A recent Reddit Thread has gone viral as a new homeowner asks the world whether or not they’re doing the right thing, morally and legally, by growing their hedges tall enough for privacy while blocking another homeowner’s view.
The Reddit poster described their specific situation. “Last year we bought a historical property, with a fair sized chunk of land… We turned the property back into a private residence. A main country road runs right by the longest edge of the unfenced garden, so we decided to plant hedges for privacy and to block off access in case my nephews visit and play football, etc.”
They go on to explain that there is a small “gardener’s cottage” on the property that was sold separately and that the new owner of the cottage planned to use it for Airbnb rentals. Since growing their hedges for privacy, the owner of the large home has received several “official-looking letters” from the cottage owner stating that they were “impeding their reasonable enjoyment of the property as they had planned to market the cottage as part of the property with views of a historical landmark.”
As per the Reddit user’s request, the world has weighed in, and the vast majority of people are confirming that the homeowners are well within their rights to build those hedges as tall as they want to.
The general consensus is that, when buying a home, everyone has the right to privacy. The cottage owners are not entitled to offer a view of a private home, historical or not, to their Airbnb guests. Many of the commenters stated clearly that it’s “Your property, your hedge, your rules.”
Along with asking whether or not they were morally entitled to the hedges, the Reddit user who originally posted also wanted to know whether the cottage owners had any legal recourse in asking them to cut down the hedges. And once again, it seems the answer is no.
While some reported that obstructing views from others’ homes is illegal in several states and cities, that law only applies to views of nature, such as sunsets, beaches, or mountains—not to your own personal home.
“Your property is not a prop for their business,” one commenter said. Another stated, “Nobody has the right to demand a view of your private residence.”
And while Reddit commenters have made it exceptionally clear that the homeowner can and should build their hedges as high as they want for privacy needs, many have also commented on the fact that not all properties are sanctioned for Airbnb rentals. Some individuals even recommended that the owner contact the local authorities and report the cottage owner for misusing the home for short-term rentals.
The cottage owners have yet to bring their complaint to local officials, probably because they know they have no legal standing, and now that the Reddit user has confirmation that they’re entitled to grow their hedges for privacy, it’s likely that they will continue to do so.
