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Next door neighbour being awkward over changing fence

When me and my gf moved into our house 3 years ago, it was a house built in the 70's and had no gate going down the side of the house into the garden and the fence between my side door and my neighbours only came to about 2 feet. Immediately I added a gate to add more security but left the fence as it was. I didn't really have a problem with that expect my neighbour chain smokes and is always at his back door so if I ever go into the garden or take rubbish to the bins he would always be stood there and it would get awkward saying hello 7 times a day.

Fast forward to now and we have a baby and wanting to make the garden a bit more secure so I mentioned to my neighbour about wanting to replace the fence with something higher. Everyone on the street has no idea whose fence is whose so just share any upkeep costs etc. When I told my neighbour I wanted to replace the fence he wasn't too happy as he says he will feel claustrophobic, I told him its to make the garden more secure for our son and I am only going to replace the 2 foot fence with a four foot one, so we will still be able to see over it but my son wont. At this point he sort of relented and said okay go ahead but he is still being awkward with me whenever I see him.

What should I do? Two of the concrete posts for the fence will need replacing but the workers will have to go on his property to do it.

Reply 1

Stiffy Byng

Just be super polite, and make sure that you have a clear agreement for every step. Disputes between neighbours are horrible, unwinnable, and can adversely impact the value of your house if you try to sell it.

The law about boundaries between properties can be complex. Look at the title documents for your property to see if ownership of the fence is indicated. The presence of small T marks on a plan usually indicates ownership.

(edited 12 months ago)

Reply 2

Ciel.

Original post

by Anonymous

When me and my gf moved into our house 3 years ago, it was a house built in the 70's and had no gate going down the side of the house into the garden and the fence between my side door and my neighbours only came to about 2 feet. Immediately I added a gate to add more security but left the fence as it was. I didn't really have a problem with that expect my neighbour chain smokes and is always at his back door so if I ever go into the garden or take rubbish to the bins he would always be stood there and it would get awkward saying hello 7 times a day.
Fast forward to now and we have a baby and wanting to make the garden a bit more secure so I mentioned to my neighbour about wanting to replace the fence with something higher. Everyone on the street has no idea whose fence is whose so just share any upkeep costs etc. When I told my neighbour I wanted to replace the fence he wasn't too happy as he says he will feel claustrophobic, I told him its to make the garden more secure for our son and I am only going to replace the 2 foot fence with a four foot one, so we will still be able to see over it but my son wont. At this point he sort of relented and said okay go ahead but he is still being awkward with me whenever I see him.
What should I do? Two of the concrete posts for the fence will need replacing but the workers will have to go on his property to do it.

seriously? just be a man and do it. it's a goddamn fence. he already said it's fine.

Reply 3

Zarek

Just keep politely pushing forward, it’s all you can do. At a push the work could probably be all done pretty much from the shared side. There are ways of clarifying ownership of a fence, like looking at the deeds or having a boundary survey. If there’s space you could put up a second 6ft fence. Good luck

Reply 4

Anonymous #2

If you say "Can I" it is a question inviting a "no". If you say "I am" then there is not much to be said.

Reply 5

Stiffy Byng

Those suggesting an assertive approach or relying, as one poster does, on a sexist stereotype likely have no experience of dispute resolution in general, or of neighbour disputes in particular. Such disputes can drive people bonkers, and render them destitute, and should be avoided whenever possible.

Reply 6

martin7

Original post

by Zarek

There are ways of clarifying ownership of a fence, like looking at the deeds or having a boundary survey.

The deeds may or may not show 'T' marks indicating the ownership of a fence -- if they do, then that's great; but they might not.

I suspect a boundary survey would simply indicate where the boundary lies; it wouldn't tell you anything about who was responsible for maintaining it.