Need new shared fence panels - how to go about it?

[BlueBananas]

We have those fences that are concrete posts and the wooden fence panels kind of slot into them
All along one side of the house the panels are literally falling apart so we've been pricing up getting them replaced
Now, do I ask my neighbour to split the bill? And how do I go about doing this? (feel it would be a pretty awkward conversation) And if she says no she doesn't want to pay then what? Can I still go ahead and replace them (begrudgingly) or do I need her permission?

[cerealqueen]

Normally you would be responsible for one side - for us, it is the right hand side.


Which side are broken?

[DowntheTown]

Most houses are responsible for the right hand side (looking down your back garden). We're responsible for left hand side here unusually.

[BlueBananas]

Oh really I didn't know that?!
It's the right hand side that are broken, is it generally that people are responsible for the right then or can it vary?

[Mintyy]

What cerealqueen says. In most houses the fences aren't shared property, they belong to one side or the other (will be on the deeds). Are you sure it is a shared fence?

[BlueBananas]

Ah x post, maybe it's just up to is then
How would I know this? Is it in my paperwork?

[HarrietVane99]

Normally, the fence will belong either to you or your neighbour. Your deeds will show who it belongs to. If it's your fence, it's your responsibility to maintain it, and you don't need your neighbour's permission. If it's your neighbour's fence, then you need her permission to do anything to it.

[BlueBananas]

Well I'm very glad I asked on here before I went round asking her to pay half of my bloody fence
Thanks all, off to find my deeds!

[nightvision]

I asked a similar question about who owns which fence here.

[ZuzuBailey]

Where are you OP? In Scotland fences are normally shared property.

[BlueBananas]

I'm in Manchester Zuzu

[FrancesHouseman]

I'm in Manchester and would be prepared to split the cost with you (if you were my neighbour,obvs!)

Are you my neighbour?!

[wowfudge]

Plenty of deeds (title register and title plan available to download from the Landregistry at Gov.uk) say absolutely nothing about boundaries. It's just not true to say 'most houses are responsible for x'.

The presumption if there are no markings on the title plan and nothing in the register about boundary ownership/maintenance is that they are shared.

If they are shared, communication is the key.

[Spickle]

Wowfudge is correct BlueBananas. Often the deeds don't say who is responsible and please don't assume that the right hand one is yours - that is misleading.

If you still have the Seller's Property Information form from when you bought the property, the previous owner should have filled in the question about responsibilities regarding boundaries. Alternatively, the title plan may show "T" marks on the boundaries that are your responsibility, but many don't show this at all, so Land Registry would advise that the boundary is shared.

[SASASI]

I would imagine that you are respobsibke for maintaining your side of the post & your neighbour theirs - that's how ours is. We don't speak to our neighbour (planning permission saga) so we will be getting builder to put a fence up on our side of the concrete post.

As fence is inbetween it is also shared so If they don't want to split costs I would do what you want within guidelines to your side of the post do at least IT is yours.

I Can be petty though...

[LAGWAFIS]

Look
At the plans you got when you bought. If there is a little 'T' sign shown along a boundary then that's your side

[vienaa]

Our fence is on the left, normally you can also tell the good side where you don't see the wood holding the pannels together is on neighbour side and the bit where you see all the bits holding the panel together will be on your side....

[cerealqueen]

It will be in your Deeds, and if its not check with your solicitor as that should be clarified when you bought.