Hello everyone,
We have attached our semi-detached house in Fulda (Hessen) to an existing, already completed semi-detached house. We are currently at the shell construction stage, and the windows are scheduled to be installed in three weeks. Until now, our plot was undeveloped.
Our soon-to-be neighbor recently approached us, saying that he would like to install a fence between the two semi-detached houses and has already spoken with a local landscaping contractor. He intends to fence his entire property and wants to start soon so that the garden can be used in the summer.
He approached me and said it is common for neighbors of semi-detached houses to share the cost of the fence placed in the middle and would like to have a joint discussion with me and his landscaper regarding the type and implementation of the fence. I honestly can hardly imagine that he would want anything different in the middle than what he chooses for the rest of his property.
To be honest, I feel a bit overwhelmed. I am already occupied with the shell construction, and garden planning is still quite far off. Frankly, I don’t currently have the time or financial capacity to also deal with garden planning. It should be noted that his house is slightly elevated compared to ours, so the terrace and garden level come into play.
Apparently, in Hessen, there is an obligation to enclose the property at the neighbor’s request...
"According to the Hessian Neighbor Law, the owner of a developed or commercially used property is obliged, upon request by the owner of the neighboring property, to enclose their property as long as the border to the neighboring property is not occupied by a building. If both properties are developed or commercially used, the owners of both properties are mutually obliged to cooperate in the construction of the enclosure (§ 14 HNRG)."
However, the fact is that we do not want a fence at all, and if anything, we would prefer a hedge or something similar, but not a conventional fence (which is also a permitted enclosure in Hessen). I also wonder if the neighbor can really put us under such pressure just because he wants to start NOW. He should be free to do what he wants on his own property, and I would never have thought of asking him to cover costs for a privacy screen or hedge that I might prefer.
Has anyone in Hessen experienced something similar?
Thanks
We have attached our semi-detached house in Fulda (Hessen) to an existing, already completed semi-detached house. We are currently at the shell construction stage, and the windows are scheduled to be installed in three weeks. Until now, our plot was undeveloped.
Our soon-to-be neighbor recently approached us, saying that he would like to install a fence between the two semi-detached houses and has already spoken with a local landscaping contractor. He intends to fence his entire property and wants to start soon so that the garden can be used in the summer.
He approached me and said it is common for neighbors of semi-detached houses to share the cost of the fence placed in the middle and would like to have a joint discussion with me and his landscaper regarding the type and implementation of the fence. I honestly can hardly imagine that he would want anything different in the middle than what he chooses for the rest of his property.
To be honest, I feel a bit overwhelmed. I am already occupied with the shell construction, and garden planning is still quite far off. Frankly, I don’t currently have the time or financial capacity to also deal with garden planning. It should be noted that his house is slightly elevated compared to ours, so the terrace and garden level come into play.
Apparently, in Hessen, there is an obligation to enclose the property at the neighbor’s request...
"According to the Hessian Neighbor Law, the owner of a developed or commercially used property is obliged, upon request by the owner of the neighboring property, to enclose their property as long as the border to the neighboring property is not occupied by a building. If both properties are developed or commercially used, the owners of both properties are mutually obliged to cooperate in the construction of the enclosure (§ 14 HNRG)."
However, the fact is that we do not want a fence at all, and if anything, we would prefer a hedge or something similar, but not a conventional fence (which is also a permitted enclosure in Hessen). I also wonder if the neighbor can really put us under such pressure just because he wants to start NOW. He should be free to do what he wants on his own property, and I would never have thought of asking him to cover costs for a privacy screen or hedge that I might prefer.
Has anyone in Hessen experienced something similar?
Thanks
I’m not quite sure I understand this fully right now; maybe you have a clearer photo to help visualize it better.
Did he pile soil up against your L-shaped retaining walls and then attach his own borders to that? If so, he could have used your L-shaped retaining walls and screwed his fence to them after agreeing with you, but it seems he didn’t want that kind of shared arrangement, which is fine since then everyone keeps their own stuff separate.
I think it’s more helpful than problematic if everyone keeps their own things separate here. I would visually separate the areas where needed with plants or similar privacy screens, and if you use that concrete base as a foundation for your own purposes, that’s perfectly fine since it’s on your property.
Did he pile soil up against your L-shaped retaining walls and then attach his own borders to that? If so, he could have used your L-shaped retaining walls and screwed his fence to them after agreeing with you, but it seems he didn’t want that kind of shared arrangement, which is fine since then everyone keeps their own stuff separate.
I think it’s more helpful than problematic if everyone keeps their own things separate here. I would visually separate the areas where needed with plants or similar privacy screens, and if you use that concrete base as a foundation for your own purposes, that’s perfectly fine since it’s on your property.
HGZT2025 schrieb:
Who knows... honestly, I don’t really care anymore. But the whole thing definitely leaves a bad impression.Talk to him about it—if you don’t clearly set boundaries, he will keep pushing it further and further.MachsSelbst schrieb:
You might find it funnyNo, I don’t find it funny. It was just a warning about what was going to happen, and unfortunately, I was right.
schubert7931 Mar 2025 18:40As far as I can see, it fits after all?!
Strictly speaking, the concrete wedge should remain entirely on the neighbor's side. However, I would overlook that as long as they do not request any cost-sharing. If they do dare to ask for that, I would casually respond that they can have the concrete wedge removed themselves and then receive payment for a half chain-link fence. That would settle the matter.
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