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Original poster

Shared fence etiquette

25 replies

Dollymixture22 · 29/09/2018 20:44

I arrived home today to find my neighbour painting his side of the low picket fence between our gardens. Which I know is absolutely his right - but he has also painted the shared end post and was paintings part of my fence when I went out to speak to him. It is a very bright colour and is not to my taste.

It was a bit biazarre - I spoke to him and said did I would rather he didn’t paint the shared post or any of my fence - he said of course he wouldn’t as we stood looking at the shared post he had just painted!!!

I don’t want to start a feud over a fence post, but l’m not clear he understands where I am coming from. It is not common manners to speak to a neighbour before painting shared property, and even more so a big no no to paint any part of their fence? It’s a bit of a splashy mess and beciase it’s a bright colour it’s quite noticeable.

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GirlAtTheRockShow · 29/09/2018 20:47

Who actually owns the fence @Dollymixture22? If it's your neighbour, not really a lot you can do unfortunately, if it's you, then he shouldn't have painted it in the first place!

Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 29/09/2018 21:11

It is a new build hous, the fence divides the frint gardens. It bobble sidded, in effect two fences stick together,

Half is just in my garden half just in his and the end post straddles both gardens. He has painted his side of the new fence (fine) the whole end post on both side plus the cap. He hasn’t also painted the supports of my fence which are in my garden.

It looks a bit ridiculous!

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Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 29/09/2018 21:12

Sorry for the typos - on my phone!

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GirlAtTheRockShow · 29/09/2018 21:38

Aaaaah I see not ideal at all! Sorry OP, I really have no advice for you at all, never lived in a new build so we've always known who's fences belong to whom

BackforGood · 29/09/2018 23:10

Well, I should imagine it looks a bit ridiculous, because you stopped him finishing the job ?

Can't see that it is worth falling out over, even if he were painting it neon pink. It's just a protective coat of paint.

Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 29/09/2018 23:20

I dont think I stopped him finishing the end post. He had finished From look at it I stopped him painting my fence, (which he had been reaching through to emcee, paint for some reason) should I have let hIm continue?

Would you let your neighbour paint you fence a very different colour to the rest your fences?

I said it’s not worth falling our over, in fact I was very nice and simply asked him not to paint my or any shared property without talking to me first.

You sound much more laid back than me! I would have thought a lot of people would have a polite word with their neightbour who was in the process of reaching through the fenc and painting bits of their fence a very noticeable colour?

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BackforGood · 29/09/2018 23:47

Would you let your neighbour paint you fence a very different colour to the rest your fences?

Yes.
If it is a joint fence, and he has his one colour and you have yours a different colour, then the joint one has to be a different colour either to his other fence or your other fence.
Wherever I've lived, you all know which is your fence - the left as you look out your house or whatever, so I've never come across it, but I'd have thought it was nice of them to try to complete the whole fence whilst they were painting, rather than stopping at half a fence, yes.

Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 29/09/2018 23:58

I don’t for one minute think they were going to paint my whole fence - just the bits they could see ( it’s really two separate fences which have been nailed together) they painted their fence and the parts of mine that they could see from their windows.

we are all different - you must be the best neighbour ever! Although I do hope your neighbour doesn’t start painting bits of your fence neon pink!

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HeddaGarbled · 30/09/2018 00:02

You’re in a bit of an unusual situation because usually only one of you owns the fence. From your description, there are two fences, presumably one each. Normally, the owner of the fence would also own the fence posts, but you say they are shared. Are you sure about that?

It being a picket fence also complicates things. With a solid fence, he could do whatever he wanted to his side and you wouldn’t see it.

In previous houses, your neighbour would have been able to do whatever he wanted to the fences he owned and I think it probably didn’t occur to him that this isn’t a normal set up.

I think I’d be tempted to grow a hedge up against the fence to hide it now.

yorkshireyummymummy · 30/09/2018 00:05

I want a bobble sidded fence!
It sounds fun. Whatever it is.

Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 30/09/2018 00:16

Oh a hedge -that is a very good idea!

It is unusual, it’s an open plan garden so just a mini fence - really just decorative. I think that’s why it looks so jarring, I probably have t explained it very well.

I won’t be pulling out the deeds or anything. I just thought it wa a bit cheeky. We would bothe be able to remove our half - there are two off everything up to the shared post, that is what it is so obvious he has painted bits of mine. It means he only sees one colour on his side of the gator den but I get a striped effect from the bits of mine he has painted!

I will look at it ina couple of weeks and come up with a plan. I could remove my half completely, just leave home the support posts (which would be half in my garden and grow a beautiful little hedge with something pretty and flowering growing through!

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Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 30/09/2018 00:18

It’s not a gator den with a bubble fence! How fun would that be! Exepcially if the bubble fence was neon pink

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echt · 30/09/2018 09:25

I immediately thought of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band

Haireverywhere · 30/09/2018 09:27

Who owns it on the title plan? I would say the bits you can see from inside your garden you get to re-paint if they are in your property and it is your fence!

April2020mom · 02/10/2018 11:09

Picket fences are tricky. Who owns it? I doubt that he realised he is in the wrong here. Can you hide the damage or not? Only thing you can do now.

Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 02/10/2018 12:46

I think I will replace my fence with a closed picket fence - then I won’t be able to see the stripes.

As you said I don’t think he did it deliberately - I think he was (and is) thoughtless. It should have been obvious to him that he was also painting my fence - he had to lean over passed his fence to do it. But I think he was only considering what the view from his side was, therefore the wood on my fence was probably annoying him!!!!!

Bits of the fence are starting to rot so I will replace those as well. I will speak to him first and explain what I am doing. I don’t want to start a row, but I also want him to understand he needs to be a bit more considerate. So I will lead by example!!!!

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Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 02/10/2018 13:15

Back for good - we will agree to differ. You seem very tolerant to allow your neighbout to paint your fence neon pink without talking to you first.

I’m not sure I really believe you - maybe you have painted your neighbours fence a different colour and think you are in the right😊.

My other neighbour asked my permission to paint the back of my fence a few years ago and I was happy to grant it. He was very careful and didn’t paint any bits I could see. I am used to this type of neighbour. But I suppose it takes all sorts

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Namechanger55555 · 02/10/2018 13:44

Please can we see a photo of the fence?
I think I understand. He sounds like a complete CF!

BackforGood · 02/10/2018 20:33

Nope - I've never painted any fence anything other than creosote brown. You can believe what you want.
I just couldn't get worked up about a mini picket fence being painted by my neighbour.

Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 02/10/2018 20:56

Don’t want to post a picture incase neighbours see. But it is 4ft high 12ft long double sided fence - basically we each have one of these fences which have been nailed back to back. Neightbour pained his fence and the parts of mine that he could see

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Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 02/10/2018 21:03

If you imagine seeing this fence from My side with bright coloured drips running down some of my pickets and he wooden horizontal supports half painted bright blue (again blue drips ruin g down the front). It looks odd. But I can cover it up but replacing my picket with a new similar fence with closed pickets. Same height so doesn’t look odd from neighbours side.

Not getting worked up just wondered if others should think he should have spoken to me before he did this. Apparently not😳

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Haireverywhere · 02/10/2018 21:04

So from your windows and their windows you can all see the bright colour?

Haireverywhere · 02/10/2018 21:06

X posted. Ah OK yes that would look odd. If you can see bits of bright blue that isn't to your taste I'd probably re-paint those bits rather than add another fence.

longwayoff · 03/10/2018 15:14

Sigh. Pick your neighbours carefully people.

Original poster

Dollymixture22 · 03/10/2018 20:42

Ok sorry. I was merely asking if people though a neighbour should ask first. I haven’t created a fuss or even complained to neighbour, even though my fence clearly belongs to me,neighbour does know that.

Opinion seemed divided. Some would be absolutely happy for bits of their fence to be painted (not stained, painted) while others seem to agree it would look a bit odd and need covered up.

I have spoken to a builder who is already doing work at my house and he will replace my fence with something a bit less open. It will mean the blue bits will be gone. I will very politely as neightbour not to paint the new fence. As I said I am totally happy for him to paint his - even if it’s neon pink.

Thanks all.

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