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AIBU?

To be a bit peed off next door neighbour has painted the trellis above the garden fence?

64 replies

StormyLovesOdd · 19/04/2021 14:56

We only moved into this house 8 months ago so this is our first summer here. The fence is 5ft heigh with garden trellis above taking it to about 6ft.

I've been pondering what colour to paint our side of the fence, it's currently a faded orange and needs doing again. I was thinking about either pale grey or cream.

Yesterday (when we were out) without even mentioning it to us my next door neighbour removed all the trellis and put a fresh coat of orange fence paint on both sides of the trellis so now it seems I'm stuck with the orange fence unless I want an argument (we've been told these neighbours can be v difficult). Am I being unreasonable to be a bit pissed off about it and should I paint the fence and trellis the colour I really want or just put up with it as it is?

OP posts:

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StormyLovesOdd · 19/04/2021 15:22

Maybe I should knock on their door and invite them into my garden to finish the job and paint our side of the fence and trellis so that it all match's (only half joking🙃)

OP posts:

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cyclingmad · 19/04/2021 15:29

So much crap advice on here

Its simple if you do not own that side of the fence and therefore any trellis you cannot paint it, take it down, or eveb grow plants attached to that fence and trellis. Its illegal.

If your neighbour owns it they can do what the hell they like even paint is multi coloured on the side that faces you which would piss off alot of people but that's the law. They can paint what ever colour they like.

Just like if you own if they cannot touch it and if you paint it and only do one side cos you cannot be bothered to do both and the other side ends up with dribbles of new paint touch luck for the neighbour

If you want to put up another fence or trellis where you do not own the existing one it cannot be attached to the existing fence or trellis in anyway.

People need to read up on the what is legal and what isn't because some neighbours will and have taken their neighbours to court

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memberofthewedding · 19/04/2021 15:30

My NDN decided to change the fence between the two houses without even consulting me as to style, colour etc. The men they engaged made a pigs ear of it and the panels were mostly recycled from other parts of the garden. NDN then had the cheek to ask me to pay half of the cost. I refused on the grounds that they had never consulted me as to style, etc and that half of the fence was not new. I told them it looked an eyesore.

I got my gardener to put up a fence of maximum height 6 inches in from theirs and in a style to match the rest of my fencing runs.

High fences make for good neighbours.

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RincewindsHat · 19/04/2021 15:31

I would take the exact same attitude they've taken and do what the hell you like without asking them first. It's not one rule for them and another for you.

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Thefaceofboe · 19/04/2021 15:34

Please do a diagram

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chesirecat99 · 19/04/2021 15:36

Are you sure that you own the fence?

You might be responsible for the boundary according to the deeds but they may have paid for the fence and installed it on their side of the boundary or made an arrangement with the previous owners and paid for it/shared costs so that it matched the fence on the part that they own.

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Outbutnotoutout · 19/04/2021 15:37

In that case (you own the fence and trellis) paint it what ever colour you like.

If they cause a fuss tell them it's yours

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Bluntness100 · 19/04/2021 15:37

So they have painted both sides of trellis you own and rhey own?

They likely thought they were doing uou a favour. Just tell them you’re repainting it and want to paint thr one they own as well, but will make sure it doesn’t go over so they can’t see it,

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stackemhigh · 19/04/2021 15:38

@cyclingmad

People need to read up on the what is legal and what isn't because some neighbours will and have taken their neighbours to court

And you need to RTFT! OP owns part of the fence.

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PanamaPattie · 19/04/2021 15:38

Not this again. You can’t paint other peoples property. Fence, wall or whatever. You can’t paint what you don’t own.

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CherryCherries · 19/04/2021 15:39

Lots of things are legal and illegal. Being a decent human being, especially if it's your neighbours and something trivial like a fence, always top trumps over the legality of things. At least it should...

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sunflowersandbuttercups · 19/04/2021 15:39

Personally I would let them do what they like, and just put up another fence adjacent to theirs, painted/decorated however I fancied.

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Onthedowns · 19/04/2021 15:50

@CherryCherries

Lots of things are legal and illegal. Being a decent human being, especially if it's your neighbours and something trivial like a fence, always top trumps over the legality of things. At least it should...

You would think we have the neighbours from hell and we had a trivial issue they caused that they wouldn't sort. So its with solicitors. Some people just aren't neighbourly.

We have an open boundary and our own fence running along our boundary we didn't paint their side any colour - despite them enjoying the benefits of having a new fence and not contributing. Only when they discovered they can't paint their side did they finally decide to get their own fence up

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Devlesko · 19/04/2021 15:51

I usually just say thanks when a neihbour does a kind gesture

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nickymanchester · 19/04/2021 15:51

@StormyLovesOdd

The side between the two gardens is our fence, the fence that runs along the bottom of our garden is their fence

If you are absolutely sure of that then you are entitled to do whatever you want with your fence and they really shouldn't have painted that bit without asking your permission first.

Do your neighbours also agree that the side between the two gardens is your fence?

If you are absolutely certain of this and want to paint your fence another colour then go and do it.

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SunshineCake · 19/04/2021 15:58

I have fences both sides. I have painted both sides, one is my fence, one isn't. It is what is expected. Just paint your side the colour you want and be careful with drips.

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B33Fr33 · 19/04/2021 15:58

Grey? Oh god no. Is nothing safe from the concrete look?

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SallySycamore · 19/04/2021 15:59

If it's orange, I'd hazard a a guess it isn't really paint, but a creosote/wood treatment type thing. It's to preserve the wood.

I'd honestly do yours the same — if they can be difficult, I wouldn't want to risk it rotting from my side.

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lottiegarbanzo · 19/04/2021 16:07

Trellis is not fence. One person owns the trellis. Surely the point of trellis is to become covered by climbing plants, thus invisible?

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DiddlyWiddly · 19/04/2021 16:09

If NDN was reasonable i’d very carefully paint my side, if you take your time and use a brush there really shouldn’t be any paint run on their side.
And I must admit, I’d be pretty cross about paint run too, I don’t think it makes them ‘fussy’

But as you say they are difficult, I’d paint the fence cream and leave the trellis orange.
I don’t personally think it’s that unattractive a colour combination.
But then I would say that because I have white fences and bright terracotta orange pots!

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Bluntness100 · 19/04/2021 16:14

But as you say they are difficult, I’d paint the fence cream and leave the trellis orange.I don’t personally think it’s that unattractive a colour combination.But then I would say that because I have white fences and bright terracotta orange pots!

It’s different with a fence, her garden would look like an outpost for east jet,,😃

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Mistressinthetulips · 19/04/2021 16:15

There are two fence+trellis combos, one on the side (owned by OP) and one at the bottom (owned by NDN) and it is not at all clear to me whether the NDN has painted both of these combos, or only the one he did in fact pay for.
OP is always at liberty to erect her own fence on her property or grow hedge/shrubs etc. (Not climbers that use the trellis though!)

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AdobeWanKenobi · 19/04/2021 16:18

Boundaries aside, who bought and paid for the fence? If the answer is, your neighbours, then you cant paint it or even hammer a nail into it without permission.

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stackemhigh · 19/04/2021 16:24

@lottiegarbanzo

Trellis is not fence. One person owns the trellis. Surely the point of trellis is to become covered by climbing plants, thus invisible?

"There is no legal difference between trellis and fencing."

www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/fences-for-privacy-great-ideas-garden-screening/#:~:text=There%20is%20no%20legal%20difference,no%20more%20than%202%20metres.&text=There%20is%20also%20trellis%20on,in%20different%20counties%20in%20England.

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DiddlyWiddly · 19/04/2021 16:26

It’s different with a fence, her garden would look like an outpost for east jet
🤣
I disagree, I’m wondering now whether I should add orange trellis to my fence to match my pots...
Genuinely not joking!

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