Neighbour has painted our and I mean our fence

[Endoftether2000]

Would I be unreasonable to go out and paint my fence. Scenario approx a year ago husband decided to replace all fences on both sides the original posts were wooden and had broken causing our garden to have props holding the right fence up. He went round to the neighbour who was relatively new and advised that he was replacing the fence with concrete gravel boards and posts. She advised that her side of the fence was OK to which my husband responded that if he removed the props that were straddling our garden the fence would fall down and was surprised she didn't know as the old neighbour was aware and advised my husband he would make the new buyer aware (as if he was going to stay he would have gone half's with us) so he agreed times and dates when the fence would be removed to no inconvenience to her or her garden. Fence was removed she then asked if she could have the fence for her wood burner so husband and people that were helping took the old fence round. She then knocked at our door and said that she had too much wood now and could he dispose of the excess which he did. She then paints said fence (we stained our side grey) she painted hers with dark brown stain which has ingressed but not too badly but painted the top of the fence brown when I had stained it grey which can only be seen from the bedroom so I could live with that. Then she hammers things to it only one screw yes screw not nail can be seen so can live with that. We are on the front garden today and notice behind the overgrown bushes which is our next project to tackle she has dark brown stained the section of wood that is the size of a tall gate that connects from our house to her garage and the small fence that is our border in dark brown stain on both sides the small fence being on our land. The section of wood and the fence are on our land so is this trespassing? I am tempted to go out and paint over it even if due to the colour I would have to use garden paint? Opinions appreciated. By the way I hate dark brown stain!

My neighbours are just like yours OP. When we moved in all their woodwork (their side of our fence, all three of their sheds, pergolas, benches plus garden furniture etc) was stained that bright red-orange colour that masquerades as ‘pine’ in the world of wood stain. Their boundary must have been visible from space. Two years later they painted over it in dark green (much better IMO) and thought they were being kind painting our side too, the took a panel out so they could get into our garden while we were out. I said ‘thank you how kind’ etc but was a bit so suggested they notify us first if they considered doing it again as we could save them the effort and paint our (own) fence. I’m glad I did as the latest wood stain to be exhibited is the dog poo shade your neighbour prefers. They kindly offered to respray ours but I explained that I’d grown 2 clematis and a hydrangea over the panels so the panel isn’t visible on our side. I genuinely don’t think your neighbour is being a Cf. I expect she just thinks it’s nice when it’s all ‘matching’.

She is also oddly proprietorial about the ‘tops’ of the fence panels, when we re painted a couple of panels I did the tops and when we got back from a weekend a way, I noticed they been out and repainted all the way along the tops of all the panels in ‘their’ colour. That’s when I put in a load of prolific climbing plants.

It’s a generation thing in part — my MIL also paints exterior wood with obsessive regulatory.

I would tread carefully to maintain good relationships.

Can’t really understand what you are on about as there are no sentences. It’s just one long ramble.

Wow it must be grumpy Sunday given some of the posts!
Ofc you are going to be a bit miffed about her treating the fence you paid for so carelessly. They are not cheap!

I think you should at least point out the fence she painted on your land,.

BUT I do need to ask; we’re you sensitive about how the fence would look from her home? My neighbours put a fence up last year. It is o.k., but I’m cheesed that all the screws and less attractive side is facing my garden.
It could have been discussed and an opportunity to contribute given so I could get something more attractive from my side.. If you paid in order to get control over colour, style etc, then in a way, it’s just deserts.

Has mumsnet banned the use of punctuation?

@Endoftether2000

If she has painted any part of your side of the fence, the you’re entitled to paint over it in a colour YOU want to see.

She sounds like she’s looking for drama though. Asking for the excess wood to be taken out, when she was the one who requested it, is already a tell.

If you want to change the dynamics, paint the fence the colour you want. If she makes a fuse, you have to hold your ground an make sure she knows you’re not going to roll over again if she starts playing up.

Honestly. If people spent more time working on themselves then making drama because it make them feel better. The world would be a much nicer place.

I can never remember the rule of thumb. Looking out the back door, left is your right is their's! Or something like that????????

Obvs without your deeds I wouldn't know.

The bit.i.dont get... She has to go through your garden to get to her garage? Is that the bit she painted?

By props I take it you mean POSTS. SO you buy wooden panels with concrete posts, and a concrete kick board (saves the wooden panels sitting in mud and rotting.) Why go for wood, then paint it.fucking concrete? That bit made me laugh.

Anyways, use what's left of.you drab grey paint, and paint it grey again. Simples, why the fuss to.come here for a.medal?

Get on with it.

We have a pandemic going on, and your complaining over grey paint or brown paint?

You’ve lost me!

If she has painted your fence, then maybe it would be better to just knock her door and advise her that the one side of the fence she has painted is actually your fence and that you were just letting her know because you’ll be paining over it.

That way if she sees you painting it, she doesn’t think you’re being funny with her or anything. Just go explain to her politely and tell her why you’ll be painting over it.

@nitsandwormsdodger

windyatthebeach

Ok I've now read your update and your neighbours sounds v unpleasant so understand the legal formalities now ( still think it was ott though)

But in the kindest way possible your dog was shitting on their garden ? Fair enough they were pissed off and demanding it be removed now

Can't have been nice standing in their garden painting with his hand down his trousers - why do men do that!? Is it supposed to be sexually intimidating or just a lazy gross thing

It's because trousers are an inherently uncomfortable design for men.

Can people please belt up about not liking grey? The OP likes grey, and it's her fence. And very definitely not her neighbour's. Also (and I'm tiptoeing up to this one carefully) there is more than one shade of grey.

If it is yours on the deeds, go round (or drop a note if she is scary) politely explaining that she has mistakenly painted your fence, it belongs it you and you do not want it painted, and that she will need to either replace or repaint it in a colour you don’t dislike.

She may just not realise she’s done anything wrong. Years ago I lived below someone who removed a section of fence that belonged to me (she planned to replace with a much taller fence). It was a complicated property. When I explained that the fence 100% belonged to us and we wanted it back how it used to be, plus that her proposed tall fence would be illegal cos she wasn’t measuring from the lowest point, she did sort it out (after speaking to her solicitor lol). But my point is she genuinely thought she was ‘within her rights’ and hadn’t thought it through.

Anyway good luck

Wow, the grammar police are well and truly out on this thread. Seriously it wasn’t that hard to follow. I have mild dyslexia. Some people have it more severe or other issues that make it more difficult to use the correct grammar. Why are there so many grammar snobs on mumsnet.

Anyway op YANBU, your neighbour is a CF. She acted completely illegally in both her trespassing and the painting of something that is your property. I wonder if those who seem to be so relaxed about it would think it was ok if she had painted it bright pink. Either way it is a colour the Op didn’t want.

I haven’t RTFT - I just can’t. My head is scrambled from trying to read the various posts from OP. The diagram didn’t make things any clearer. I made it to page 4. I think I did quite well to make it that far!

The only answer I can give is - just repaint your side of the fence in whatever colour you like!

Neighbour can paint the side of the fence that is facing them... Nothing you can do to stop them either!

Neighbours normally have responsibility for a side each, mine out the back is the RHS. If they damage a fence panel with screws etc then she can be liable to replace a section but good luck with that by the sound of things as it does not look that friendly atm!

Actually neighbours CANNOT paint the fence if it belongs to you. Just take a read on boundary and fence laws it states it clearly. They should at least ask for permission. A few years back we installed a brand new fence that didn’t need painting as it was already treated and stained BUT the neighbours painted it to match their one! I didn’t say anything as didn’t want to cause a fuss and just gave birth so couldn’t really care but even now 3 years later it looks awful as the paint is splattered all over the fence and it had seeped through. They also got it on the patio and over all my plants.

Even if your unaware of the laws regarding this the polite thing to do every time would be speak to your neighbours first. If it’s YOUR fence then obviously go ahead and paint

And has any one ever actually seen 2 fences side by side so each neighbour doesn't put anything on the others fence?

One side of my boundary had parallel fences and all it did was allow ivy to grow up out of control in between where we couldn't get to it.

Even if the boundary fence belongs to you, the neighbour as far as I am aware, can paint or stain the side that faces them.

@Retired65 - no it is against the law! I don’t know how to add links or pictures but I’ll try:

www.boundary-problems.co.uk/boundary-problems/fences.html

Here’s the screenshot if it will attach.

This is a common misconception that a lot of people have. I also thought this before I read another thread showing the legal implications of painting and hanging things on neighbour fences

[quote Verity35]@Retired65 - no it is against the law! I don’t know how to add links or pictures but I’ll try:

www.boundary-problems.co.uk/boundary-problems/fences.html[/quote]
Thank you for posting the link. I have learnt something today. I am sure I am not the only one who was not aware of this.

@Retired65 no don’t worry! I didn’t know either. It was from another post I learnt. It makes sense now doesn’t it why people get annoyed

What I've learnt us that if you buy a house with a fence that you do not own in your garden then the best thing to do is to erect your own fence in parallel in case you live next door to a twat.

Have not read all the posts so might have already been mentioned.As you have replaced the fence both sides one side being your boundary YOU are now responsible for the upkeep of both fences!