To not to offer to fix the fence?

[Supergran58]

So we have a large fierce looking and sounding dog. I appreciate that others may find her scary. Shes part boxer part staffie. I hesitate to say shes not aggressive as I've never quite trusted her so keep her on a tight rein (excuse the pun). At 7 shes never hurt anyone or another dog because she doesn't get the opportunity. Shes an extremely loving dog with the family. We moved to our house 3 years ago and our garden is small but extremely well kept by the previous owners. This means that the garden fence that I'm responsible for is immaculate and pristine. I replaced a panel that blew down in the wind last year. The fence belonging to my neighbour is a whole other stor it has been very dilapidated since we moved in. The previous owners of my house clearly tried very hard to cover it up from our side with trellis etc. However we have now reached a point of no return. Their fence is totally dilapidated, being held up by the chicken wire I have secured on my side to stop the dog getting through. Unfortunately my dog is tormented by the cats who sit on the roof of next doors garage and often stands at the fence barking at them u til I drag her in ( no more than a minute each time before I get to her)Anyway the neighbour tonight has stopped and says she needs to talk to me about the fence as the dog is scaring her grandchildren which she probably is. I told her that the fence belongs to her, as totally disintegrated and when she replaces it there will be no problems with the dog as she wont be able to see into her garden or bark at the cats. AIBU? Should I offer to share the cost of replacing the fence?

Of course you shouldn't, it isn't your responsibility.

When your dog does become a problem (the barking) you bring your dog in.

If the grandchildren are that scared (which I do also understand) then the neighbour should be sorting their own fence out.

When she removes the dilapidated fence panel, chicken wire is not going to be enough to keep your dog in. At that point, you will either need to pay for a fence or not let your dog loose in the garden. She has no obligation to replace the fence.

Her boundary so she should maintain it.

Our dogs kept escaping through our neighbours fence (about 20 year old panels).

You could poke your fingers through the wood, so a few stone of dog just went straight through.

Because our dogs finished the fence off we replaced the whole lot, but with concrete posts and gravel boards rather than wood as we anted to make sure it was secure for our dogs, and the neighbours were elderly and didn’t need the hassle.

It is your responsibility to keep your dog secure when out in the garden. If the dog barks at cats and frightens the neighbours grandchildren then I would want it replaced. You say you have a small garden so I think I would look at talking to the neighbour about renewing her fence.

Is it a case that you would be able to do the fencing yourself or would you need to pay someone to do it. If you're able to do the fence would she be able to pay for the wood?

The fence is finished the total length of the garden. I'm guessing it would cost about £1500 at least to get the whole lot replaced. However I have bushes along most of it. The main problem is about 3 metres wide from the edge of the houses. The fence would have toppled right into my garden if it weren't for the wire I've put up which it"s resting on. I bought the house partly because it had a totally secure garden for the dog and children. I can't replace the fence myselc, we would need someone to do it. When I replaced a panel last year it cost£350 and we would need 2 panels this time. Perhaps I should offer to go halves but I am annoyed that if they just maintained their own fence, this wouldn't be an issue.

What did the neighbour say when you told her it was her responsibility to maintain her fence?

But they don’t have to maintain their fence. They have the option of just removing it. They are giving you the option to replace it instead of just coming home one day and discovering there is no longer a fence there.

Thing is if the fence deteriorates to the point your dog can get through it then you'll have to replace to keep the dog in your garden and that will be at your expense as it's your responsibility.
In view of this it might be with offering to go halves at this stage even though it's not your responsibility.

What size are the panels costing £350?? Go to B & Q! They’re not exactly pretty, but they sure as hell don’t cost £350...

A 12.5m chain link fence is about £180. Is invest in one of those and the neighbour is free to sort their fence if they don't like the dog being able to see through the fence.

Your responsibility is to keep your dog in, not someone else keep your dog out but you are under no obligation to stop your dog being seen.

I would say that it’s all her responsibility, but the bit that concerns me is your dog. What if it gets through the fence and bites one of her grandchildren? I can see something like that happening. You have a responsibility here too because of your dog.

£350 was for the bloke to put it up too. He needed to cement the post into the ground. So in theory you don't need a perimeter fence around your garden? You would have to be very friendly with your neighbours to want your gardens to merge!

£350 for a panel- you were robbed!

I never understand the ‘it’s yours you replace it’ attitude. We have always just gone halves with the 3 properties we have as neighbours. I get that legally we may not have owned it but it just seems fairer all round. You both have to look at the fence, seems odd to not just split the cost.

If you replace the fence I believe it then becomes your responsibility to maintain (although I could be wrong)

£350 for a panel and a bloke. You were had, royally. I paid £600 for 10 panels, posts, concrete and that was 18 years ago - all still standing, not a botch job and prices haven't altered that much

You were done and badly too

If you replace the fence I believe it then becomes your responsibility to maintain (although I could be wrong)

You are wrong, It isn't your boundary.

It's actually your responsibility to ensure your dog is contained - your neighbour could remove the fence completely and there's nothing you can do. A fence panel costs around £25 so even with a new post and gravel board it won't exceed £100 a panel, labour is typically £150 /day. We've got issues with our fence but it's 200ft so not cheap!

There’s no law saying you have to have a fence at all, no. It’s your responsibility to keep your dog secure, regardless of whose boundary it is. What is your dog likely to do if she manages to escape into next door’s garden?

If she complains to the dog warden about feeling scared by your dog, it could end poorly for you, please look at the Dangerous Dogs Act. It honestly doesn’t take much for a dog to be removed, I saw a guy have his three removed one day, police with pole catchers etc and the owner very distressed.

Yes I know my responsibility is to not let my dog through and I'm doing all I can to stop that happening. I've put the wiring up which is pretty strong and she can't get through it. I just loathed to be held to ransome to pay for their disintegrated fence on the basis that we have the dog. However I guess that in the interest of safety and neighbourly peace, it may have to happen.