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.

Why do people assume people are interested in looking into their houses? It's very narcissistic. Couldn't give a rats what goes on next door, as long as it isn't a nuisance.

Buddleia or other fast growing shrubs could work. You cut them back each spring and they grow fast up to 6ft+.

Did you actually read the OP where these neighbours have form for taking photos of them and posting them on social media?

OP, put your own fence up just inside the boundary. You can’t attach anything to their fence.

In the grand scheme of things does it matter? If you put a hedge up you’ll lose more garden than the width of a fence. For losing 15cm of boundary you get peace of mind. I wouldn’t care if they removed their fence, I’d be happy that I had my own fence/boundary which they can’t touch. They’re not even allowed to paint their side of it without your permission! So paint it a weird colour their side and then they probably won’t remove theirs.

I'd do a combination approach:

Put that reflecting film on your windows which can be overlooked from their garden - especially the bedroom (the pervs) - now they can't see inside your home.

Get one of those sunshade awnings for right next to the house, angled so that they cannot see any thing under it - now you have a nice private space to sit outside etc.

For the rest of the garden - get the bamboo pots, or freestanding pots type fence for down the fenceline to obscure views of the rest of the space. Or do the trellis upper and plants. The pots would be good because they are not conceding any of the border unlike a new fence might do.

Get cameras for your outside areas too.

It's shit that you have to go to all this trouble but at least you'll have more privacy and if you pick nice products it might also have the bonus of making the space look lovely too.

I don't think you can do much about this op, as you've now said that you don't want to put up your own fence.

And as your garden is small I really do think that conifers would be a mistake.

It's their fence. Unless the height is stipulated in the deeds (and maybe not even then) you have no legal rights in this regard.

Are you sure she didn't laugh when you went round because you went with a bit of attitude?

Did they ask you to contribute to the cost? Sometimes neighbours share the cost of a boundary fence so that they both have a say in the style/design. I was wondering whether they've made it lower because it was cheaper, or to annoy you because you wouldn't contribute.

@VeloVixen sure I read their comment. More a general comment in reaction to some of the replies. Sometimes people are just bat shit crazy. I wonder who watches who sometimes. A fence doesn't stop people lurking and listening, and can make people more paranoid. Small tight gardens don't afford much privacy. As for the law, you'd be lucky if anyone gave a rats arse.

Op neighbours have form.

My neighbour cut down bushes in my garden - hopped over the existing fence to do so- and she wasn't subtle - stood staring in and loudly announced the going on in our house in street outside. DH was in hospital at the time and her comments and scrutiny upset my kids and IL and was more than I felt like deal with.

It does suck to have to spend money to get back the privacy you once had but there are options for even small gardens - though if you are worried about them removing the fence if you put one up I'd go for awnings/sails and garden furniture.

Put up a new fence but paint the back of each panel a disgusting mismatched colour.

So far, I've come up with a hybrid solution: I'll build my own fence but the bottom half will be just "legs", not a full board, so that I can plant stuff and enjoy my humble plot of land.
The legs will hold full boards at the top half, covering all that we need to cover and will be atrociously painted on their side:

Filthy Pink background with green and red blotches.

I wonder what kind of artistic freedom I have before it's considered anti-social?
A funny face? "Love thy neighbor"?

@draxdomaxThat sounds like a good solution- but as regards painting it- I wouldn't bother- it will just make you ''look unreasonable'' {despite my sympathising hugely with you} .

Just shut the f&ckers out and enjoy your garden . :)

I agree

I have had some epically horrible neighbours for nearly 7 years. (Thankfully they just moved.)

Grey rock worked. Took all my discipline but i just stopped giving them the satisfaction of a reaction. They stopped existing to me. They lost interest in taunting and gossiping.

Doesn't solve your privacy problem, though.

I think the fact the op thinks the reasonable suggestion of simply erecting her own fence would be “playing in to their hands” rather indicates that there may be another side to this

You could go for trellis on posts elevated, and fill with a nice climber. Suits a small garden as a thinish and interesting screen.

You could have some 6' concrete fence posts put in at intervals, right up to the boundary/ the neighbours' fence. Ours have grooves into which standard width fence panels are dropped. You can then drop your own panels in, with whatever colour on the reverse that you like, but they can easily be lifted out in the event that either your neigbours see sense and put higher panels back in, or if you need access to the whole of your land up to the boundary.

The posts are only a few inches across, and whilst your fence panels are in place, you would be " losing" only a couple of inches of garden,but it would also be very clear that the boundary of your land was right up to " their" side of the new posts.

This is the type of post we have.

Don't put a fence on legs unless you don't care if they remove their fence and it leaves a gap. You said that you have a tiny backyard, so at least you won't have several metres worth of fencing to put up, which would be much more expensive. I would put up my own two metre fence if I couldn't move house, which would be my preferred option. They sound seriously weird!

Don't plant anything potentially huge or invasive like Leylandii, bamboo or willow, as in a small yard the root ingress to your house's foundations and next door's, on both sides, could leave you liable should legal action be taken over damage to foundations or drains.

Seriously. Tall fence, if you can't move. They can chortle to themselves all they like over conning you with their short fence, but they can't do a blasted thing about your nice tall one on your side.

Paint their side in nice rainbow flag :) Nothing offensive about that.

Fast growing conifers

Others have said it but I would def put up higher fence on my own boundary. Bloody weirdos.

I was going to say a fence on your side but @user76541055773 has a much better idea.

Came on to suggest this.

but they sound absolutely horrific following you and filming you. That is truly fucked up

Your solution for a fence on stilts is great!

What a fab idea!