Leasehold & been told fence needs removing

continualdiamond

I have lived in my leasehold flat for nearly 6 years. On Saturday all the properties had a letter saying they were contacting us about the gardens and that if we have a front garden with a fence we were in breach of the contract and had 28 days to remove the fence.

It quoted the part of the lease that doesn't allow any fence or wall etc.

Now it doesn't concern me personally as I am a ground floor flat and therefore have the back garden.

But I feel for obviously the 50% of my neighbours who 99% of them have had a small fence up in the whole time I have lived here. No front garden has suddenly put a fence up, they've either stayed the same or replaced them like for like.

So why suddenly now would the freeholder want them taking down? Do they do spot checks or would a neighbour for some reason complained?

After such a long time, maybe longer before I moved in, do the neighbours have any chance of them being able to keep the fence?

cattie

If it's in the lease that fences are not allowed then the owners with fences are in breach of their leases. Not a good place to be, so best to take them down before the 28 day period is up unfortunately.

continualdiamond

I completely understand that its in the lease and therefore they're in breach of it.

I just don't understand why its taken at least 6 years maybe longer for the freeholder to demand that they're taken down.

Personally I can't see any of them taking them down, 28 front gardens, I think about all but 5 of them have fences up.

Very very strange and will be extremely annoying if a fellow neighbour has complained about the fences. They're not going any harm and if anything will make the street look worse as the gardens won't flow nicely etc.