Can we demand that they tint the windows?

Questioner

The neighbours have a shed against the property line. This shed is 4 metres high and has two windows at a height of 2 metres. It has been here for over 20 years. Our ground level is 35 cm higher than their ground level. We find the wall ugly and want to plant a hedge in front of it. Now I thought that legally it is the case that if there is a fence, you are not allowed to go higher than that fence. But now there is a high shed of 4 metres high against the property line, so their land. - Can this hedge be placed 'tight' against this wall? - If so, can this hedge be a maximum of 2 meters high? - In that case, a piece of hedge will be placed in front of their windows, is that allowed? In addition, we want to place 1 standard tree that will be placed between the two windows: - Can this also be placed against the property boundary? - Can this total be 2.5 to 3 meters high? Before the construction of our house started, we took pictures of the terrain. The neighbors had those two windows blinded/boarded off from the inside. During the construction of our house, they replaced both window frames and put in clear glass. This is not blinded now. The windows have been there for more than 20 years. We cannot find out whether they were blinded in that way for all those 20 years. Can we demand that they blind the windows anyway?

Lawyer

If the windows have not been tinted for twenty years, you can no longer demand that. I do wonder whether the high wall is not in conflict with the zoning plan, but sometimes a certain maximum height of a building on private land is permitted. You may not plant greenery against it if it is not also your land. If it is a property boundary, you may have a dividing wall or green hedge as high as the law or the zoning plan indicates. Trees may not be planted within a distance of 2 meters from the property boundary.