To be annoyed with neighbour re fence

[Tygertiger]

I live in a terraced house. The gardens are separated by laurel hedges which are very dense and provide a natural secure boundary. The deeds are clear in terms of who owns which side, but we all just maintain both our garden-side bits so they don’t get too overgrown. All fine. I have an escapologist dog who got over the back wall of our garden before we reinforced that, but he’s never been able to get through the hedges so the sides are secure. Laurel would not have been my choice of a hedge, but it’s what we inherited, all the houses in the row have it so it is what it is.

Anyway, new neighbour has moved in and drastically thinned out the hedge which is legally his. It’s his hedge, totally his right to do what he wants with it, no issue. But in consequence there are now huge gaps at ground level which my dog would easily get through. I’ve told him this - he says he’s not going to put a fence up as he doesn’t like the look of them and he doesn’t want to plant anything else in the space. But he also has been very clear he doesn’t expect to see my dog in his garden! Again, fair enough. But now that means I’m going to have to put a fence up on my side - which will reduce the width of my garden hugely as the laurel is wide and goes over both boundaries, so effectively I’m giving him another three feet of garden. Neighbour has said he’s not going to take the laurel out altogether, he just wanted to thin it, and the gaps don’t bother him as he has no pets or small children so doesn’t need a secure boundary.

I know it’s his hedge and I know it’s my duty to not let my dog in his garden. But AIBU that he’s backed me into a corner here and I’m now going to have to pay for a fence and lose some garden? There’s no way of just covering the gap as the dog is very adept at wiggling round or through things and the laurel is so thick I can’t just wiggle chicken wire through it or similar.

You can't damage laurel - it will survive nuclear holocaust, along with the cockroaches.

We have a laurel hedge between us and NDN, and we cut it back drastically on our side last year, to bare trunks, because we were losing so much garden to it. It is already sprouting back and filling in any gaps left, but at least we have control over it now.

You can cut any parts of the hedge which extend into your property. I would suggest warning him that you intend to do it out of courtesy.

However, given that you don't currently have use of the 3ft of your garden that his hedge grows over, I would suggest cutting back moderately and putting in chicken wire as suggested which will be unnoticeable as the hedge grows but will keep your dog in,

Perfect 👌

I’ve done similar with my boundary hedge. I’ve got a very neglected “country hedge” - mixed planting, very gappy. It’s gradually thickening up where I’ve taken the height down/trimmed.

i recommend using a rigid, galvanised grid type wire with galvanised posts. Maintenance free. Trim back the hedge and fit the fencing. The laurel will grow back and cover the fence. Chicken wire is too ‘loose’ - dogs can force open the wire and get through.

But it's your responsibility to safeguard your children, not your neighbour's.

This is exactly what we did. We now have a dog proof garden and a lovely hedge

We had this scenario with the only difference being that it was our hedge that the neighbour massacred, leaving huge gaps so my dog could get through!
Cue much screaming and shouting from them.
Did the chicken wire thing but we eventually moved.
Life is too short.
They were awful people anyway.

Our neighbour has a laurel hedge and it's cut back hard twice a year and comes back absolutely fine. I would cut your side back hard to your boundary line and put up a fence on your side. It is your responsibility to stop your dog from going into your neighbours garden.