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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not acquiesce to neighbour's request?

390 replies

FelicityMorange · 27/01/2018 14:03

We spent this morning installing a new fence in our front garden. After 4 hours of back-breaking labour, I was sweeping up when our neighbour comes out and says she's not happy because we've got the 'nicer' side of the fence facing our way and not hers. She actually wanted us to turn each panel round so the flat side was facing her garden.

I thought she was joking at first so sort of laughed it off but no, she was being serious. I just muttered something about 'speaking to my husband' and went indoors.

Have I made a misstep in neighbourly etiquette or something?!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
SpecialFrog · 28/01/2018 00:57

This thread is hilarious. How would one tell the 'nice' side of a fence, from the 'not nice side(?)'???

HoppingPavlova · 28/01/2018 01:13

We mainly use colourbond fences nowadays so both sides are basically the same but prior to this when paling fences were used there was a social rule. If erecting a fence off your own back then good side faces out, crappy side faces in towards you. If both neighbours went halves in money and labour a coin was flipped to determine which way it faced.

WhatShallIDoWithMyself · 28/01/2018 01:20

Haven't read the whole thread, but...it's been a bugbear of mine for years that my neighbour didn't follow fence etiquette. I have two bad sides and they have two good sides, how is that fair? Admittedly made worse by the fact they did such shoddy job on their fence that it breaks half way down every time there's a bit of wind, and falls into my garden.

Allthewaves · 28/01/2018 01:32

Makes sense to me have the post facing neighbours and they can then attached a fence their side if they want a nice side

PositivelyPERF · 28/01/2018 01:40

WhatShallIDoWithMyself why don’t you put up a fence, then you can have the nice side facing you?

Shadow666 · 28/01/2018 01:59

Say you have spoken to your husband but hes on the fence about it.

Grin
PearlyGatesMontenegro · 28/01/2018 07:24

wait, how much difference can there be between the nice side the not nice side?

I know right? I'm so confused right now Confused

SoupDragon · 28/01/2018 08:45

wait, how much difference can there be between the nice side the not nice side?

I posted a picture further down.

Some panels are identical front and back, some aren’t.

Youngmystery · 28/01/2018 08:51

It's a fence. How can anyone be bothered by that? Do you stand outside staring at your fence? Do you look at the fence and not the view/whatever you are doing in your garden? Very bizarre if you answer yes to either of those questions. Only time I look at our fence is if there is a cat attempting to walk along it.

cherish123 · 28/01/2018 17:25

You paid for it and erected it, therefore, you decide which way round it goes. I paid for a fence to be erected in my back garden. The men put it up with flat side (i.e. The front) facing our side. Neighbour is being cheeky. Ignore.

SomeKindOfGenius · 28/01/2018 17:28

It sounds like i’m in the minority but I prefer the side with the rails and posts. I think if breaks up the screen a bit and it’s better for growing plants up.
OP maybe tell her that’s why you did it that way around! 😂

Katherine2626 · 28/01/2018 17:31

We had to spend a fortune having a new fence put up as our old one fell down in a really bad storm and gale a couple of years back and caused havoc with the paving, pulling it up in places. We didn't even consider putting the 'best' side' facing our neighbour - there wasn't a great deal to choose anyway as the fence looks much the same both sides and is set on shallow concrete panels with posts in between....our neighbour was thrilled and bought us a bottle of wine! I have to say I have never heard of this 'etiquette' and while I always try to be a good neighbour I wouldn't pay that kind of money and look at the back of the fence for ever.

Missuseff · 28/01/2018 17:31

Our neighbours replaced the fence putting the good side facing their property even tho they can’t even view since it’s down the side of their shoddy self-built conservatory but I prefer having the post side in our garden, means I can stick in hooks for plant pots and whatnot. Didn’t know they were being rude Smile but they're cfs so makes sense that they’d be needlessly selfish!

smilingontheinside · 28/01/2018 17:33

But these days when you can slide the panels between the posts
so they are not one side or other I think you can have nice side to you. My neighbour put panels up couple years ago nice side facing to him. Doesn't bother me as it's a nice new fence between concrete posts so my garden looks nice. I'd leave it there's not much she can do

CharlotteLV · 28/01/2018 17:38

We look at the 'ugly' side of the fence on both sides of our garden. But we didn't put either side up.

www.gov.uk/your-property-boundaries

OJZJ · 28/01/2018 17:39

Well I paid a lot of money for my fencing so whilst the pretty side faces the street as its the "rules" and it looks neater obviously ... the pretty sides also faces me for both dividing sides of neighbour boundaries.... as it's my bloody fence bought and paid for with my money! so I agree with OP tbh Smile

Smudge100 · 28/01/2018 17:43

She could have said something while there was still a chance of changing it! I'd ignore it. You paid for it, after all.

Thiscantreallybehappening · 28/01/2018 17:44

supersop60 - happy to be corrected if I am wrong but I do not think that is a UK site. But looking at the poll even on there the majority said they put the nice side facing them not the neighbours

TheOrigRightsofwomen · 28/01/2018 17:45

Well I never! I currently have 2 bad sides facing my garden so now realise that my neighbour did hers wrong. I am about to replace 'my' panels and will have the bad side facing in.

Thiscantreallybehappening · 28/01/2018 17:46

From Fence Laws in the UK

Fences, appearance of: Must the smooth side of my neighbour's fence face towards me? My neighbour is in the process of erecting his new fence, and he has started putting it up so that the smooth side faces towards his own house. Is he allowed to do this?

There is no law that says the smooth side of the fence should face the neighbour.

If your neighbour pays for a fence that he erects on his own land (even if he builds the fence so that the outer face of it, as seen from his land, runs along the boundary) then he is entitled to choose the style and colour of the fence, as well as whether he places the smooth side of the fence to face in towards his own house or out to face your house.

fishonabicycle · 28/01/2018 17:48

Everyone round here (very middle class) puts the best side of the fencing towards their own garden. You are fine op.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 28/01/2018 17:49

But the point is that you can't put the fence posts inside next door's boundary, that counts as trespass, so you'd have to move the fence forwards onto your land if the posts are facing towards the neighbour's garden.

Vivianebrezilletbrooks · 28/01/2018 17:52

It's your fence, you paid for it so you can have it any way you want. There is no actual written law that says your neighbour has to have the nice side, so if I were you I'd just ignore her.

ChrisS36 · 28/01/2018 17:56

The right hand boundary is your responsibility so the posts go on your side. She was right.