Its a fence one .

[pavillion1]

We are having our garden landscaped the fence between our neighbours and ours was falling apart so even though it is actually neighbours fence we let them know that we are willing to replace . They said fine but can we make sure its like for like we said yes no problem.

I admit i didn't specify to our landscaper the fence had to be exactly the same i just said same height and we have chosen to replace the wooden post with concrete.
This hasnt come cheap . Upshot is the neighbours have gone mad about the new fence and demanded they at least get the better side of the fence which we have agreed to but im now feeling abit hard done by as yes ok its not exactly the same fence panel but it is a. stronger panel with concrete foundations .

Even if you didn't want a new fence to begin with and they'd totally ignored the agreement you had to go for a certain design and style?

I actually find it hard to believe that so many people would be this accepting in real life, I have to say.

But they won’t 💯🙂

As it’s supposed to be their fence, tell them they are more than welcome to replace it with something they like?
That will soon shut them up

Or maybe it won’t.
Especially if they ask for their fence to be put back,

Can’t you just buy the super cheap traditional lap style panels they had before and get your builders/fencers to screw them to the posts/bars on their side. Surely that’s the easiest solution? B&Q sells them for £32 each

im not sure they would like that at all .

Not as easy as moving the "wrong" panels out and slotting the equivalent of the old ones in.

Oh dear. You've learned the importance of having everything in writing when it comes to agreements and getting sign off.

Especially when it comes to your neighbours.

The second biggest mistake is falling out with your neighbours.

When you agreed "like for like" - I'm assuming the better side of the fence was on their side?

When you agreed "like for like" - You forgot to mention you'd be installing concrete instead of wooden fence posts - you know the environmentally toxic substance that also not so great for humans.

If you agreed "like for like", you need to switch the panels around. Then I'd probably talk to the landscape gardener and grow some pretty vine plants up your side of the fence.

The third problem you've not yet forseen is who maintains the fence from this point forward? I'd get that in writing before you switch any fence panels around.

We also paid 50% to replace our neighbour's back fence. Mainly because our dogs (ours much larger) kept jumping up to see each other and damaging the fence and flowerbeds. We thought a slightly higher fence would solve the problem. It did. But we got a fencing contractor quote. We agreed on fence panels and posts and price and we also put it in writing, that as much as we're financially contributing to the fence, we accept no responsibility for its onwards maintenance.

Next time state your wants clearly - "We want a more attractive fence boundary for our garden. This is what we propose. This is the quote from a professional contractor for a professional job. However, we want the best side of the fence to face us. If you agree, we'll pay for the entire fence, and install concrete posts, which makes it far cheaper to maintain/replace the fence, but moving forwards, you'll be responsible for the maintainance of the fence."

after reading this thread I’m shocked that people are so petty to care about which way the slats of a fence are positioned. God please just take a chill pill ….they got a brand new fence for which they didn’t have to pay a penny. I’d be very grateful if I was them.
anyway I think some people have too much time on their hands to look at such petty things. Also your neighbours sound pretty weird OP

and they gave permission on condition that is was a like for like replacement which this is not.

Agree with what u said.

Neighbours can always paint the concrete posts and boards. I've painted mine and it's been fine

No, it’s better 💯

It's a much nicer fence OP. Not clear from the picture, but could the panel just be reoriented by 90 degrees, which giving them their horizontal slats?

I don’t think you read the post you ‘agree with’ properly.

Anyway, re painting, someone on my road has done that and it looks awful a few years later. Peeling badly. It needs stripping and redoing but that’s a big job. Once you start you’re trapped in a maintenance cycle.

The fence that was taken out didn’t need maintenance. The OP assumed it was old shabby and insubstantial and that her choice was better. The neighbour doesn’t agree.

I understand OP’s mistake- I think she’ll look back on this in a few years and understand better. I’m amazed so many on this thread don’t appreciate the neighbour’s point though.

but that is your opinion.....the fence owners specified like for like. your opinion is not relevant

I wouldnt say the old fence wasnt in need of maintenance. it definitely was old and shabby

That fence looked like it was going to fall down. Not just shabby but rotten

So the neighbours did have the nice non fixings side of their own fence facing their garden then? And in replacing it you didn't do it that way

sorry i dont know what you mean

I mean the old fence isn't perfect but it's not the horrendous mess you're making it out to be.

I still don't understand why you didn't just build your own or why you think that would be petty behaviour.

i would say that would be being VERY PETTY

The OP has asked for opinions?

The concrete is ugly. I’d be really pissed off if I’d agreed like for like and that had appeared instead. I’d be even more pissed off if I was expected to be grateful.

As a pp said, you need a hedgehog hole drilling through the base too.

Having seen the picture, you've done them a favour. The new fence looks nicer IMO, I
it would be hard not to, since the old fence was minging.

They are probably just absorbing the change, even changes for the better take some time to sink in.

we wont be drilling a hegdehog hole .