Neighbours new fence
New Gardner
Posts: 79
Hi everyone
First time posting, just wanted some advice on what to do. We recently landscaped the front of our house significantly to create a driveway. This was all completed with no issues and new retaining walls etc were put in place (red brick) to tone in with our house and the neighbourhood in general. We did not disturb the wire fence between our front garden and our next door neighbours, which also marks the boundary.
1 month later they decided to start work on their front garden to create a driveway, which is still ongoing. (Mud all over the front of our house and new driveway, as a result and our cars have been blocked in ).
They spoke to us about removing the wire fence and putting up a timber fence instead. We agreed as I didn't want to start an argument, and our neighbour stated he would put panels on our side also, so we wouldn't have to view the back of his fence.
He has since built the fence with the bad side visable to us and has not made progress to panel our side. Are we allowed to attach artificial hedge roll to the back of his fence to conceal it or if he ever does add panels to our side, can we do so then? It's quite an eyesore and higher than we anticipated. It takes away from the good look of our work. Please advise.
Posts
The norm with fences is that you build them with the bad side looking inward. Your neighbour has not been very neighbourly! I would Chevy him about finishing your side first. Presumably you don't want the cost of doing it yourself. as for the height there are probably local bylaws governing front garden fences. You may want to have a look for them.
Hi hogweed. Thanks for your response.
My husband spoke to our neighbour and he said he would complete the fence on our side on Thursday. He apologised for not completing it when he was doing his side but 'something came up' (domestically). I'm not too optimistic, but time will tell. We don't want to pay to erect a fence ourselves, as we had no issue with the fence that used to be there and having thousands already, it's a cost we could do without.
The fence at its height is 110cm but on a slope so looks much higher. I believe the local council has a restriction of 1m height for a front garden fence which faces a highway. We are on a B road, but the fence is on front garden boundary so not sure if this therefore applies. I won't make an issue of it, as its only 10cm, providing he completes the work he initially said he would, and we can make an attempt on our side to conceal it. I'm just worried a bit as we had thought of attaching artificial hedge tiles, but had read elsewhere that legally we aren't allowed to as it would be his fence...similarly we would also not be allowed to paint it. It just looks so out of place as it is.
Fences will 'die down' in time so take heart that it will be less intrusive in the future. At least it will be a nice backdrop to your new drive!
Not sure if this helps, NG...and I know you don't want to incur further costs, but I have always paid half the cost of any fencing that was erected by both my neighbors, this way if I need to do something to the fence on my side there can't be any issues.
Sheps...
I'd agree with Sheps. The problem with only one person paying and erecting the entire fence is that, 'they' then own it, and if they want to paint it lurid pink, there's not much you can do.
Conversely, if you want to do anything to it, they could make it difficult for you.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Is it still the case if the fence is encroaching on our land boundary, that the person who put the fence up, owns both sides of it? In any case before I do anything, I will speak to the neighbour to ask if I can add plants/hedging to our side of it and if not then I suppose I'll have to offer to contribute to the cost...
Update: our neighbour has now left the wood for the fence in our driveway, after stating the fence would be erected today. No one has made an attempt to put up our side of the fence. The front of our house and driveway is once again covered in mud... any suggestions?
Really!? If I've paid for a fence I want to get the aesthetic benefit. My new fence has the good side to me, and the fence my other neighbour put up has the good side to him. I wouldn't even have considered putting it up the other way. In fact the fencing people never even asked which way I wanted the panels, so I assume that's the way most people would have it.
It seems things are at least moving in the right direction. I'd be inclined to bite my tongue for the time being and hope to have a nice looking fence at the end of it. I do understand how annoying and frustrating it can be.
Where's the mud coming from? Truck wheels from the delivery of timber? If so that's in the nature of driveways. If rain doesn't wash it off a hosepipe and a broom will do the job when the fencing is finished.
I understand that this is stressing you but I think that some deep breaths and being patient for just a bit longer is the path I would follow. And a tray of tea and biscuits as soon as someone with tools appears usually helps get these 'neighbour' tasks done and good relationships maintained.
A good relationship with neighbours is worth a fortune, I promise you, even if we have to make a few compromises.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.