Neighbor complaining avout our decking touching her fence??

[Nikki2ol6]

We are building decking in our garden ready for next year. Our decking goes right up the side of our garden and the nosey neighbor has been over demanding We take it down. I told her this was not going to happen and she told us it’s touching her property.... anyone know if this is like illegal or something ? Here is a photo. Bearing in mind this is just the frame of the decking and This is all In our garden and this is the fence at the side of our garden which the neighbor claims is her fence.
OP edited by MNHQ

The decking is on your land right? So is your decking touching her fence or is her fence touching your decking? 😬

(I realise thats not helpful at all)

cloudyapples you would make a great lawyer!

Couldn't put it better myself

OP I'm pretty sure you are fine.

What do your deeds say? Is it your fence? If so then no problem. If her fence cut back the decking by s few cm and jobs a good’un.

Looks fine to me! I would just carry on.

Is it not the case that the fence belongs to the side with the posts - ie you?

Is your neighbour quite well?
Just ignore, she might send you a solicitors letter but I'd imagine you could laugh that off. I hope anyway.

It’s not actually touching it in that photo. Tell her the fence posts infringe into your property and To move her fence back a few cms. She’s just being petty and spiteful.

If it is her fence it's the wrong way round: the good side should be facing out. The good side faces her so it may well be yours. I'd get it checked. Also,, for the sake of 5 mm, I'd move the decking away from the fence.

I secondnit actually touching. Even if it is so what? It's allowed to touch her fence.

From a practical point of view, it's probably unwise to have the decking too close to the fence/posts because:

1. rainwater might drain off and dampen the fence posts/panels and make them prone to rot more quickly;

1. wood expands when wet and the posts/decking might swell and damage each other;

1. replacing the fence posts in future might be more difficult if the decking is abutting them.

If you check your deeds, going by the posts, the fence is very likely yours anyway.

Not that it matters, the neighbour has no legal recourse to make you move it anyway, it’s on your land & isn’t exactly a new extension 🙄 Ring your local Planning Department for advice to put your mind fully at rest, but I’m sure they will laugh their socks of at your nutty neighbours cheek

YABU for using the Americanised spelling of neighbour though

Thanx everyone. To be honest no idea how she even knows how close it is it’s a 6ft fence lol she must have been snooping around with her ladders hanging over into my garden. I will find the deeds and check them over. I can’t believe anyone could be so crazy!

Paint some anti climb paint along the top of your side.

We had this problem at our previous house, also with an old lady neighbour.

We ended up leaving a space between the decking and the fence as we felt that her concerns about potential rotting and damp were valid. All ended well and we remain on good terms. Ask yourself if it’s worth making an issue over this, or, if you can indeed live with a small space between your deck and the fence!

Just for the rotting potential, I wouldn't have them touching either tbh!

@Plexie I agree. I wouldn't want decking touching my fence for those reasons.

My decking touches my own fence and it all seems fine. Fence and decking wood is usually treated so wood touching issues are minimal.

I am disappointed that there is more casual MN ageism in the phrase "old nosey neighbour".

It doesn’t matter how well the timber is treated prior to installation it still needs looking after . No timber treatment available is infallible. I personally wouldn’t guarantee any post installed in a concrete footing would last longer than 5 years. It would be wiser as stated to leave a gap between the fence and the decking for maintenance .

It’s your side of the fence and you can put your decking there if you like.

If you can reassure her that she can access the fence for maintenance, ie enough room to be able to paint all the way to the ground, then it should allay her fears. As it looks in the photo, it doesn't look like she will be able to do this.

But why would she be in my garden anyways? This photo was taken in my garden. Her garden is on the other side of the fence and I’m pretty sure it’s my fence not hers but it was here when We got the house

Lack of an air gap could promote or hasten rot.

I see nothing wrong in your neighbour appraising herself of what you are doing in your garden when she thinks it might affect her. I now pay close attention to any unusual activity or noises in my neighbour's garden after previous incidents.

I am disappointed that there is more casual MN ageism in the phrase "old nosey neighbour".

This.