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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

They’ve attached a GIANT fence… to MY fence !!

322 replies

Finetoday · 15/05/2025 19:42

Exactly that !

Neighbour behind has a 6 foot old wooden fence.
I have a 6 foot fairly new 6 foot fence of the concrete posts and board variety.
There is a 2 foot ‘No man’s land’ in between that the builders of my house/estate left when they erected this perimeter fence (we are on edge of development).

Came home today to find neighbours erecting a fence with 12 foot posts and 10 foot panels ! It’s flipping huge !

On Inspection, I can see he’s attached said monstrosity to my nice fence by drilling holes in my concrete posts, and attaching wooden battens which form a framework with metal brackets that bridge the 2 foot gap !

I asked him to take it off my nice fence - he turned his drill on and turned his back to me and carried on. It’s now fully installed.

I’ll try and upload photos for you all to appreciate his workmanship.

AIBU to contact Council ?
AIBU to saw the metal brackets half way ?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Snazzysausage · 15/05/2025 22:00

Quite apart from the height which most likely needs planning permission AND the fact he's used your fencing as extra security for that monstrosity,we were told when our fencing went up you shouldn't drill into concrete posts as it weakens the structure of them. Imo they need to replace your drilled posts and any other damaged parts.
I'd go apeshit.

DrPrunesqualer · 15/05/2025 22:00

GoldLash · 15/05/2025 21:59

If his land is lower or higher he has to stick to the regulations with regards to height affecting the neighbours

No he doesn’t. The height is taken from the highest point of his land that he’s constructing on.

supercatlady · 15/05/2025 22:01

What the hell is he planning to do behind that 😳

Report to council, watch and wait…

BurntBroccoli · 15/05/2025 22:01

Have other people on the street added really high fences (and perhaps decking)? Noticed the red fence further along is also really high.

I wonder if they are also going to add trellis on top as the grey side fence matches the post height.

The way he has drilled into your concrete post means that you cannot remove the panel as the back of the bolt is stopping you lifting it.

They’ve attached a GIANT fence… to MY fence !!
GoldLash · 15/05/2025 22:01

He’s damaged your property

He's illegally built a fence on no man’s land

He’s illegally attached his fence to your fence posts

He’s in trouble

plus he’ll have to pay all your solicitors fees because he’s in the wrong

TheHerboriste · 15/05/2025 22:01

Wow.

There is no freaking way on Planet Earth that I would be allowing anyone to attach anything to my fence on my property.

Giving you credit for restraint, OP. In your shoes I would lose my shit and be knocking at his door. I hope you follow through tomorrow and let us know what happens.

Be sure to capture some video of him working on the fence so that you have proof to show the council.

MyCyanReader · 15/05/2025 22:02

@Finetoday I quite like the 10ft fence as it blocks the neighbours house, but they can't attach it to your posts. That's criminal damage.

I'd send them a letter saying they have 14 days to remove their fence from your concrete posts and make good any holes otherwise you will employ someone else to remove them and bill them for the cost of it.

Thisisittheapocalypse · 15/05/2025 22:02

Do not let this go. You need to respond to this immediately. Criminal damage.

BurntBroccoli · 15/05/2025 22:03

zenai · 15/05/2025 21:57

His land might be a bit higher than OPs, but from the pic of (I think it's) him standing it could be that he has built a raised deck also. Would the legal height of his fence start from the deck up, or from the ground up would anyone know?

It surely would be ground level?

GoldLash · 15/05/2025 22:04

I’d be raging

My neighbour always asks before doing anything on their side of my fence - even painting it

you have to ask permission just to paint it on your side if it’s your neighbours fence let alone drill into it when there’s a no man’s gap between

Original poster
Finetoday · 15/05/2025 22:05

Look at the grey fence he’s built between him and his left hand neighbour- they are on a slight hill not K2 !

OP posts:
DrPrunesqualer · 15/05/2025 22:06

Finetoday · 15/05/2025 21:56

The 2 original fences are the same height as each other - see second photo.
I think he does has a slight elevation his side. I don’t know if there’s decking there.

If there is decking and it’s more than 300mm off the ground level he needs planning permission

DrPrunesqualer · 15/05/2025 22:07

BurntBroccoli · 15/05/2025 22:03

It surely would be ground level?

Show quote history

@zenia.
It’s taken from ground level
But a deck more than 300mm off the ground needs planning

DrPrunesqualer · 15/05/2025 22:10

Finetoday · 15/05/2025 19:55

Photo of monster fence !

Just looking at this photo and the ht of the windows to your neighbours property there is definitely a raise there
Either they have steps up to their internal floor level
or there’s a slope up to it
or the garden is raised

ACynicalDad · 15/05/2025 22:11

I doubt the posts on your fence were made for a fence so high, in high winds come autumn and winter it probably has the leverage to pull your fence out.

Daisydiary · 15/05/2025 22:12

Local paper might be interested too?

Original poster
Finetoday · 15/05/2025 22:12

@BurntBroccoli Oh my word I never saw that ! ai can’t remove the panel now, and I can see the big lump of concrete that’s now missing by the bolt 😭

OP posts:
Mrsbloggz · 15/05/2025 22:14

Please keep a detailed log of everything that happens OP, also prob best not to engage with him too much now.

Original poster
Finetoday · 15/05/2025 22:15

DrPrunesqualer · 15/05/2025 22:10

Just looking at this photo and the ht of the windows to your neighbours property there is definitely a raise there
Either they have steps up to their internal floor level
or there’s a slope up to it
or the garden is raised

Show quote history

They definitely have steps into the back doors on that street - I see them sitting on them.

OP posts:
catkeys · 15/05/2025 22:16

BurntBroccoli · 15/05/2025 22:01

Have other people on the street added really high fences (and perhaps decking)? Noticed the red fence further along is also really high.

I wonder if they are also going to add trellis on top as the grey side fence matches the post height.

The way he has drilled into your concrete post means that you cannot remove the panel as the back of the bolt is stopping you lifting it.

Interesting point re the red fence further down also looking very high.

Igneococcus · 15/05/2025 22:17

Finetoday · 15/05/2025 22:15

They definitely have steps into the back doors on that street - I see them sitting on them.

Show quote history

Is there a retaining wall if the neighbour's garden is much higher?

WearyAuldWumman · 15/05/2025 22:22

zenai · 15/05/2025 20:04

Either his garden level is 6ft higher than yours, or he is building a raised deck. It looks like a deck to me, hence him thinking his fence is only 6ft on HIS side. But I think decks can only be a certain height also, someone might confirm.

The bloody cheek of him to use your posts as batten holders and then to carry on as if you don't exist. I'd be livid with that attitude for starters. If he had been anyway civil I'd have listened, but not after that performance.

That happened to a friend of mine. She took photos and council Building Services made the neighbour reduce the fence height.

Not sure what happened about the decking, but our next door neighbour at our old house put up decking at it came down very quickly. (We didn't report the decking - I think a council officer saw it. It was raised and let them look into our old garden. Our house was vacant at the time.)

ByPeppyAmberBee · 15/05/2025 22:24

Like this? How awful, should only be once fence .

Don't read the content, it doesn't matter that she's "in a council house" the other side will look awful

They’ve attached a GIANT fence… to MY fence !!
They’ve attached a GIANT fence… to MY fence !!
KindLemonSquid · 15/05/2025 22:27

Finetoday · 15/05/2025 22:12

@BurntBroccoli Oh my word I never saw that ! ai can’t remove the panel now, and I can see the big lump of concrete that’s now missing by the bolt 😭

Our neighbour damaged a number of our concrete posts by drilling into them. We made it clear that was damage to our property and unless they replaced them we'd take it further. Proved expensive for them

Vineman · 15/05/2025 22:30

It looks like he has a standard 6ft fence to be honest given the shot of him and his garden most likely being raised. Judging by the size of your shed your fence looks like 4 maybe 5ft.

The real issue is him attaching to your fence posts without permission. I hate neighbours that don't communicate. There is nearly always a easy resolution.