PROBLEM GARDEN AND HOW TO SOLVE IT

The chap and his wife came over mid-afternoon, sporting a giant 10-foot bamboo cane! I had every confidence that the hedge depth would swallow it - as it did! It transpired that the folks to the side of them had removed his hedge a couple of years ago and they were not impressed. Although very civil about our plan and appeared to understand our view, their parting shot was that a new fence would be needed as the current one is too low. As far as I am aware it is in decent condition but may be only about 5-foot high (maybe only 4 feet towards the bottom. It is a standard waney-lap fence with concrete panels at the bottom but I suspect some of these may have sunk. The maximum height allowed is 2 metres so I guess we might be faced with half the bill for a new 50-foot long fence!

Help!!!

By all means write your title in capitals if you want to !
Is it possible to photograph your garden ?
Then we can get a clearer idea .

I've got the opposite problem-my strange reclusive neighbour doesn't want my massively overgrown Leylandi cut .
He likes the privacy.
He refused to allow the gardener to cut it from his side as he needed access .
I had to pay him as he had booked the job.

CariadAgain

I'm glad you pointed out re the bamboo might be invasive. That is always my very first thought re bamboo these days - I've seen some awful videos/photos of its roots spreading out everywhere.

Shame - as I quite like the look of it myself - but am none too convinced as to whether there are types of it that are "clumping" and won't spread and nor would a buyer be.

Errrrm....I would be mentally deducting from the houseprice for that too if I were a buyer - as I wouldnt be taking any chances....

I have a clumping bamboo and in 20 years it is still a clump - not much bigger or wider than 10 years ago.

I also have golden bamboo. which is contained in raised beds, but I wouldn't put that in unrestricted ground as it does seem pretty invasive - always trying to grow through the brick walls & swamping other plants. Great with spring bulbs though, as it has a lull from november, & the spears are just growing back as my bulbs are at full flower.

Madmeg

The chap and his wife came over mid-afternoon, sporting a giant 10-foot bamboo cane! I had every confidence that the hedge depth would swallow it - as it did! It transpired that the folks to the side of them had removed his hedge a couple of years ago and they were not impressed. Although very civil about our plan and appeared to understand our view, their parting shot was that a new fence would be needed as the current one is too low. As far as I am aware it is in decent condition but may be only about 5-foot high (maybe only 4 feet towards the bottom. It is a standard waney-lap fence with concrete panels at the bottom but I suspect some of these may have sunk. The maximum height allowed is 2 metres so I guess we might be faced with half the bill for a new 50-foot long fence!

Help!!!

Just put a topping on it if it's in good condition.
You'd think he'd be glad to see the back of the Leylandii.

Who is responsible for that border on your deeds?

www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fence-toppers
I have no connection with this firm, many builders' merchants will stock similar fence toppings.

Allira

Madmeg

Also to add, our plan will make the shape of the garden squarer rather that long and narrow, which we think will be more attractive to potential buyers.

It sounds fine and I'd definitely get rid of the Leylandii, they do have very long fibrous roots which seem to go for drains, too, so just as well to have them removed.
You could tell Him at the Back that you are concerned about the roots going towards the drains and soakaways.
Keep it simple so that it is easy to maintain and might appeal to a busy family, too, of you decide to sell.

Have you got three quotes?

I can confirm re their roots going for drains. An (idiot) guy near my house put in a leylandii - in the tiny little back yard he had (even smaller than mine - and that took some doing...as mine was so tiny). I watched it growing and growing.....as I was steadily thinking more and more that I had looked into his eyes the day he moved in and thought "He's as thick as two short planks - his eyes are telling me this". I over-estimated - if anything...

Then, at one point I realised its roots were probably/almost certainly heading for the drains (Victorian drains and so they'd have been around 100 years old at that point). Cue for ringing the Water Board (if only I had South West Water here - instead of Welsh Water #sighs). They were out within hours literally - after I'd told them about the tree and that its roots were very likely heading towards their drains and might well already have got to them.

They wasted no time at all and, by the time I got back from work, I'd had the full story relayed to me that a gang of them had come in, put something down the drains to have a look and dealt with the issue. I couldnt complain at all about that for speed and efficiency. Yep...its roots had got to our drains...I was correct.

As I saw it - I reckoned those roots would be deriving "nourishment" from the water and...errr...human waste heading down our drains and didn't want them to get any encouragement so to say...

Madmeg

The chap and his wife came over mid-afternoon, sporting a giant 10-foot bamboo cane! I had every confidence that the hedge depth would swallow it - as it did! It transpired that the folks to the side of them had removed his hedge a couple of years ago and they were not impressed. Although very civil about our plan and appeared to understand our view, their parting shot was that a new fence would be needed as the current one is too low. As far as I am aware it is in decent condition but may be only about 5-foot high (maybe only 4 feet towards the bottom. It is a standard waney-lap fence with concrete panels at the bottom but I suspect some of these may have sunk. The maximum height allowed is 2 metres so I guess we might be faced with half the bill for a new 50-foot long fence!

Help!!!

Re the possibility of a new fence - try and check out if you can who put in that original fence. That might give a clue. You might be lucky and find it was a previous owner of his house that did that.

The legal position on necessity for a fence is, I believe, that it's sufficient to just have something/anything there to mark where the boundary is (ie even a piece of string tied between two posts would mark the boundary). That only varies if there's some living being that needs to be restrained to stay within the garden of the relevant house (eg if he has a dog - then it's his responsibility to ensure the dog has to stay within the boundaries of his garden and not come in trampling and messing in yours) and vice-versa if you have a dog.

As far as I understand it - there is no legal minimum height for a fence. There is only a legal maximum height (which is normally 6' - dependant on circumstances). So even a 2' high fence would do the job of demarcating between his garden and yours. Even if the fence is your responsibility in the event = he can't force you to have a taller one just because of him. Your worst case analysis of 50/50 responsibility could be turned by you (as far as I know) to you saying "You cover that 50% of the length with fence chosen by you - and I'll cover our 50% of the length with fence chosen by me - so I've picked a 1' tall one then for our 50% of length". I've never seen that it can't be done that way - so maybe it's just an assumption that 50% means - 50% of the cost....but maybe it could be taken as "50% of the length"?????I'd be checking personally....

I've been able to ensure a neighbour couldnt put up as high a fence as the little *expletive deleted in his case* wanted to - as I found that the law said he couldnt have one more than a metre tall and told him so and what would happen if he did (which would include him having to remove the fence). But I've never seen anything demanding fences must be over a certain height.

Re Jacksons Fencing - yep...to the firm concerned. They arent cheap I do know - as they were the ones I picked for a fence in my garden here. Part of the reason for them being pretty dear was the length of the guarantee. From memory - it's 25 years (which is long - compared to others). But, living in West Wales, I was told just how short a lifespan a flimsier fence would likely have - and I count other peoples broken-down fence panels every bad storm there is - but mine havent budged.

I do remember that they do do toppings - which I don't think all firms do - and I did duly buy some topping pieces.

I just googled and picked that fencing firm to show some of the toppings available, we've never used them so I can't comment on how good they are but they do seem to have a good selection.

A topping would bring the fence up to 2 metres which is the limit allowed.

Have you considered contacting your local AgeUK branch? They sometimes have lists of local cleaners and gardeners who work for older people.

Good idea.

They should have a list of approved gardeners etc.
Or, as I mentioned, previously, check the list of tree surgeons on your local Council site.

I have got an email address from Age UK for help with household jobs but the organisation has ignored my emails. Or council has no lists of anybody, it seems. Still, we only pay £280 a month to them.

The "toppings" would look to need posts into which they can slot, so the current posts would not do. Tell me if I am wrong.

I believe the fences are all shared responsibility - but if we are happy with the height and condition, why should we have to replace it if it is in good condition? I will check my deeds on that. The removal of the existing posts/bottom panels would be a major cost as well.

It's all becoming rather scary now, in terms of cost.

Yep...do check your paperwork - both deeds (if you have them) and the modern-day paperwork.

I've never ever heard of a reluctant neighbour being made to pay towards replacing a fence that is in good condition. The question has only ever arisen when it's in poor condition. Tell them to "Take a long walk off a short pier" if it's still in reasonable condition. Sounds like they're trying to bulldoze over you from what you're saying - sounds as if they think you're weak/a walkover. I know, from personal experience here, that there are neighbours that will "try it on" - especially if they think it's a woman they're dealing with (a form of sexism that never seems to get discussed....). Bad neighbours seem to be much easier on men and couples (both of them still in the picture healthwise).

If your awkward neighbour doesn't like the fence and it is a shared responsibility, then suggest he replaces it with something of 2 metres or less.

Presumably the Leylandii are in your garden in your side of the fence so, quite frankly, it's really none of his business if you cut them down!
But I would suggest being polite about it.

I've just asked on the Chat GPT website. The response was:

"In the UK, if a boundary fence is in good condition, your neighbour cannot legally insist that you contribute to its replacement, especially if the existing fence is functional and meets legal standard".

If your neighbour starts pressurising again tell yourself "He's treating me as a woman and not a person. How dare he?" and literally walk away from him - so he can't say anything else and put on more pressure. Sounds like you've got a bully there and that he is telling himself "She doesnt count - because she's a woman". Thinking that would result in my eyes flashing red-hot anger at him...whilst I said nowt and walked away.

You are giving him credence and he thinks you are thinking seriously about what he says whilst you stand there and listen to him. So don't do so if he's trying it on.

I've even had a bad neighbour of mine (thankfully she moved ) give me one of her glares and then see me walk away from her into my house and she chased after me and spent several minutes ringing continuously on my doorbell (as she knew I was in - and I knew she did) and I literally wouldnt answer my doorbell. Five minutes of her constantly ringing later and she beetled off and wrote me a nasty note of what she wanted to say and put it through my door - to which I thought "That worked! I didn't think she was very bright. I've now got it in writing and can prove what she's just said to me because of that".

Security cameras often work pretty well too - as several of my neighbours were very prone to trespassing into my garden. So I had some put up and they helped a LOT - as they couldnt miss spotting them and they really don't like the idea of getting caught on them. I've seen more than one of them very obviously spot them for the first time/look outraged and they changed their mind about trespassing in and turned tail and walked away.

Good luck!

The guys are coming tomorrow to do the job - rear mixed hedge and bottom semi-dead Leylandii hedge removed, top Leylandii lowered by about 4 feet. Keeping this as it is in good nick. DH went round to the people below us just to inform them. Assumed they wouldn't be bothered as their garden is about 3 feet lower than ours and therefore about 7-8 feet lower than the top of the fence - but they didn't like our plan either! Of course they only see the top few feet of the hedge where it's nice and green, not the brown dead side. Said they would come round this afternoon to have a look at our side but they didn't do so.

I think our name will be mud in the neighbourhood.

The removal of the two hedges will add nearly a third to the usable size of the garden.

I'm assuming the two affected fences are pretty secure, so we will think about "toppers" for them - we can't afford a new fence.

Thanks for all your ideas - I will let you know how it goes.

I think our name will be mud in the neighbourhood

It shouldn't be. You'd think they're be glad to let some light into their gardens - at your expense.

Leylandii are weeds. And you need planning permission to have a boundary higher than 2 metres.

Yep - do keep us posted. Doesn't sound to me like you're doing anything that will put them out really - they're just being awkward for the sake of it.

Re planning permission stuff - I think that depends on the location of a fence - eg for instance a neighbour of mine wanted a 6' tall one at a viewing splay for vehicles and that isnt allowed (maximum height for that being one metre) and I have an idea that a row of leylandii can start infringing on people and there's penalties possible. Probably pretty standard not to have fences higher than 6' and I think maybe that's a planning issue if they're at the front of a house (not sure otherwise). I think maybe the deterrent to anyone having a fence higher than 6' is there was a fashion (in one part of America at any rate) for what became called "spite fences" (ie deliberately having a much higher fence to block the view of a neighbour one didnt get on with).

Re the two affected fences - what you've said really doesn't sound like they are in bad condition and work need doing. In which case - I wouldnt even put "toppers" on them - I'd just think "Doesnt have to be high enough to keep our dogs in - as we've not got any dogs. It does perfectly well to mark the boundary" and leave it as it is. There is no legal thing that says we have to make it higher - even if it's solely our fence".

Madmeg

The guys are coming tomorrow to do the job - rear mixed hedge and bottom semi-dead Leylandii hedge removed, top Leylandii lowered by about 4 feet. Keeping this as it is in good nick. DH went round to the people below us just to inform them. Assumed they wouldn't be bothered as their garden is about 3 feet lower than ours and therefore about 7-8 feet lower than the top of the fence - but they didn't like our plan either! Of course they only see the top few feet of the hedge where it's nice and green, not the brown dead side. Said they would come round this afternoon to have a look at our side but they didn't do so.

I think our name will be mud in the neighbourhood.

The removal of the two hedges will add nearly a third to the usable size of the garden.

I'm assuming the two affected fences are pretty secure, so we will think about "toppers" for them - we can't afford a new fence.

Thanks for all your ideas - I will let you know how it goes.

Sounds a nice solution. Good luck.

Perhaps trimming often will allow upper hedge to remain nice.

We trim often, finding it easy to keep in front of problems.

We trim often, finding it easy to keep in front of problems
I wish our neighbours would, not on our border, thankfully.

Although the ones behind don't bother, we can't reach right across and they'd let their side grow into huge trees.

Charleygirl5

Please do not write in capitals, it isn't necessary.

Some of us like a capital letter from time to time Charlygirl5!
I also like an exclamation mark & a smiley-face. 😊

The guys started yesterday, have removed about half the "trees" from the back border. Surprisingly, it revealed two decent height shrubs in their garden in seemingly good condition. Our chap doesn't think there are any more though.

However, the removal did reveal the fact that a good part of the fence is rotten (he picked at one panel and the top crumbled easily in his hand) so it will need to be replaced. However, he says the concrete posts are perfectly sound so it will just be the cost of new panels (plus his time, of course!). He reckons he can install taller panels of vertical wood with two cross pieces front and back to strengthen them - and has explained this to the affected neighbours. I am a bit shocked by the cost though - £2k (presumably shared between us). But maybe I am grossly out of date with costs. I admit that a nice new fence would be a good thing all round - but wasn't something we've budgeted for.

The folks below us have not been in touch again.

The garden man rang last night to say he couldn't come today due to his wife being unable to do the childcare, which he is doing. I like a hands-on dad, but it means a day lost for us.

I’ve just had a boundary fence replaced with the neighbours sharing the cost. It is 72ft long and needed new posts. The panels have a concave trellis on top, so not the cheapest. The total cost including installation was £3,775. I hope this gives you some idea of what costs are like.

Our fence panels were rotten so we ordered the panels ourselves and with a team of family and neighbours took the old ones out and slotted the new ones in.
Don't do it in a windy day and grease the concrete panels with candle wax.

Madmeg

Do get three quotes for the fencing!
And make sure he doesn't charge you for today as well.

You can get some sort of idea of what fence panels cost by looking on Amazon - yep...they sell them too. Though I imagine it's not likely to include better-quality ones. But it will give you a ballpark figure.

Then there's his time to pay for too.

The quickest way to figure it all out though is to put a query into Chat GPT (just google and you'll get the website coming up and even I have managed to do the couple of minutes worth to access it).

In that query - put how many fence panels are concerned and their height etc.

I'd put in a query worded like "How much for mid-price range quality fence panels. It will be x number of fence panels at y feet high. Location is such-and-such town/city. Please include typical price for labour in this town/city". You'll probably have your answer back within a matter of a couple of minutes.

I've just been on there this morning asking the price for spiritual house clearing in my case and it duly told me the several levels concerned, what is possible, suggested how I can do it myself, suggested some possible ways to find a practitioner and what the cost will be (in my case - somewhere between £100-£500, dependant on a variety of factors Chat GPT listed for me).

Then you can tell how reasonable - or otherwise - that price is. I'd say it quite likely is a reasonable price. But you can check for yourself on there and see.

As I keep getting quoted "Prices of materials have gone up - a LOT - since Lockdown" and I think it is indeed the case from what I can see.