Garden fence

HelenRachel

We recently moved to a new property. I don't really know the neighbours yet. The right had side back fence is really old and in the recent winds some of the panels came down. It's rotten anyway and it needs replacing. I saw our next door neighbour out there with her parents putting a few boards back up to went out to say hi and have a chat. We got talking about the fence and I said I wasn't sure if it was our responsibility to fix it as i haven't checked the plans yet. She said all the people shed talked to (?), said it was my fence as it was on the right hand side of our garden and the 'inside' of the fence was in our garden. I just accepted this agreed it was rotten and needed replaying and said it wouldn't be done till the summer because of DHs job. I left it at that. When I checked the plans it turned out its her fence and not my responsibility to fix it. I don't want to fall out with our neighbours so I haven't said anything and I'm just waiting till I see her to mention it in passing. I'm not sure if this is the best stratergy? Anyone been in a similar situation and how did you handle it?

Prothet_of_Doom

Take your plans, show her that the fence is for her to sort, and ask her if she wants help. YOUR DH is happy to supply labour, if she provides the panels. But Busy until summer.

DRP

What exactly do you mean by your plans, and what exactly do they say?

Mojisola

HelenRachel wrote: »

When I checked the plans it turned out its her fence and not my responsibility to fix it.

She won't have a responsibility to mend it either. If she wanted, she could just mark the boundary with a length of string.

Who replaces a fence usually comes down to a matter of who is most offended by looking at the old fence - but, if the boundary isn't yours, you would have to leave the old fence in place and put the new fence on your side of the boundary.

Hedgehog99

Agree with Prothet - she needs to know it's her responsibility.

My deeds say the owner of my place must maintain a 2m high fence.

Last Summer, the kids next door were bash! bash! bash! with their football every evening :mad: (rubbish at aiming at their goal). Well, if they cause damage, they can pay for it!

HelenRachel

DRP the plans that came with the house that showed the plot and the fences, they have little 'T's facing into the garden on two of the fences and one in the neighbours garent for the fence in question. It doesn't say anything about how hight the face has to be, I didn't have a good look for that so maybe it does and I haven't seen it!

The thing is with going round with the plan is she (and her parents) were fairly aderment it wasn't their fence (they replaced all of theirs recently) and I don't want to look like the annoying neighbour who turns up on the doorstep plan in hand!

TheCyclingProgrammer

Do your plans really show fences? Plans normally show boundaries. As somebody above says, responsibility to maintain a boundary doesn't necessarily mean it's their fence. It could be the fence was put up by a previous owner of your house INSIDE your boundary.

What does your title deeds actually say about the boundaries marked with a T?

searchlight123

interesting.
how do you get a copy of your written title deeds to find out this information?
i have only had basic line drawings from land registry showing my plot in respect to others in my road but nothing in writing outlining details such as boundaries and fence maintenance issues?

LandyAndy

Part of one of 'my' boundary fences blew down recently. It all needs replacing. My neighbour and I have agreed to go halves on it as neither of us knows whose it is. The good old art of friendly compromise.;)

penguingirl

Our deeds don't comment on fences. They were all damaged a couple years ago by high winds and we made the decision just to replace them- we'd talked to our neighbours about it in passing, but they were less bothered than we were and one neighbour had replaced 2 of the most badly damaged panels. We were thinking about selling our house in the future etc. and tbh it was just easier to do the whole lot. I think it cost us about £250 (we fitted them ourselves)

Dan-Dan

The most important thing to remember , if you dont want to fall out , is if the fence was put up by a previous owner of your house , then they are correct , it isnt there fence

In any event , anything you decide to do now has potential for years of bad feeling , tread carefully (i speak from experience)