Neighbours being tricky about new fence, any advice?

[Pannacotta]

We are doing lots of work in the garden and having pulled down an old garage we are putting up new fencing between us and our neighbours.
The side of their house is very close to the boundary and is quite ugly, lots of peeling paintwork on the pipes and dirty gutters.
We want to put up fencing to a height of 6ft above our ground level to give us some privacy.
However, their ground level is lower than ours so the fence would be taller than 6ft for them and they are making a fuss - but talking to our fencing contracter rather than to me!

But the fencing only goes alongside their back door and utility room so not sure what difference it will make to them.

Should add that when we moved in you couldnt even see their house from our garden, there were huge overgrown shrubs and ivy which we have cleared which would have blocked their lots of their light.

Any ideas how we can resolve this?

Could you put up a 5 ft fence with a trellis on top? Might seem less overbearing to them and if you grow some plants up it would still camoflage their grottiness?

Put up a shorter fence.

Offer to put up a lower fence with trellis above to 6' your side. You should speak to them direct about your plans anyway

If their ground level is lower anyway, do you really need 6ft your side "for privacy"? They may feel their garden is going to feel like a prison-yard with a 7ft high fence along it.

Had you spoken to them directly before they spoke to your fencing contractor? You didnt just get someone to start putting the fence up without consulting them did you?

What way does the sun rise and set. Are they worried about lack of sun or light - a foot of shadow in a narrow passageway could make quite a difference if they have a window there. I second (or third) a lower fence with trellis.

I dropped a note round (they are often out)and we have discussed it before.
The fence is to sit on top of a brick wall which separates us and runs alongside their side return, so only their back door and loo window face the fence.

We have just taken down a tall garage which shaded their garden and are taking out a large Sycamore which also shades them.
They have 4m high conifers on the same boundary (further down) plus 2m high bamboo just outside their kitchen window, so a bit at odds with being worried about the light!
If we put in lower fencing we can see into their house/garden.

I will try and talk to them but they are VERY unfriendly.

Would a hedge on your side be possible?

I think the shorter fence + trellis option may be the best. Maybe they are being unreasonable, but maybe they were attached to the old overgrown shrubs and are finding the new fence a bit of a shock. Our neighbour's new fence was a hideous bright orange until it weathered a bit.

If the neighbours are unfriendly, digging your heels in about the fence may just store up all sorts of grievances for the future. Better to find a happy compromise if you can.

Hedge is a good idea but there isn't enough space and we need screening higher up at eye level, as its the pipes/gutters/garage roof which are a bit depressing to look at.

Should explain that there is already some fencing on their side which they put up which must be 4-5 ft from our ground level, but they didnt finish it off and left a big gap plus the fence is falling off the wall...

We could do fencing plus trellis but it would end up costing more I think.

Will try and speak to them or perhaps get DH to do it!

But how much time do you actually spend looking at their pipes/gutters/garage roof? Surely these are just things you glimpse from the kitchen window?

We can see them from all of our front windows plus all of the back garden.
Our garden is a corner plot and wraps round the house, so their side return faces us and is very obvious, which is why we want to put the higher fencing up.
If we didnt really see it we wouldnt be too bothered..

How high would your 6 ft fence actually be from their ground level?
7 ft + ?
It is going to seem pretty extreme and imposing from their side.

This online guide to gardening law suggests that fences higher than 2 metres - which yours may be, from your neighbour's POV - need planning permission. Have you spoken to your planning department?

My neighbours have put up a high ugly fence and it depresses me everytime I look at it.If I were your neighbours I would feel upset about you chopping down trees and shrubs and putting up souless fencing.Power to the trees!

The current fence is about 8ft from their ground level and 5ft from ours, we are wanting to add about another foot on top, but only along their side return, the fence will slope down and be lower along the main part of their garden.

Legally we can put up to 2m from our ground level. I think the best thing is to try and compromise so they dont feel too hemmed in but also that we have a degree of privacy in our back garden.

They haven't got a leg to stand on. If the fence is your legal boundary (ie you have responsibility for it on your deeds), then the maximum height refers to the height on your property.

I don't see why you should compromise when they haven't even had the good grace to speak to you in person.

PC that is exactly what DH said when he got home...

I know trellis plus fence might be more expensive, but I do think it looks quite a bit better. I have a very high fence at the end of my garden, and it does look rather unattractive.

I know what you mean GM but actually its only a small amount of close board above an old brick wall, so adding trellis on top of a few feet of close board could look quite fussy.
Also we had trellis made up from horizontal batons elsewhere in the garden so would have to match this, which is quite time-comsuming to put up.

I will speak to them and try and work out a solution which keeps everyone happy.
I think if you could see our view you would understand why we want to hide it a bit, perhaps I should get some Bamboo instead...