumppy · 22/04/2024 16:29

CF if ever i heard it 😂

elevens24 · 22/04/2024 16:30

No chance. It's not your fault their house has been poorly designed with windows right up to the boundary.

Fannyfiggs · 22/04/2024 16:32

I would say yes, you're happy to move the fence. If they tell you where they want to relocate it to you'll get a valuation and agree a cost to sell the extra land to them.

WoodBurningStov · 22/04/2024 16:33

Ha nope, not in a month of Sundays would I move a fence into my garden.

theforeverPm · 22/04/2024 16:34

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Gazelda · 22/04/2024 16:35

"So, let me understand, you're asking if you can buy some of our land?

I presume your solicitor will be drawing up the contracts and you'll be covering the cost of our professional advisors too.

We'll obviously need a specialist to value the land you're coveting, as well as our own legal team to act for us."

BMW6 · 22/04/2024 16:35

In what bizarre universe would anyone expect a neighbour to give them some of their land and erect a fence all at no cost to themselves???

I'd laugh in her face 😂

Applescruffle · 22/04/2024 16:35

I would say yes, you're happy to move the fence. If they tell you where they want to relocate it to you'll get a valuation and agree a cost to sell the extra land to them.

I would say this, just to play the innocent in the hope that they see what CFs they are being.
But only if you're not worried they will take you up on it and actually expect a price!

Other wise I'd say something like "I'm not currently interested in selling any of my land and I doubt I will be in the future, but thanks for asking!"

Lemonsandsunshine · 22/04/2024 16:38

Had this with our neighbours about 15 years ago. They wanted to extend and the size of their desired extension would have contraviened the regulation distance from boundary fence. They asked if we could move the fence more onto our grounds so they didn't have to pay for plans to be redrawn. We got a friend (think he's a civil engineer) to check the boundary lines and then gave them a quote for the cost of the land. Funnily enough, they chose to get the plans redrawn and we kept all our garden.

Riverlee · 22/04/2024 16:38

Is the fence in the boundary? If so, don’t move it, rise you’d be loosing your land.

Theres no harm in them asking, and no harm I. You refusing.

Beeebabababom · 22/04/2024 16:41

It would be a big fat no from me

NameChangedAgainn · 22/04/2024 16:41

"We're not looking to sell any of our garden land at the moment but we'll let you know if we change our minds"

Londonrach1 · 22/04/2024 16:42

You laughed and said April fool didn't you. Don't even think of moving the fence. It stays on the boundary. Yanbu. Strange cf of a neighbour

BeeCucumber · 22/04/2024 16:43

Yes - move your fence right up to and under their windows. That way they won’t see the fence. Ask them if that is what they mean - as seeing the fence is their issue and this solution happily resolves it.

lateatwork · 22/04/2024 16:55

If their house has been built with windows too close to the boundary- isn't that their bad? In which case, they can ask you to agree to move boundary, and pay you accordingly- but maybe what they are worried about is that you will complain about their windows to the council?

OhmygodDont · 22/04/2024 16:58

Nope do not give them some of your land because their house was poorly built. Offer to sell them 2ft of you want but that’s it sell it.

Original poster

whatthejuice · 22/04/2024 17:11

Ok, thanks everyone for your replies. I just wanted to canvas opinion as it seems so wild to me that this was even brought up! Glad to get the confirmation I'm not mad!!
I do like the idea of someone costing up the price of the land plus solicitor fees and works to replace the fence, and handing that to her 🤣
I could never imagine being so cheeky!!!

OP posts:

OhGoodItsRainingAgain · 22/04/2024 17:24

Work out how much of your garden they would be gaining by this and then let them know how much you are willing to sell it for. Also say that you will expect that they will cover the fees involved with having the
property boundary moved. I bet they change their minds.

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