Boundary/hedge issue

[Ravenspeckingearly]

Moved 18 months ago. We have a part hedge part fence boundary between us and our elderly neighbours. We know the last occupants of our house weren’t on speaking terms with the previous owners over the fence/hedge. Last year just before lockdown 1 the storms damaged the hedge and fence. The hedge is very old and really needs replacing, and half the fence is falling down. The neighbours have agreed that they are responsible. A couple of months ago I brought up the fence/hedge issue and they said they were happy to have whatever we wanted (they said they wanted the hedge and fence removed and replaced so it’s all the same). They asked me to get quotes and they would pay. I’ve presented them with 3 options 1. panels and concrete posts, 2.fence and wire with mature hedge or 3.fence and wire with whips and a screening panel until the hedge goes up. Price ranges from £3k for the first to £1.5k for the last)they don’t want any of these and say they can’t afford £3k-think property rich cash poor. They have now presented us with the only fence panel they want. It’s fine and I’m happy to go with it BUT they now want to keep their dead hedge and us to have the fence panels erected on our side of the boundary, which involves removing a load of paving on our side. There is simply no way a fence can be erected on the boundary without killing off what hedge is left and ripping out all our paving. They also have decided they only want to replace the really falling down fence, not all of it. We are happy to pay for the additional fence panels, but I don’t see how we are going to agree about the hedge. I don’t want to fall out over this. Suggestions please.

Personally what I've done previously is decide what I'd prefer and then after careful discussion and agreement with neighbours, pay for it myself.

You're unhappy with their solution (fair enough) so are you able to pay for the solution you would like?

They sound like a nightmare but you knew this when you bought so should have factored for it.
No way would i rip out the paving (suely its not on the boundary then?)

I think your options are:

1. let them put up whatever old shit they want but hold firm the paving stays and is not to be touched.

1. Pay to make it go away Ie. Stump up the 2k yourself and put in what you want.

If you do 2. Make sure you take "the good side" of the fence.

I forgot to say, they may be happier to lose the dead hedge if yiure paying!

"We're happy to pay but have been advised the hedge must go..."

Do what you want to do abs pay for it yourself. If there’s was a previous dispute about the boundary I wouldn’t allow it to become a sticking point and would just get on with it. Life is too short.

You could look into getting the hedge professionally laid? That might be a way of turning back into a functioning boundary, keeping them happy if they are so keep on keeping it, and keeping costs down if you are only replacing the fenced parts (which they might be more willing and able to pay for)?

@JackieWeaverFever we didn’t know they weren’t on speaking terms when we bought, we subsequently found that out. And to be fair the previous occupants sound equally hideous.

@Garlia we are happy to pay for a replacement, but not if the hedge is staying.

Yes the paving is on the boundary. It’s an odd path where upright paving has been put in on the boundary beside the path (like a railway sleeper, but made of paving and attached to the path).

I honestly don’t think they will find someone willing to do what they want and I think it’s going to drag on forever .

@umbel
You could look into getting the hedge professionally laid?

Do you mean replaced? If not what does ‘laid’ mean. I gave them 2 replacement options as suggested by the 2 landscapers who have been to quote. one with well established hedge plants and one much cheaper option using whips with a mesh screening for privacy until the hedge grows up......they don’t like either of those suggestions.

Oh gosh I see!
Honestly I am firmly in camp no 2 then
Pay to make it go away.
Def do it on your terms though. Their "plan"
Sounds v half baked.

No, laying is a traditional method of reinvigorating an old hedge that has been left to overgrow and making the boundary more impenetrable while reducing the height.

In that case I'd definitely be saying you can pay 100% of the costs but you've been advised the hedge needs to be removed, and deliver the offer like it's the best thing ever - "So I have a fantastic solution and I will pay and organise it so you have nothing to worry about..."

@umbel that is exactly what they want BUT because of the reduced height they want fence panels put up on our side of the boundary to preserve privacy in the meantime, which means we would have to remove the path and funny upright stones and realistically could only place the fence about a foot on our side of the boundary.....and hey presto...... once the hedge has well and truly died they will then not suggest moving the fence back to the boundary.

Ok, but laying a hedge won’t kill it. The hedge will grow back thicker and stronger and regain height pretty quickly. I doubt they would need that fence on your side they are so keen on.

And I fully understand why you would not want to be digging up your path or moving the boundary into your territory. You won’t get that land back without a fight!

[quote Ravenspeckingearly]@umbel
You could look into getting the hedge professionally laid?

Do you mean replaced? If not what does ‘laid’ mean. I gave them 2 replacement options as suggested by the 2 landscapers who have been to quote. one with well established hedge plants and one much cheaper option using whips with a mesh screening for privacy until the hedge grows up......they don’t like either of those suggestions.[/quote]
When you put in a new hedge it's called hedge laying. It's big business. I know a former national hedgelaying champion, because yup, thats a thing.

We had similar issues with an elderly neighbour. We wanted the hedge at 6 feet as otherwise they could see into our bedrooms including our daughter’s. They wanted it at 3-4 feet as it “looked nicer”. After a particular discussion with them we came home from work to find they had just cut it right down - it was jointly owned! Solution was I spoke to the wife who was the more reasonable and suggested removing the hedge entirely and we would pay for fencing. She spoke to her husband - problem solved. New fence with concrete boards and posts installed which they were thrilled to bits with. It’s on the boundary but owned by us. If the panels get damaged they easily slide out and can be replaced.

Concrete barge board and posts, fencing and you pay!
Perhaps say something like I hope we can come to an agreement that we both would like... !

How about a trellis type structure with reed/ bamboo screening attached right behind the hedge - so as not to damage your path?

But surely if it's their boundary, if they don't want it done it doesn't get done? Unless you can talk them round you need to erect whatever you want on your side, or live with it?

Bloody annoying that they are being so stubborn about it though

@user123456778. They do want it done, probably more than we do. But, they don’t want to pay what it’s going to cost and they want to keep their hedge so we end up with2 new panels at the boundary line,4 new panels a foot in our side of the boundary so they can lay their hedge to 3-4 feet and allow it to grow and then the rest of the tatty about to fall down fence left until it actually falls down.
I’m saying no until they come up with a sensible option that doesn’t involve us loosing a foot a garden and a path.

Yeah def say no to that.

But if you dont want to pay yourself and want a counter proposal you might want to suggest you would agree to their plan if they put the "temporary" fences on their side ie your garden is untouched.