My neighbours can see 90% of my garden but I can’t put up a privacy fence – a free idea could stop them peeping though
A HOMEOWNER has admitted he’s stuck for ideas as his neighbours can see 90% of his garden but he can’t put up a privacy fence.
The man explained that because a pipe that runs along the edge of his property, he’s unable to add another fence to stop anyone next door peeping.
He took to Reddit to explain the situation, whilst sharing a picture of his and his neighbour’s house pointing out his quandary.
“Neighbours can see into 90% of my backyard, I’m open to ideas on how to increase privacy,” he wrote alongside the picture.
“Red = Neighbours’ windows. Blue = stormwater pipe running along fence line.”
He added in response to someone’s comment that his “neighbours are nice and we get along”.
“It’s 100% more of a me problem with the privacy thing”.
People were quick to offer their suggestions to the homeowner, with one sharing an entirely free solution that might work.
“Walk around naked,” they wrote.
“They will soon put up blinds!”
“Best idea yet!” the man replied.
“Think this the reason why he doesn’t want them to see in his backyard in the first place,” another joked.
As someone else agreed, writing: “Just walk around in your underwear more frequently.
“The problem will fix itself.”
Others had different suggestions, including some kind of sail shade.
“Maybe a sail shade from house to fence?” one wrote.
“Might need a couple of larger posts installed, but it’d double as a carport (kinda…) and increase privacy.”
“Yeah this might be the way to go,” the man mused.
How high can a garden fence be?
Despite what many people think a garden fence can be as high as 100m but you need to get planning permission for any fence taller than 2m.
Any fence under 2m does not need planning permission.
However, there are some complications to this.
If you are thinking about front garden fences, restrictions state that fences alongside a driveway can be a maximum of 1m or 3ft.
You would need to get planning permission for putting a trellis on a fence of 2m.
But, if any plant that you grow on that trellis exceeds 2m, you do not need to obtain a permit for the growing plant.
“Seems like it’d be one of the cheapest ways to go as well.”
However, another person warned: “Shade sails only if you want lots of maintenance.
“Also quite noisy in wind.
“I would go with a kit/solid carport or even an actual shed if you need one.”
And some even said they thought he could fix the no privacy problem with some plants.
“Nothing on the side of the house is going to stop them seeing into the back yard, they will see right over it,” one wrote.
“I would go for clumping bamboo down the fence line.”
Considering you are thinking about redoing your driveway, I would make the driveway a little wider to accommodate a planter box along the fence and plant clumping bamboo,” another agreed.
“They are very quick growing and would establish a screen in no time and by doing a planter box then no root or drainage issue.”
“Yes, I had the same thought,” a third agreed.
“Clumping bamboo In containers. Excellent for screening!”