Neighbour has just lowered the fence!

[draxdomax]

We are end of terrace and are responsible for the fence to the left of us.
Having trouble with the neighbor to the right.

Bit of history: We started off alright but then we caught them spying on us (we are a F+F couple and I guess they find us interesting or disagreeable).
The police got involved and caught them with cameras illegally set up.
There was also evidence they were following us around the street and taking pictures and posting to channels (those pictures eventually reached us).

We didn't talk for 3 years.
Then, a common friend has died and we simply started talking again after meeting at the funeral.
Even started greeting each other and being somewhat pleasant.

Few days ago, neighbor approached and said he's having the fence between us changed.
It is indeed an old fence that would probably crumble this winter.
We asked him how high the new fence is going to be - he answered "as high as the old one".

Today, their fencing worker came with the fence panels and, not only that they are much shorter but they also have a "see-through" top section...
We've gone from 2m cover to 1m cover and feel naked, especially these are unpleasant and conflictive people with VERY keen interest in us.

My partner went to talk to them and the wife just laughed in her face "haha we don't care, it doesn't matter what we said"...

So, we are enemies again :/

1. Can we do something about the fact they promised a certain fence (verbally) and then installed a different one?
2. Can I attach something from my side on their fence? Thinking to get some sort of sheet material that will cover up to 6"... Or at least cover the see-through part of the fence

Any ideas, discussion, suggestions welcome.

@EggInANest it's a fair point but then there aren't really any solutions that dont cost any money at all. If you're thinking of spending £200 on random poles and plants or curtain showers or some of the suggestions on here which might not look great or will take up a lot of space, then if you have the money spending a bit more on a fence which will not only solve the neighbour problem but usually be an investment for if/when op wants to sell might be a better long term solution.

Most of the houses on my street have double fences, I think it's a good idea tbh, means your individual garden looks uniform rather than a 1.5 metre white wall on one side and 1metre brown fence on the other, and the likelihood of them both falling down or getting seriously damaged if we have strong winds like last year is significantly lower.

Unfortunately you're not permitted to paint, hang or grow anything up a neighbours fence without their permission.

If you don't have the space for anything that's going to grow outwards or time to wait until anythings grows upwards I'd get some pieces of wood batten, as tall as permitted, and make a framework and space it to the length of their fence, doesn't matter if its not pleasing on the eye on their side. Fix some kind of green garden netting/tarp to them then I'd either fix fence post fittings to the ground to hold the battens or cement them into a number of pots which should hold them securely.

Have your own 6 foot fence put up, job done. There'll be nothing they can do. Or move.

This.

We did it last house - privacy screen one 2m high with our own fence posts.

Then Dmum insisted on planting a Russian vine - neighbour had cut our bushes our side done and tried to poison the ground and was staring into our kitchen all the time at a very stressful time for us.

Couldn't find whose fence it was other side thought it ours but nothing on deeds - FIL builder said easiest to put up another.

It worked - they broke a slim guide piece at top to stop flapping- which just meant it hung their side and they eventually put one 6ft panel in their 4 ft fence and the Russian vine was unkillable and kept her occupied.

We got wooden fence posts - metal holders and this type of screening - https://www.screwfix.com/p/apollo-reed-garden-screen-4m-x-2m/5565k

and guide ply wood to stop it flapping at the top put other side and grew Russian vine - Clematis Montana and evergreen honey suckle growing up it all - looked good our side.

If I build a fence, I am just playing into their hand.

how so? Just have a fence erected running parallel to theirs

job done

Ooh that's really pretty.

Otherwise definitely bamboo IN POTS to line in front of it. It'll soon cover the top of the fence and makes a lovely noise as it blows in the breeze too.

Golden bamboo is fully hardy and one plant will spread to up to 4m wide and 5m high if you let it (hence why it's best in pots) It suggests planting them 2.5m apart from each other to begin with if you're planting them in the ground, so I'd suggest getting some wide trough planters.

They'll take over the planters eventually when you can separate them and spread them in to more planters in another part of the garden, or sell them (or give them to other people with nosey nightmare neighbours).

Or buy a hedge for your garden and get creative with your topiary skills...

Middle finger hedge

i had my garden done this year, the gardener installed these panes in front of existing fence. They connect to the concrete poles between the existing fence. Could something like this be an option?

adding a pic of before and after

Couple of tall poles buried in the ground. Tight wire across the top. Then hang a shower screen over. Not joking - there are great ideas on this facebook page called Shower Curtain Gardeners
https://www.facebook.com/groups/495715281773422

If police were involved due to their voyeurism then go back with this. It’s the same issue in a different package

And then they would be responsible for a like for like replacement.

They sound insane.

The police got involved and caught them with cameras illegally set up.
There was also evidence they were following us around the street and taking pictures and posting to channels (those pictures eventually reached us)..

what actually happened after the police “got involved”?

I was thinking exactly that.

A nice row of pleached hornbeam or something would be lovely.

Arbour Garden Bench - there a few styles - some with closed backs others with open spaces for climbers to grow up - at least it would provide seating in small area as well as privacy - possibly with some freestanding garden trellis.

But they'll be getting a tall fence anyway if OP puts her own up so they'll be no better off. I'd rather put up my own so I get a say in what I'm going to be looking at!

Lots of great ideas - I wouldn't plant as a first solution because it takes too long - I am not one for plastic in a garden usually but I think I would be petty enough to at least think about poles and this plastic screening just at the top part of your neighbours fence - then no risk they will remove their fence because there is nothing in the bottom half. https://www.amazon.co.uk/artificial-hedge-roll/s?k=artificial+hedge+roll.

In reality - I am not sure what I would do. Your neighbours are horrible - I am sorry.

No you aren't.

You'll be securing your own privacy on your own land. It will be an immediate solution to the problem.

Exactly this

Have you checked the deeds, are you sure it’s not a party fence? A lot of people automatically think that they are responsible for the fence with the posts (or vice versa) when in reality they are jointly responsible for both sides.

I saw a TikTok the other day where the poster filled some plant pots with concrete then placed washing line poles in them. She then used them as washing lines or for strings of lighting. A bit like this but with washing line poles and spray painted to match: https://www.bhg.com/decorating/do-it-yourself/accents/diy-string-light-planters/

Might be a good temporary solution to add a sheet/screening/tarp to whilst you sort out a proper fence.

In that case you need to put up something that you can very quickly move back to the legal boundary as soon as they take their fence down.

Exactly this.

you can put your own fence up on your boundary line