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Original poster

Neighbour won't half in for fence

476 replies

thunderandbangs · 18/03/2021 20:36

I spoke to my neighbour over the back from me about a year ago to see if she'd be willing to half in for the back fence (fence at back of her garden, fence at back of ours) and she said yes that would be fine and to give her a quote when we had it.

Then Covid happened so we have just gotten round to it. I went over to give her quote (150 each) the other night. She then said that actually the fence at the back was our priority to fix and pay for as the posts are on her side of the garden! Confused

I said I don't think that's how it works and she said that the two fences at the left and right of her garden were her responsibility as the posts were in the neighbours garden therefore she gets the 'pretty' side of the fence meaning it's her responsibility. But as the fence at the back of the garden posts are in her garden and we get the 'pretty' side of the fence it is our responsibility.

She said she can't just go around halfing in for the upkeep of other peoples things and when the time comes she won't ask her neighbours to on either side either.

AIBU to think this is absolutely bonkers? Trying to find out if there's anything I can do to ensure she pays half as that is not how it works. She has a responsibility as well as we do.

OP posts:
mynewernew · 18/03/2021 21:16

Check the deeds. The back fence is not our responsibility but neighbours. The nice side is facing them.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 18/03/2021 21:17

Traditionally it was the other way around - you showed your neighbour the “pretty”‘side of the fence.

However, that’s no longer the rule. It’s whatever’s on your deeds.

I’m responsibly for my boundary on both sides and the back though!

Everythingiswonderful · 18/03/2021 21:17

@BurgundyBells

I can't quite believe the amount of illogical nonsense on this thread.

The fence belongs to whoevers land the posts are on. Who has the pretty side of the fence means nothing.

It's also advised that fence posts should be on the INSIDE of your garden for security. So the 'pretty side' - which is the safe, less climbable side - facing out.

I can't believe the number of posters who are apparently erecting their fences with a built in ladder for someone to climb on the outside, just so they don't have to look at the posts🤦🏻‍♀️

This was my understanding. The ugly side has the handy foot hold for someone to be able to get onto the property.
cariadlet · 18/03/2021 21:18

Am I the only person reading this thread who has absolutely no idea what the "pretty side" of a fence is?

sweetnessnfight · 18/03/2021 21:18

@en0la

Look at your deeds, it will have a sideways T, the T points towards your house then you own the fence,if it points to your neighbour's house then they own the fence.
This is true, check your land registry plan
Kattenzz · 18/03/2021 21:18

Check your deeds. We're responsible for right side and back of our fences.

If that's the case where you are then she's correct. And the non-owner gets the nice side of the fence.

Melroses · 18/03/2021 21:18

If you put a fence up, the posts should be on your own land and the fence runs along the boundary. You can't put posts in on land that is not yours, coz it isn't yours 🤷‍♀️ So usually the pretty side ends up facing outside the property.

gavisconismyfriend · 18/03/2021 21:20

She’s got it back to front! But the deeds should clarify things

TableFlowerss · 18/03/2021 21:21

Love how everyone says ‘just check your deeds....’ as if they’re just a click away online.

I wouldn’t jade a ducking clue where to begin in checking the deeds of my house....Hmm

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 18/03/2021 21:21

Trying to find out if there's anything I can do to ensure she pays half as that is not how it works
That is, literally, how it works. No one is legally obliged to either erect or maintain a fence, whether they own it or not. If you want a fence then you need to put one up on your side of the boundary and pay for it yourself.

TableFlowerss · 18/03/2021 21:22

Or even have a fucking clue

Jumpalicious · 18/03/2021 21:22

Posts are on the side of the owner. You give the other person the “nice side”. That’s how it works.

EL8888 · 18/03/2021 21:22

I would check the deeds. Money is especially tight for lots of people right now, maybe she doesn’t have the money and / or it’s not a priority for her at the moment

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 18/03/2021 21:23

Check your deeds, as a general rule you own the right and rear fences

I've not heard of that before (not saying you're wrong). Is that for the front and back - and looking from the road or from the house?

Maybe slightly missing the point here, but don't most people these days have fences where the wood slots in sideways between concrete posts, so the posts are on neither side (or both)?!

Acesulfame · 18/03/2021 21:24

Personally, rather than getting into a dispute, I’d just get it done and pay myself...... and maybe make sure the “ugly” side is really, really ugly.

elsaesmeralda · 18/03/2021 21:24

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

Check your deeds, as a general rule you own the right and rear fences

I've not heard of that before (not saying you're wrong). Is that for the front and back - and looking from the road or from the house?

Maybe slightly missing the point here, but don't most people these days have fences where the wood slots in sideways between concrete posts, so the posts are on neither side (or both)?!

They mean the wooden battons going horizontally across the panels
SakuraEdenSwan1 · 18/03/2021 21:25

Yabu your neighbour is correct. Money is tight for us all at the moment, perhaps she is struggling.

thenightsky · 18/03/2021 21:25

@Rollmopsrule

It's actually the other way round. The presumption is the owner of the fence has the posts on their side. Presumptions can be challenged but that's how it usually works as the maintenance would usually be on the post side.
That's my understanding too. We are in a new build (10 years old) and we've paid for the fence down one side of the garden with posts on our side and our neighbours paid to repair the fence on the other side (posts their side). We only did repairs last summer, and nobody argued or said any different.
saraclara · 18/03/2021 21:25

@Melroses

If you put a fence up, the posts should be on your own land and the fence runs along the boundary. You can't put posts in on land that is not yours, coz it isn't yours 🤷‍♀️ So usually the pretty side ends up facing outside the property.
Exactly.

But as people obviously don't know the rule, I imagine that loads of people out there have erroneously given themselves the 'pretty' side, so I don't think OP can assume anything by looking at the fence.

Eviethyme · 18/03/2021 21:28

Yes it's your fence so you need to pay, whoever has the front side of the fence needs to pay

Standrewsschool · 18/03/2021 21:29

Does anyone else remember the long-running mn thread about fences? The op was told by her neighbour that, although op was paying for the fence, the neighbour should have the pretty said. Lots of people argued that this was legal or ethical, even though there were no such rulings. It was one of my favourite threads ever.

If the fence is on your land, or is your boundary, then you pay. There’s no obligation for neighbour to pay.

safariboot · 18/03/2021 21:30

To be honest you can't reliably tell by anything. The posts can be either way, and you can't 100% go by the deeds or land reg, because if A used to own the fence but it fell down and B built the new fence, the deeds won't reflect that.

There's no general obligation to have a fence, but if there is one, the owner needs to make sure it's safe.

So since your rear neighbour has disavowed any ownership of the fence, I'd say it's yours now to do as you see fit with.

(Closeboard fences for example are usually built from the face side. So the owner has to have the face side unless they stand on the neighbours' land while building it.)

sansou · 18/03/2021 21:30

Check your deeds. Traditional etiquette is that you should let your neighbour have the more attractive side which is what we did.

HazelWitch · 18/03/2021 21:31

It is nothing to do with posts and 'pretty' sides, responsibility for fences is clearly marked on the land registry for each house.
There are little 'T's on each boundary.
The top of the T is the person responsible. Hope someone can explain that better than me...

That doesn't stop someone putting half, but they don't have to. Only the person with legal responsibility on the land register has to pay.

huggzy · 18/03/2021 21:31

I always thought that if you own a fence you have the post side, and the neighbour has the 'good' side?