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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Can I paint my side of a fence the neighbour put up?

26 replies

JazzAnnNonMouse · 23/04/2013 12:59

It's a bit ugly and I don't think the woods been treated so might not last long. Can I paint my side?

OP posts:

olivertheoctopus · 23/04/2013 13:00

Yes, I think you can do what you like with anything like that (other than take it down....)

ajandjjmum · 23/04/2013 13:09

Be careful your paint doesn't seep through the cracks and make their side as ugly as sin though! I'm experienced in fence wars!!!

PigletJohn · 23/04/2013 13:29

You do not own either side of your neighbor's fence so, no.

If you want to paint a fence, buy your own. Or ask someone else's permission if you want to paint theirs.

MrsHoarder · 23/04/2013 13:35

Ask them. If you start the conversation with "I notice the fence you've put up is unrated on my side and won't last long in british weather" then there's a fair chance they'll say yes.

Original poster

JazzAnnNonMouse · 23/04/2013 13:37

Hmm this is a bit 50/50!

OP posts:

MaryPoppinsBag · 23/04/2013 16:17

Is there any reason that you can't knock and the door and ask them?

Jacaqueen · 23/04/2013 17:33

Legally no you can't.

fussychica · 23/04/2013 18:27

I've just put up new fencing and my neighbour then took down her old one so she could look at mine!
She better not try to paint her side as it's been treated and have been advised that lots of the paints around aren't suitable.

redlac · 23/04/2013 18:32

Ask them?

nocake · 23/04/2013 19:30

No, definitely not unless you have their permission. Please don't paint it without asking them as it's a quick way to a neighbour dispute.

Poosnu · 23/04/2013 19:33

No you shouldn't, as it doesn't belong to you. As said above, it is very likely to seep through to the other side which will look awful.

Your best bet would be to put up your own fence on your side, right next to theirs. Obviously that is expensive but that way you can have it looking the way you want.

Trazzletoes · 23/04/2013 19:33

Now... My neighbours put up a fence. Which they subsequently charged us for (and I stupidly paid, believing it to be our fence at the time). Deeds actually show it to be a shared boundary. They have painted their side, I haven't got round to our side yet.

Do I need to tell them to come and paint our side? (Oh please I SO want this to be the case!) or can I (tongue-in-cheek) tell them off for painting THEIR side?

ajandjjmum · 24/04/2013 09:24

Tell them what the devil you like Trazzles, and if they argue, set us on to them!!!

PolterGoose · 24/04/2013 10:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NotGoodNotBad · 24/04/2013 12:34

Why not just ask them. Whether you have the "right" to paint their fence or not, if for some reason they don't want you to do it (e.g. for seepage onto their side) it's surely not worth falling out over.

CockyFox · 24/04/2013 12:44

This one of those things that never really used to be an issue but now appears to be.

Common sense says each neighbour treats side of fence each year so fence stays in better condition for longer.

Legally you can't touch your neighbour's fence to paint attach planters or grow plants etc. In reality most people still treat the side of the fence facing their farden as their own and expect the neighbour to do the same. However in the interest of neighbourly relations I have akways knocked and asked if they mind. Next door actually took it upon themselves ti totally replace our fence when they moved in - didn't bother us and we know have lovely fences either side we haven't had to pay for.

Potterer · 24/04/2013 16:36

Short answer is clearly no you can't paint it without their permission, nor grow anything up it, or attach anything to it.

We have a shared fence with the neighbour, we recently went halves on replacing some damaged panels. It was a simple process of knocking on their door, introducing ourselves and chatting about the fence.

We have lived here a couple of years but due to the layout of the houses they aren't next door to us, they are 20 houses away but the road backs round on itself, so we never actually see them due to the 6ft fence!

It was clear when we saw the fence from their side that the new untreated panels stuck out like a sore thumb and our side (inherited) has some panels treated and some not due to shrubbery that we have now removed.

We asked them what they treated their side with and agreed we would do the same on our side so that any leakage through the panel wouldn't spoil any painting they had done on their side.

It is really easy to talk to the neighbour about it rather than start doing stuff and it starting a dispute. Have a look at Gardenlaw forum and particularly this thread where the police were called over someone painting a fence [[http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18520 here]

Carrielyn · 20/04/2017 10:05

Anyone used Airbnb?

Maggy74653 · 20/04/2017 11:45

It has honestly never occurred to me not to paint my side of the fence around my garden. I've never had issues with neighbours over this in the four different houses I've lived in. As it is a new fence I'd knock on the door out of politeness and check. The only issue I can see is if the paint goes through to the other side.

Boulshired · 20/04/2017 13:43

I have always waited for them to treat and offered to do the same mine side and used the same colour. Unfortunately red cedar at the moment which I am not fond of. I just need to get the other neighbour to chop their ivy off my fence.

MissDuke · 20/04/2017 17:51

Weirdest zombie-bump ever How did that even happen?

Maggy74653 · 21/04/2017 09:40

Ha I didn't even spot that. Wonder what happened to the fence in the end

Carrielyn · 23/04/2017 19:08

My solicitor friend just informed me that no you certainly can't paint either side of someone else's fence!

Carrielyn · 23/04/2017 19:10

Sorry Airbnb was another question.I'm not internet savvy! You would never guess eh?

user1496658935 · 05/06/2017 14:01

We installed a perimeter fence on both sides of the house and along the back of the garden, at a cost of £600. It was erected on our property. One week later one neighbour had painted 'their' side of our fence with red gloss paint! and the concrete posts too! We were livid!
The neighbour on the other side died a few months later and the new homeowner had 'their' side of our fence painted white while we were away for four days!
At no point did anyone ask our permission, which we would have refused and the fencing was tannalised so wouldn't have rotted.
The neighbours have now hung various planters, trailing plants and wall plaques on our fence.
My partner is so incensed, he is going to rip the fencing down. He paid for it, he erected it, it's on our property and it's a bloody mess!
Don't ever paint/stain your neighbours fence unless you have their permission.

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