Homeowner fined £2,000 and dragged to COURT over privacy fence mistake – know the rules to avoid the same fate

3 hours ago 1

We explicate the readying rules below

  • Published: 10:48, 3 Feb 2025
  • Updated: 10:50, 3 Feb 2025
Wooden obstruction   successful  beforehand   of houses.

A HOMEOWNER has been deed with a £2,000 good and dragged to tribunal implicit a mistake with his privateness fence.

Philip Hardy's woody obstruction was nary taller than those of his neighbours, helium claimed.

A ceramic  location   with a car   parked successful  front.

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The obstruction was deemed by the assembly to artifact the presumption of the roadCredit: Google Street View

Street presumption    of a residential country  with cars parked.

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Owner Philip Hardy was ordered to region the fenceCredit: Google Street View

However, the assembly deemed that the one-metre structure, which Philip did not person readying support for, obstructed passing drivers' presumption of the road.

The Middlesborough dad-of-two was instructed to region the obstruction connected November 14 2023 - and fixed 60 days to respond.

However, helium failed to reply, starring to him being taken to court.

Philip told Teesside Magistrates' Court: “I don’t cognize wherefore it [the case] has got this far. There are 3 fences successful the roadworthy precisely the aforesaid arsenic mine.

“I don’t deliberation I person done thing incorrect to beryllium truthful with you, that is my honorable opinion.”

Philip besides denied ignoring the notice, claiming helium had tried to organise an assignment with the assembly pursuing a sojourn from a section readying officer.

And, helium claimed helium had adjacent hired a backstage contractor to trim the tallness of the fence.

However, Morgan Brien, prosecuting connected behalf of Redcar and Cleveland Council, disputed this assertion - by pointing to a wheelie bin pictured next to the supposedly reduced fence.

Philip was recovered blameworthy - and fined a full of £180 positive the council's tribunal costs of £1,972.

He volition beryllium allowed to wage the interest successful £20 monthly installments, owed to being unemployed and connected disability benefits.

DIY Privacy Fences: Affordable Garden Solutions

It comes aft another homeowner, Farhan Khan, was slapped with a £622 and transgression grounds implicit a akin mistake.

The Southampton antheral had not applied for readying support for the one-metre fence.

He applied for retrospective support but was turned down by the section council.

He was past ordered to teardrop it down - but refused to bash so.

What is retrospective readying permission?

People who build a structure can use for support afterwards.

The assembly tin inquire the nonmigratory to retrospectively use for readying support for immoderate completed enactment which needs it.

This usually happens erstwhile idiosyncratic complains to the assembly astir the caller work.

The aforesaid considerations volition use and permission only be granted if it is deemed suitable by the section authority.

Retrospective readying applications are not automatically approved - astir 1 successful 5 are turned down.

If the exertion is turned down, the homeowner whitethorn person to teardrop down immoderate they person built.

But if it is approved, the retrospective readying support is conscionable arsenic valid and morganatic arsenic support granted earlier gathering enactment starts.

What are your rights implicit a obstruction row?

IT'S precise important to cognize your rights if you are embroiled successful a obstruction enactment with a neighbour.

How bash I cognize which broadside I own?

A boundary feature tin beryllium a fence, wall, hedge, ditch, portion of wire, oregon sometimes adjacent conscionable the borderline of a driveway.

The lone mode to cognize for definite who owns what broadside and to debar immoderate neighbour disputes, is to notation to the rubric program or Land Registry

In this, the T people is utilized to bespeak who the bound belongs to and truthful who is liable for its upkeep, accidental pros at Jacksons Fencing.

Larger developments thin to person immoderate denotation provided by the builder, but determination are nary hard and accelerated rules

People often deliberation they are liable for the near (or right) manus bound wherever they live, but determination isn’t immoderate ineligible ground for this.

You tin cheque with HM Land Registry to spot which bound diagnostic you are liable for.

Often households can't get clasp of the paperwork but experts accidental they shouldn't panic.

Homeowners tin conjecture who owns the obstruction by checking wherever the rails are.

Pros say: "The obstruction is typically facing distant from their spot truthful that their neighbour gets the ‘good’ side. 

“This is the astir unafraid mode of facing fencing truthful determination are nary rails for anyone to usage to ascent into your garden. 

“This is past repeated with the neighbour connected the different broadside to guarantee that each location has some a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ obstruction side.”

Walls and fences are often built connected the onshore of the boundary's owner with the borderline of the partition marking the limit.

While professionals hold a glimpse astatine the obstruction tin springiness you a hint, it's not foolproof - truthful you can't beryllium certain.

Fines and punishment

It is recommended to ever cheque ineligible documents earlier making changes to avoid hefty fines.

There is no law that the neighbour has to get the bully broadside of the fence, truthful it's wholly up to whoever owns the fence. 

Fencing pros person suggested: “It whitethorn beryllium worthy selecting a double-sided sheet with nary ‘bad’ broadside arsenic some sides look the aforesaid and rails are concealed wrong the obstruction panel.”

If 1 bound backs onto a roadworthy oregon footpath you can install the panels with the rails connected the inside

But if it's installed connected the outside, it tin supply an “easy ladder for burglars to participate your garden”.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Property Litigation Association person created a mediation work to assistance neighbours resoluteness disputes implicit their spot boundaries without resorting to tribunal action. 

RICS besides provides a database of surveyors who could assistance successful bound disputes.

If a quality continues, it is yet a tribunal that makes decisions, but they bash not similar specified disputes being enactment earlier them.

Changing a boundary

If you privation to alteration an existing boundary, specified arsenic replacing an aged obstruction with a caller one, we ever urge discussing with your neighbour archetypal and making definite it is each agreed.

The registered titles tin assistance you to scope an agreement, but lone if this accusation has been added.

In presumption of decorations connected a obstruction legal advisers recommended asking astir implicit who really archetypal installed it.

But they besides urged caution earlier getting to enactment connected amending the obstruction without getting much certainty yourself - since determination is simply a information of really being prosecuted for criminal damage.

How precocious tin a plot obstruction be?

The tallness of the obstruction is measured from your crushed level, this tin person an interaction when, owed to slopes successful the ground, your plot whitethorn beryllium astatine a higher level than your neighbours'.

garden fence tin beryllium arsenic precocious arsenic 100m but you request to get readying support if it's implicit than 2m.

However, determination are immoderate complications to this.

If you are reasoning astir front garden fences, restrictions authorities that fences alongside a driveway tin beryllium a maximum of 1m oregon 3ft.

You would request to get readying support for putting a trellis connected a obstruction of 2m.

But, if immoderate works that you turn connected that trellis exceeds 2m, you bash not request to get a licence for the growing plant.

Wooden obstruction   successful  beforehand   of houses.

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The one-metre privateness obstruction successful Nunthorpe, YorkshireCredit: Google Street View

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