To ask if you pay for a fence why your neighbour should get the "nice" side?

[DeRigueurMortis]

Asking because I'm replacing some fencing...

To be frank I'm not really concerned about having the "nice" side given the position as it's largely hidden by the summerhouse and planting but I am interested if anyone knows why this is the etiquette?

It just seems odd that if it's your fence and your paying for it you should get the side that looks the best?

We’ve just replaced our boundary fence and I made sure that we got the nice side!

What does the not nice side of the fence look like?
Can you live with the not nice side of the fence?
A fence is a fence, it serves it’s purpose.

We have a 50% share of all the boundaries (and fortunately 3 lovely neighbours that were all easy to agree with for upgrades.

We have the nice side on the back which is our direct view and close to the house (their side) a nice side on one side (we organised it) and a back side on the other side (which now has trellis on it so it wasn't an issue)

@Samtsirch like this
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/new-to-market/my-neighbour-s-ugly-fence-encroaches-on-my-land-1.2564630%3fmode=amp

@Samtsirch

What does the not nice side of the fence look like? Can you live with the not nice side of the fence? A fence is a fence, it serves it’s purpose.

It tends to have the supports on view.

I think houses look really strange with the posts on the outside. It would definitely put me off buying such a house. You also have to consider that the fences are less strong against wind with the panels on the inside and the house is less secure as it’s easier for burglars to climb over if the posts are on the outside.

I think it is just convention - you are responsible for one side generally, so you will always have one 'nice' side and one the other side. When I moved to my current house it was unclear on the deeds who was responsible for which side. As they needing replacing i suggested we share the cost. One of my neighbours was in her mid 90s and couldn't afford it, the other was extremely rude and basically said he was going to call his lawyers about it! He later said he wasn't going to pay anything. So I chose the fence and put the good side facing me on both sides.

We have an HA house on one side and when the fence broke we paid to replace it with a much more sturdy (expensive) fence because they would’ve made one out of pallets otherwise (that’s what they’ve done on the other side) so of course we took the ‘nice’ side.

Thank you for explaining that.
I really didn’t know.sorry.
@ToothFairyNemesis
@BogRollBOGOF

I organised and paid for new fences on both sides of my garden and I ensured I had the "nice" side on both sides since I was paying.

The nice side doesn't have the posts and support beams on view - so it's basically cleaner looking.

That said there are fences that have "same" sides but they tend to be more expensive.

I'm a bit "on the fence" (sorry I know, I know ) about what to do now!

I think I'll probably still give them the nice side as in context it makes little difference to us and it's not worth offending them over if it's the prevailing etiquette.

I have the flat side on the one I paid for. I actually prefer the one on the other side.

I think if you're paying have whatever side you like.

If your boundary is onto the street or public land, for security reasons have the bad side facing in. Simply because the supports on the bad side make it easier to step up and climb over, so you don't want that on the public side... you might as well put a sign up saying Burglars Welcome!!

I always thought you were meant to have one good and one bad side based on your boundaries? We don't have neighbours now so no issue but all the houses I have lived in previously in London you always had a good and a bad side?

@BrightlightsSmallvillage

I thought it was because the fence needs to sit exactly on the property line and the posts have to be on your property so you end up with the back side by default.

Is correct for traditional fences.

This is the "bad"side of a traditional featheredge fence. With 4" posts you'd lose a fair bit of garden if you had the "nice" side.

"Often it is vital for one neighbour to go on to the land of another to carry out repairs to their own property. Accordingly, there is a legal right that allows this under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992".

I'm not 100% sure of the way this works but there was a recent thread about decking which mentioned that act...and i'm sure that they said that although yes the law does give you the right to do that you might still sometimes have to go to court to ensure that right is upheld!

Just use Jackson’s hit and miss with concrete posts and concrete bottom boards. You both get the same view and won’t have to replace the posts ever.

You need access to the posts in order to maintain it.

Which you can do by taking the fencing down.

There is no expectation that the neighbours get the nice looking side, ignore anyone who thinks there is.

user1972548274

How many centimetres of difference can that possibly make? Two? Two and a half? And why do we waste our lives obsessing about getting such incredibly pointless nonsense "right"?

I suspect that it would depend on if you were giving the land to or taking the land from the other person.

Either way, even if its the slide down the middle of the concrete post fence it should be entirely on the land of the one responsible for it.

My neighbour paid and put the struts on our side.

I don't care. Saved us ££££ they can do what they like!

I thought it was because the fence needs to sit exactly on the property line and the posts have to be on your property so you end up with the back side by default.

More nonsense. You can put a fence anywhere within your boundary.

20mm of fence panel isn’t going to shrink your garden substantially.

We own all the boundaries and therefore we have the nice sides. I don't think the neighbours care since they get a nice maintained fence for free.

Our neighbours have just replaced our boundary fence and have the "nice side". Honestly for a fence I didn't want or know I needed I'm over the moon having the "bad side".

@MintyMabel

I thought it was because the fence needs to sit exactly on the property line and the posts have to be on your property so you end up with the back side by default.

More nonsense. You can put a fence anywhere within your boundary.

20mm of fence panel isn’t going to shrink your garden substantially.

True. But if you want a proper featheredge fence you lose at least 4.5" all along your garden.

You can put whichever side you want on your side.

The 'myth' arises from when a housing estate is built. When you buy a new house it is standard that you are responsible for (and own) the fence with the posts on your side. Probably done for ease of maintenance or - who knows - someone tossed a coin.

If your deeds don't say then, without evidence, no one can prove they own, or don't own, the fence.