Neighbour offered to pay for "my" new fence. Should I just be grateful?

[LadyLindaT]

The fence is my responsibility. My neighbour lets out next door, so everything is always "just so" when he gets a new tenant. (Contract gardeners, etc.) He is a very nice man. The fence is a very long one, and has been a constant thorn in my side, due to bad weather, storms, etc. I have replaced the panels many times over the years. The latest tenant has just moved out, and the gardeners have been in to nuke everything with their power mowers, hedge trimmers, etc. He has now suggested that his contractors will replace "my" fence, and that he will pay. Should I just be grateful, or should I be a bit wary? Maybe I should offer to pay half?

Let him crack on!

Ooo depends what sort of fence he's offering to replace it with! I think if it's the same height / style, then I probably wouldn't be offering half if he's ready to pay for it all - I'd be thankful he was a landlord keeping things in repair and let him do it 😃

That's kind of him, let him do it.

I wouldn't worry. We offered to pay for our neighbour's fence once as we wanted our garden to be secure as we had a dog and it was less hassle. We didn't expect anything - it just enabled us to enjoy our space a bit more.

As far as I am aware, the fence will be same height, same style.

Am I just looking a gift horse too closely in the mouth?

Let him get on with it. I had to pay for all the fencing on all three sides. The fences are owned 50/50 with neighbours and they refused to pay. I didn't want manky fencing as it makes the garden look horrible.

It's rare for landlords to be public spirited, sure, but what trick can he be trying to pull?

What is worrying you about his offer

If I was you I'd say yes but I'd also check that the posts are concrete not wood. Far more stable and panels are less likely to get blown down.

He will almost certainly be able to claim "repairs" in his expenses against tax

@LadyLindaT

The cost of the repair is still more than the amount that can be offset from a tax liability.

OP mentions replacing panels. Chances are it's a bit of an eyesore and he wants to maximise rental income / overall presentation

Yes let your neighbour replace the mismatching ugly fence. that’s really kind of him but double check it’ll be like for like and same height etc!

The panels have always been replaced in the same style. It is not an eyesore, just a pain to keep maintaining after all these storms of late.

If someone wants to pay to rip the whole lot out and start again, afresh, that would be absolutely ideal.

I think that he just wants to take the whole house upmarket, as he is also doing a complete interior upgrade.

I am coming down on the side of just being grateful!

I paid for the fence on my neighbours boundary. She’s elderly and wasn’t bothered about it though it was falling over and broken in some places. I asked her daughter if it would be ok for me to replace it and pay for it and explained what thpe of fence it would be. and after speaking to her mother she agreed. I’m happy as my garden looks much better I’m well aware that if someone new moves in they might want to replace it so I asked the fitter to place it just inside my boundary so I can tell any new occupier that they can’t remove it (if I don’t want them to) but they’re perfectly entitled to put their own on their side

Be grateful & thank him with wine & chocs or something. Will be spendy
But then their garden will match all the way round so presumable that appeals. Just mark out your boundary so they don't encroach!

Just to reiterate. It is not a mismatched, ugly fence. I think he just wants to include it in a general garden upgrade. Clearly, my neighbour is a lot nicer than some of the responders on here.

One thing to be aware of is that if he owns the fence you have no right to attach anything to it or paint it without his permission, so if those things are important to you then you may want to check this with him first.

We have paid for things we wanted to do even though it was our neighbour’s responsibility. Perfectly normal as you can’t force your neighbour to do something if they don’t want to and you either wait for them to do it or do it yourself. We even painted our neighbour’s side door as wanted it match ours.

We paid for new between us and next door even though it was their responsibility, we wanted it all to match, and also wanted it secure for our dogs.

I'd want it in writing that you would still own the fence, and he has no claim to it. Other than that, let him crack on.

Hell, yeah!
Can’t see a downside.

We paid for a fence that should have been our very elderly neighbour's responsibility. We were having the garden done up and her fence was in a terrible state and we knew she had no money to replace it so we offered and she accepted gladly. She was a really lovely neighbour and we were happy to have our garden looking lovely.

I'd accept it if I were you.

He's a very nice man, you say, he obviously has high standards for his property, and some of the cost will be offset by tax. So I'd just say thank you and enjoy your new fence!

That sounds nice of him! If he's going all fences etc it'll be a decent price I'm sure and as others have said he can claim back taxes I think. I'd say thank you as I really can't afford it, maybe buy him a bottle of wine or spirits to say thanks?

I'd accept, rare these days that you get owt for nowt, just make sure it's not ugly or anything and let him crack on !