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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

New fence then new neighbours

143 replies

bluesky · 26/03/2009 15:06

We put in a new fence, good strong (pricey) sturdy one, as we plan on staying here for a good long time.

New house built, new neighbours in.

They have painted the side facing them.

As the law stands, that fence is ours, it's not her side of the fence apparently, it's "the other side of our fence". (I've been on a garden law website).

She is not permitted to paint it, attach anything to it, grown anything up it, without our permission.

What do I do? How do I say something, she is currently having huge garden works done, and I can see trellis and all sorts coming!!?

Help! AIBU to be pissed off??

OP posts:

Washersaurus · 26/03/2009 15:27

I have only skimmed so far, but can't believe no-one has asked what colour she painted the fence. Was it blue?

I think you have to be careful about asserting your ownership, she may later demand the upkeep of the paintwork on her side

southeastastra · 26/03/2009 15:29

i painted the one our neighbour put up straight away. kind of odd that you're getting so het up about something like this

Bonneville · 26/03/2009 15:30

Why the need to actually paint a fence? I can understand a bit of cuprinol/woodstain or something but paint????

WorzselMummage · 26/03/2009 15:30

It is odd really.

it's a fence !

daisydora · 26/03/2009 15:31

OMG we have recently painted 'our side' of a fence a neighbour put up! It never occured to me to ask him if we could paint it - its in my garden!

YABU

Kimi · 26/03/2009 15:46

We have weather proofed our side of the fences all round the garden, never thought to ask next door about it, I would rather someone did that to "their" side of "our" fence then let it rot.

I think you could just mention that it is not a shared fence to her and ask her to keep "her" side nice.

FigmentOfYourImagination · 26/03/2009 15:53

trouble is that one persons nice might be another persons fecking hideous

RubberDuck · 26/03/2009 16:05

What - so you're supposed to paint both sides if you own the fence - can see that going down well, everyone's garden would have at least 3 different colours on the fences surrounding them

Of course you paint your own side of fence, regardless of ownership. Due care and consideration due to avoid too much dripping through the other side, especially if it's a vastly different colour, but come on!

RubberDuck · 26/03/2009 16:13

(Actually, this makes me feel very grateful that all our boundary fences are shared - thought it was odd at first and was a bit of a pain when gales knocked down 2/3rds of our fencing but a) at least our 3 neighbours were amicable about splitting the costs and b) no-one was a complete tit and told us what colour we had to paint our side )

2rebecca · 26/03/2009 16:13

I always thought of fences as a boundary, even if 1 party owns a fence your neighbour can still put things leaning against the fence, if not what do you expect her to do? Put a fence just next to your fence on her side that she can then lean her plants against and paint? You are being very strange about this. If the paint is coming through that's a nuisance, but I would have thought if a fence faces into her garden she can do what she wants with her half of it.
I definitely see this being a 2 fence boundary!

Bleatblurt · 26/03/2009 16:17

Just because a fence is facing you doesn't make one side your side. It's not in your garden it's in the person that put it up garden. One side is simply FACING you. The law says that if it's not your fence you have no right to even lean something on it.

But I think the OP should chill and just go round and have a friendly chat with the neighbour if it's bothering her that much.

Milliways · 26/03/2009 16:23

When our neighbours on one side put up a new fence, they were delighted that we painted our side as it protects it.

I must admit, have been on the wrong side of a newly painted fence and seen dribbles coming through, but here we have all agreed to use green paint, paint our sides then both get done.

Unless you put the fence up WITHIN your boundary, leaving a margin then you can't dictate what they do?

Our neighbours DID ask us not to let the ivy grow up it if possible, but they checked with us before allowing rambling roses to leave their side of the fence and enter our ash tree.

theDreadPiratePerArdua · 26/03/2009 16:25

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 26/03/2009 16:26

If I were the neighbour I would put up my own fence beside bluesky's fence and paint that.
And I would make horrible faces at her over it for the next 20 years.

Fimbo · 26/03/2009 16:29

Is this a joke????? [incredulous emoticon]

I live in a new build with 3 fence panels, only 1 actually "belongs" to us. The fences are all close board and we cresoted them last weekend. We popped a note through the door of each of the neighbours affected to let them know in case of "seepage". We have had compliments!

ThePellyandMe · 26/03/2009 16:32

I thought with fences there isn't shared resposiblity or ownership as such, you are responsible for the fence one side of the garden , your neighbours the other side. That's what happens around here anyway.

I've got masses of clematis growing up my side of the fence next door has responsiblity for, as far as I'm concerned it's my side of the fence, no problem.

Same with the fence we are responsible for which we replaced a couple of years ago. I couldn't care less what next door do with their side. TBH I'd be quite pleased if they painted it as it does protect the wood and we are far too lazy to do our side

Bonneville · 26/03/2009 16:39

All our fences are shared responsibility where I live.

MarmadukeScarlet · 26/03/2009 16:51

Well I hope if you are being this petty pedantic about a fence, you followed the rules and put the attractive side facing your neighbour?

dal21 · 26/03/2009 16:52

YABU. Totally and utterly.
It is a fence
It is their side
You cannot see it.

They are having garden works done = people who take pride in how their house look = good neighbours IMO.

Overlook this, neighbours can be fantastic help, dont start off on the wrong foot over this.

Wigglesworth · 26/03/2009 17:02

YABU, it's a fence FFS. What are you going to do, go round there and tell them that as it's your fence they can't look at it without your permission.

purepurple · 26/03/2009 17:05

my neighbour is a druggie and an acoholic, they fight and shout at each other all the time, have violent rows that end with the police taking him away, or an ambulance
if only, I only had a fence to worry about

SugarAndSpice26 · 15/04/2009 15:35

Hi Bluesky

You're taking a bit of a hammering here. No you're not unreasonable. Technically they've caused criminal damage to your fence. You paid for it, someone has damaged it.

Have a coffee and a chat and see what they say x

noddyholder · 15/04/2009 15:40

YABU but I would be the same esp if I didn't like the colour or it was badly done but i am a control freak wrt my house.Its your fence though and imo they should have left it or asked but not sure you can do a lot

noddyholder · 15/04/2009 15:40

mrswoolf · 15/04/2009 15:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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