Check who can authorise work and use the appropriate landlord, utility, council or emergency route when needed. This enquiry form is not an emergency dispatch service. Local reporting contacts are below; this enquiry service does not provide emergency dispatch.
A fence needs a purpose and an agreed position
Tell the business whether the aim is privacy, enclosing a garden, replacing a failed run or defining usable access. Agree which parts are retained and where the proposed fence will stand before choosing materials. A taller or solid fence may affect light, exposure and the use of the adjoining space.
At a Braintree property, check ownership and maintenance documents rather than assuming the fence on one side belongs to you. HM Land Registry’s guidance explains that title plans generally show general boundaries, not an exact setting-out line. Establish the position and authority separately from the planning question; this enquiry service does not decide a boundary dispute.
Sources: Boundaries and boundary disputes
Agree the boundary before the layout
Do not assume the left or right fence belongs to you. HM Land Registry explains that ownership and exact boundaries are often not established by a simple plan. Review relevant property documents and clarify authority before changing the line. If there is a dispute, appropriate boundary advice may be needed; the installer or this enquiry service cannot decide it. Agree access from adjoining land separately. A physical fence position, planning permission and a legal boundary are different matters.
Check the whole planning proposal
National fence, gate and wall guidance qualifies height rules by highway position, listed sites or neighbours, Article 4 directions and planning conditions. For a Braintree address, check current designation and planning history, not a universal two-metre exemption or the appearance of the next garden.
Where a proposal removes a retained wall or changes a protected frontage, ask the council about the actual work before demolition or ordering materials. The Town Centre and Bradford Street appraisals provide different character context. They do not establish ownership, the condition of a wall or permission for its replacement.
- Show location, existing and proposed height and materials.
- Identify the highway or footpath interface.
- Check the actual building and boundary designation.
Sources: England fence, gate and wall planning guidance · Check planning permission · Listed buildings and mapping · Working on listed buildings · Town Centre Conservation Area appraisal August 2023 · Bradford Street appraisal August 2023
Panels, built-on-site fencing and slopes
Prefabricated panels offer a defined unit, while built-on-site fencing can be arranged to suit a particular run and level change. Ask whether the proposal steps panels or follows the ground and how gaps are managed. A steep garden, a narrow return or an existing wall affects the detail. Define the height along the run rather than relying on one measurement. The business should assess supports, exposure and access. A fence is not automatically a retaining structure for raised soil or a replacement for a designed wall.
Useful next steps
Posts, ground conditions and services
The visible screen relies on its supports. Ask how posts and foundations are specified for the actual fence, exposure and ground, and how existing bases are treated. Buried services, roots and drainage can affect installation. Do not dig test holes around unknown utilities to prepare for a quote. Identify known constraints and let the business plan appropriate checks. Retained posts need assessment rather than reuse solely because they remain upright. Clarify what happens if concealed conditions change the proposed work.
Useful next steps
Installation price and removal of the old fence
Ask whether the quote includes…
Request the measured run, height/style, post system, gates, removal, waste, access, ground work, VAT and finishing. Identify exclusions and how unforeseen bases or obstructions are approved. A price per panel may omit the supports or disposal that make the job complete. Compare the same specification and clarify material versus workmanship warranties. Ask how the boundary remains safe and usable while work takes place, especially where children, pets or shared access are involved.
- Complete run, posts, gates and agreed height.
- Old fence removal, waste and access arrangements.
- Ground work, finishing, VAT and variation approval.
Handover, aftercare and your enquiry
Inspect the agreed line and height from safe ordinary access, check the gate operation and request care instructions for the actual materials. Retain the specification, invoice and warranty terms. A timber movement or finish expectation should be explained without promising indefinite maintenance-free performance. For an enquiry, send postcode, approximate length, intended purpose, existing fence and known access constraints. We review suitable local requests; submission does not settle ownership, apply for permission or book installation.