What can I realistically expect to happen here?

[UTH]

The house next door was owned by a very old lady, sadly she died last year, so the house went on the market. New owners have immediately started going to town on the place, and their first move was to cut down 5 or 6 30+ foot trees that lined the back of their garden which back onto the side of our house.

This has totally changed the look and feel of that area of the house. We were totally secluded, you wouldn't even have known there was a house there, to now being totally exposed to their house and some others, especially from our bedroom/bathroom window.

They're not actually moving in for another 3 months so even getting the opportunity to ask them about their plans isn't easy. One of the couple of introduced themselves to my wife while I was skiing, and said something along the lines of 'we'll be doing some trimming of the trees'......which is a bit different from the total removal of a load of trees!

Now, I don't imagine they want to be totally exposed, so at the very least I'm expecting them to replace the old fence you can see in the photos, but as I understand it, 6ft is the typical fence height, and probably the best I can hope they'll do? From my point of view, the bigger the better as quite frankly 6ft from our slightly higher garden/terrace isn't much higher than the fence that's there now, so isn't going to make much difference.
Obviously nothing is ever going to replace the privacy all the trees offered, but just wondering what people would think is likely to happen or realistic to request? Can you get 12 foot fences?

One of my only before shots I could find



After



View from our terrace

[CSR Performance]

Whose fence is it?

Not much you can do really other than replace the fence or put another in on your side if its not your fence.

Of course you could plant your own trees.

[Pincher]

I think that 'nothing' is probably the answer to your question. I get that you are miffed but they were their trees to do with what they saw fit. Even if there was a TPO on any of them, it's a bit late now they have gone.

[CMTMB]

I think I would be quite happy to get more light into my garden. You could always plant a few more trees of your own.

[banger54]

There isn't a lot you can do I'm afraid. After all- they own the trees.

Check your paperwork, but the fence looks like it belongs to you- if you are following traditional rules and having the "nice" side facing outwards. The fence is allowed to be up to 2m high.

If you want the trees back - then of course grow some on your side, although the neighbour has a right to complain to the council if they are forming a "hedge" higher than 2m.

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago- the second best time is today. I recommend buying some 6ft tall Photinia and growing them fast!

[UTH]

In terms of ownership, I'll double check but I think they own it, as I know that I own the one my garden backs onto and the one to the right of my garden, as I've had to replace both over the years, and as I understand it, it's unlikely I'd own all three sides of the 'square'? I'll double check on the documentation though.

[UTH]

Pincher said:

I think that 'nothing' is probably the answer to your question. I get that you are miffed but they were their trees to do with what they saw fit. Even if there was a TPO on any of them, it's a bit late now they have gone.

Yeah, I do get it, and if I were them I may have done similar. Clearly the elderly lady never went in the garden so didn't care that it was probably very dark and getting no sun.....but yes, I am pissed off (quietly inside) because it's made a huge negative difference.

[Pistom]

OP has a very neat garden.

Not surprised he's unhappy - I'm also not sure what the new neighbours were thinking. They are now significantly overlooked.

What can he realistically expect to happen? If they're capable of that, they're capable of anything.

[Wish]

I would have removed the trees as well. Sorry that doesn’t help you. But understand why they have removed them.

[GasEngineer]

Difficult to tell from the pictures, but it looks as if the trees were much closer to their house than yours.
That being the case they may have been advised by their surveyor to remove the trees to prevent damage to their house foundations.

We had a similar situation on purchase, but in our case the neighbour was delighted that the trees were removed.

[UTH]

GasEngineer said:

Difficult to tell from the pictures, but it looks as if the trees were much closer to their house than yours.
That being the case they may have been advised by their surveyor to remove the trees to prevent damage to their house foundations.

We had a similar situation on purchase, but in our case the neighbour was delighted that the trees were removed.

I'd say they were probably closer to mine, by a few feet, but I'm guessing their desire to remove them was 100% down to lack of sun in their garden/house.....

[AndyTR]

I'd plant cherry laurel 3-4 ft apart along the fence line, quick growing and easy to trim back. Grow it to 8 ft and keep on top of it and you'll have great hedge all year round.

[wiggy001]

AndyTR said:

I'd plant cherry laurel 3-4 ft apart along the fence line, quick growing and easy to trim back. Grow it to 8 ft and keep on top of it and you'll have great hedge all year round.

...that the new neighbour can insist is reduced to 6' 6"...

[Antony Moxey]

There's little you can do except plant your own trees. I'd imagine them removing them from their side has increased their garden (and light considerably) so I can completely understand why they'd want rid.

[UTH]

Ok so kind of as I thought, my best realistic result is that they put up the tallest fence that they can, which is likely to be 6 foot, and from then on it's up to me to decide if I want to plant anything or just accept it is what it is, and get used to it.

The saving grace is that it's the side of my house, so when we're in our garden, on our terrace, it's not hugely impacted, but it's not exactly what you'd want to have happened.

[M400 NBL]

Isn't it crazy that the height of hedges and fences are limited but trees don't seem to be.

Only planted your own trees will give you similar privacy.

[UTH]

M400 NBL said:

Isn't it crazy that the height of hedges and fences are limited but trees don't seem to be.

Only planted your own trees will give you similar privacy.

TBH I didn't know that fences/hedges WERE limited? So if me and neighbour were happy with a 10ft fence, would the council stop it happening?

[Dave Hedgehog]

CSR Performance said:

Whose fence is it?

typically the side with the post and rails owns the fence, so that would be the OP

[B'stard Child]

UTH said:

In terms of ownership, I'll double check but I think they own it, as I know that I own the one my garden backs onto and the one to the right of my garden, as I've had to replace both over the years, and as I understand it, it's unlikely I'd own all three sides of the 'square'? I'll double check on the documentation though.

Definitely check - I own all three sides of the fences in my garden (last house built in first phase of development meant that the traditional rules of back and right applied but as there was no house to my left at the time I got that one as well)

Big concrete or ceramic pots and a few bamboo would be my solution to fill the void

[snotrag]

My opinion - I think a healthy dose of reality here is required from all those PH members who obviously live in mansions overlooking their land and never have to deal with the plebs of society.

UTH said:

If that level of proximity and 'overlooked-ness' is offensive to you, its probably best that you dont live anywhere near people, on pretty much any street in any town anywhere in the UK.